This Might Be the Most Massive Black Hole Ever Discovered
New measurements of the galaxy at the heart of the “Cosmic Horseshoe” indicate that it could house the most massive object ever seen in the universe.
Science Reveals the Surprising Origins of the Potato
Potatoes as we know them today are the product of a hybridization that took place 9 million years ago between two plants, one of which was an ancestor of the tomato.
This Star System Contains 5 Potentially Habitable Planets
Astronomers have discovered a new exoplanet that may be habitable 35 light-years from Earth. Named L 98-59 f, it joins four other worlds in the temperate zone of an intriguing planetary system.
Newly Discovered ‘Infinity Galaxy’ Could Prove How Ancient Supermassive Black Holes Formed
This collision of two galaxies could demonstrate that theorized “direct collapse black holes” exist.
The Structure of Ice in Space Is Neither Order nor Chaos—It’s Both
Long thought to be completely disordered, space ice appears to have some crystallized regions, new research suggests.
The FDA Just Approved a Long-Lasting Injection to Prevent HIV
Clinical trials have shown that six-monthly injections of lenacapavir are almost 100 percent protective against becoming infected with HIV. But big questions remain over the drug’s affordability.
Astronomers Are Using Artificial Intelligence to Unlock the Secrets of Black Holes
Using a neural network trained with simulations of supermassive black holes, astronomers have found that the one at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*, likely rotates at maximum speed.
Hummingbirds Are Evolving to Adapt to Life With Humans
Anna’s hummingbirds have evolved to have longer, larger beaks to access backyard feeders in urban areas. It could be a step toward becoming a “commensal” species that lives alongside humans, like pigeons.
The Milky Way Has a Mysterious ‘Broken Bone’
Galactic bones, filaments of radio-wave-emitting particles, run through our galaxy, and one of them has a fracture. New analysis suggests collision with a neutron star may have caused it.
New Bacteria Have Been Discovered on a Chinese Space Station
On Earth there is no record of Niallia tiangongensis, a bacterium found aboard the Tiangong station that appears to be well adapted to conditions there.