Astronomy

Astronomers have produced the most detailed map of dark matter to date using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, revealing how this invisible substance shaped the formation of galaxies and planets. The research, involving teams from Durham University, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Switzerland's École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne, was published in Nature Astronomy. The map highlights dark matter's gravitational role in pulling ordinary matter together since the universe's early days.

2 Mwezi wa pili, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Astronomers have identified what appears to be a massive cloud of dark matter roughly 3,000 light years from our solar system. Using pulsar observations, a team led by Sukanya Chakrabarti detected gravitational effects suggesting an object 60 million times the sun's mass. This could be the first such sub-halo found in the Milky Way.

New research indicates that salty, nutrient-rich ice on Europa could sink through the moon's icy shell to feed its hidden ocean, potentially supporting life. Geophysicists at Washington State University used computer simulations to show this process, inspired by Earth's crustal delamination. The findings address a key habitability challenge for the Jupiter moon.

20 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Researchers have mapped an ancient coastline on Mars, revealing a vast ocean comparable to Earth's Arctic Ocean that existed billions of years ago. Using data from orbiting spacecraft, the team identified geological features suggesting long-lasting surface water in the planet's largest canyon. This discovery provides the strongest evidence yet for Mars's watery past.