Astrophysics

Astronomers have identified a hidden white dwarf companion as the source of extreme X-rays from the naked-eye star Gamma Cassiopeiae. Observations from Japan's XRISM space telescope revealed the companion's orbital motion through shifting plasma velocities. The discovery confirms a long-predicted class of binary star systems.

March 24, 2026 Reported by AI

A team of astronomers has for the first time traced the full evolutionary history of a galaxy beyond the Milky Way by analyzing its chemical composition. Using oxygen mappings of the spiral galaxy NGC 1365 and comparing them to simulations, researchers detailed its growth over 12 billion years. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, reveal an early-forming core and outer regions built through mergers.

Astronomers have directly observed a massive star in the Andromeda Galaxy collapse into a black hole without exploding as a supernova. The star, known as M31-2014-DS1, vanished over several years, leaving behind glowing debris detectable in infrared light. This event provides detailed insights into stellar black hole formation.

February 13, 2026 Reported by AI

Samples from asteroid Bennu, returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission in 2023, contain amino acids that likely formed in frozen ice exposed to radiation, according to new research. Penn State scientists analyzed isotopes in the material, challenging traditional views of amino acid origins. The findings, published on February 9, highlight diverse pathways for life's building blocks in the early solar system.