SUNSET: 
Dark Galaxies Discovered in Coma Cluster
A bizarre set of galaxies in the Coma Cluster have lost most of their stars (or star-making material), making them especially rich in dark matter.
Dust Makes Cosmic Inflation Signal Iffy
A new analysis of Planck data bolsters the claim that the polarization signal heralded as evidence for cosmic inflation is from dust instead.
Laniakea: Our Home Supercluster
Astronomers have mapped the cosmic watershed and discovered a massive supercluster that extends more than 500 million light-years and contains 100,000 large galaxies. The Milky Way sits on the edge of this humongous structure.
GRBs: A New Standard Candle?
Astronomers might be on the brink of developing a new rung on the cosmic distance ladder.
Dwarf Galaxies Packed a Mighty Punch
Light from the puniest galaxies played a bigger role in shaping the early universe than previously thought.
New Radio Burst Deepens Mystery
A newly discovered radio burst places these ultrafast, ultrabright pulses on the cosmic map of unknown phenomena.
The Mystery of the Missing Light
Astronomers recently discovered that there is not nearly enough ultraviolet light from stars and quasars in the local universe to account for observations of intergalactic gas.
Mysterious X-rays Might Hint at Dark Matter
Astronomers have discovered a spike of X-ray emission in galaxy clusters — “ordinary” interpretations don’t hold up, so some are turning to dark matter for answers.
Shadow of a Supervoid
Scientists might have discovered the source of the mysterious Cold Spot in the Cosmic Microwave Background: an enormous supervoid.
Big Bang Inflation Evidence Inconclusive
New analyses suggest that observations heralded as evidence for the universe’s brief growth spurt don’t conclusively show what researchers thought they did.
Planck's Magnetic Map of Our Galaxy
The ESA's Planck mission has released one of the most detailed maps of the Milky Way's magnetic field.
Best Model Yet for Cosmic Evolution
Astronomers have created the most realistic computer simulation of the universe’s evolution to date, tracking activity across 13 billion years of cosmic history.
Mysteriously Bright Supernova Explained
In 2010, a mysteriously bright supernova appeared, later sparking a debate within the astronomy community. But new images of the now-faded supernova reveal an intervening — and until now invisible — cosmic lens, which magnified its light.
Quasars Track Expanding Universe
The most precise measurement yet of the Hubble parameter illuminates dark energy — the elusive entity that’s accelerating the universe’s expansion.
A New Galactic Yardstick
Astronomers have developed a new method to measure distances to bright but faraway galaxies, a tool which will help better constrain the expansion rate of the universe.
Fooling with the Universe
This year’s April Fools' provides a wealth of alarming results. Catch up on all the scientific shenanigans here.
Dust in the Heart of Circinus
Infrared observations of the Circinus Galaxy may help reveal the shape of the dusty region fueling its active galactic nucleus and shed light on what governs dust structures in other galaxies.
Dark Matter Spotted in the Milky Way?
A team of astronomers claim to have the most compelling case for annihilating dark matter yet.
Direct Evidence of Big Bang Inflation
Researchers with an experiment based at the South Pole have discovered the long-sought "smoking gun" for inflation. The signal was hidden in polarization patterns in the cosmic microwave background and confirms physicists' audacious theory of how the Big Bang happened.
"Proof of Inflationary Universe" to be Announced
Rumors are flying that the long-sought "smoking gun" for inflation has been found in polarization patterns in the cosmic microwave background. If so, it would confirm the inflation theory for how and why the Big Bang happened.
