Space

Suppose NASA astronauts had images of technological objects hovering above Earth that are not identified as human made. Should they share the data with the public or worry that such an act would generate turmoil in society? As a scientist, it is obvious to me that we must be aware…

A surprising JWST discovery around Fomalhaut has a different, superior explanation: not a great dust cloud, but a mere background object. — One of the nearest, brightest stars to us, Fomalhaut, is a remarkable system.

Top of the list: the Dyson Sphere — Monty Python made famous the Ministry of Silly Walks, for which a then-young John Cleese performed an astonishingly gawky long-legged walk while dressed in traditional British civil servant attire of black suit, black tie, black shoes, and black bowler hat. …

Astronomers observe a sunlike star that orbits an invisible object that may well be the first instance of an extremely rare ‘dark matter star’ — Two astronomers are questioning the initial assumption made by astronomers regarding a peculiar star system observed by the European Space Agency’s Gaia satellite. Instead of a star orbiting a black hole, their findings propose a more unusual possibility — a potential discovery of a previously unknown type of star composed…

At Main Sequence, we are always on the lookout for technologies that have the potential to reshape industries and make a lasting impact. …

Longevity is more likely for entities that replicate themselves, because multiple copies are less vulnerable to a single-point catastrophe. However, the number of copies is irrelevant if the environment cannot support any of them. …

INTRODUCTION The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is one of the most ambitious space observatories ever built. This massive telescope is positioned in space, millions of miles from Earth, and studies the universe in unprecedented detail. The JWST is equipped with four main scientific instruments, each with its own unique capabilities…

As I’ve written before, mathematics rules in the theory of relativity. So many corollaries from the theory of relativity contradict everyday experience and “common sense” based on it. Below I will list the most interesting counterintuitive implications of this theory. …

Scientists claim to have explained the mystery of the Evil Eye Galaxy. They believe that the mysterious disk surrounding its center is the result of cannibalism. That is, the absorption by this galaxy of a dwarf galaxy much smaller than it. The Black Eye Galaxy (also known as the Evil…