Mercury, Not Venus, Is the Closest Planet to Earth
A team of scientists just demonstrated something that might shock you: Mercury, not Venus, is the closest planet to…
Planet or Star? Either Way, This Rogue Object Is Really Weird
Various news outlets have been discussing a strange object in space, which may or may not be a planet. New measurements…
These New Maps of Pluto and Its Moon Charon Are the Most Detailed Yet
By meticulously stitching together photos taken from two cameras aboard the New Horizons spacecraft, a team of…
Astronomers Have Captured First Direct Evidence of an Exoplanet Being Born
At this point, we’ve spotted several thousand exoplanets—there’s nothing super exciting anymore about finding a distant…
This Video Made From Real Mars Data Will Make You Feel Like You're Flying Over the Red Planet
There are lots of incredible things you can do with data. Like make this incredible animation of the Martian surface,…
What Shapes Are Things in Outer Space?
It’s an orgy of geometry, here on Earth. You got all kinds of shapes: Squares, trapezoids, even the occasional rhombus.…
Giant Planet Orbiting a Brown Dwarf Spotted, Re-Opening Debate Over What Makes a Planet
Scientists have discovered a planet a lot like Jupiter orbiting a dim star, if you can even call it a star—it’s nothing…
Ice Crystals in Diamonds Reveal Pockets of Water Deep in Earth's Mantle
Diamonds, the super-strong and brilliant crystals of carbon atoms produced under the Earth’s crushing pressures, are…
Fundamental Equation of Quantum Physics Also Describes Rings and Disks in Space
Physicists’ main goal is to be able to predict what will happen in the future based on patterns they’ve already…
Whoa, Scientists Have Detected a Ring Around This Wacky Dwarf Planet
Beyond Neptune sits one of the stranger dwarf planets, Haumea. This icy rock receives its flattened dinosaur egg shape…
The Ultimate, Indisputable Ranking of Planets in the Solar System
Recently, my colleagues at Deadspin posted a ranking of the planets. But it was mostly incorrect. After extensively…
It Looks Like We Were Wrong About a Basic Property of Mars
When you think about what makes a planet special, maybe you think about its size, its composition, how far it is from…
Scientists Think They've Solved an Important Mystery About Brown Dwarfs
Are they stars? Are they lost planets? Brown dwarfs, the galaxy’s dark, wandering orbs, are some of space’s most…
Tell Me This New Planetary Object Isn’t A Doughnut
Planets sort of look like big basketballs in space, floating around aimlessly. Sometimes they have rings. Other times,…
The UAE Drops More Clues About Its Mysterious Plan to Colonize Mars
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Earlier this year, the United Arab Emirates’ grabbed the world’s attention when Sheikh Mohammed bin…
Scientists Are Already Planning the Next Mission to Pluto
The Pluto-shaped void in our hearts has yet to be filled by Planet 9, copious amounts of Ben & Jerry’s, or anything.…
Tiny Object With Very Silly Name Could Be the Next Dwarf Planet
When we think of dwarf planets, the first thing that comes to mind is obviously the injustice of Pluto getting demoted…
The Word 'Planet' Is So Important and Such Bullshit
Millennials have already lost so much: A relatively secure housing market, the hope of stable careers, and an Earth…
Here's Our First Glorious View of the TRAPPIST-1 Star System
Last month, the solar system lost its collective chill when NASA announced the discovery of a seven-planet system…