“We are really learning about a brand new Jupiter in many ways.”
Matthew R. Francis is a physicist, science writer, public speaker, educator, and frequent wearer of jaunty hats. His website is BowlerHatScience.org.
A WRINKLE IN SPACETIME
The discovery of gravitational waves toppled what we thought we knew about dimensions.
WATERWORLDS
Planets too far away to photograph could yield some clues to whether water—and maybe even life—could exist.
HEART OF THE SUN
Dying stars were an enigma—until an astronomer measured seismic shifts on them, giving us clues about the sun’s future and the expansion rate of the universe.
STARRY NIGHT
The mystery formations and data discrepancies of Tabby’s Star turned out to have explanations. But that’s not what’s important about the mystery star.
The Next Frontier
They’re not habitable, but the dual discoveries change how we’re going to hunt for the next Earth.
Spot the Difference
Constellations of spots on these school bus-sized animals were hard to track, until now.
OUTER SPACE TREATY
A new law grants private companies ownership over the materials they extract from asteroids or the Moon. But don’t call it a gold rush just yet.
Ice, Ice Maybe
That’s what some scientists believe. And it might have a heart, too.
QUEEN
In a field dominated by white men, Claudia Alexander was a pioneer.