WHO Withdrawal, Bird Flu News and the Way ‘Prehab’ Affects Surgical Outcomes
A rundown on what’s at stake for global health if the U.S. withdraws from the World Health Organization and an update on bird flu are in this week’s science news roundup.
Saturn’s Rings Are Disappearing—But They’ll Be Back
This year, from Earth’s perspective, Saturn’s rings will appear nearly edge on, making them almost invisible
JWST Photos Reveal Bizarre Physics of Supernova Explosions
The best view yet of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant reveals new secrets
This Supermassive Black Hole May Harbor a Bizarre Star That Refuses to Die
Strange x-ray pulses hint at a surprisingly long-lived white dwarf orbiting precariously close to a supermassive black hole
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Was Never Meant to Look at the Sun. Astronomers Tried It Anyway
A little-known chapter of the Hubble Space Telescope’s history is a reminder of the risks of looking at the sun
Here’s What to Watch in 2025’s Skies
The heavens will provide a bounty of viewing treasures in the coming year
Largest Camera in the World Will Look for Planet Nine
Pluto was unseated as the ninth planet in our solar system. Will we find a real Planet Nine?
What Is the Zodiac—And What Does It Mean for You?
The familiar zodiac constellations are defined by Earth’s motion around the sun, but they don’t define your fate
Auroras May Light Up New Year’s Sky after Solar Outbursts
Will still more auroras ring out 2024, a year marked by the celestial displays?
An Earth-Rocking Cosmic Explosion Turns 20
Twenty years ago today a magnetar’s epic tantrum made our planet ring like a bell from tens of thousands of light-years away
What’s in a (Star’s) Name?
With billions of stars in the Milky Way, some nomenclature standardization is necessary
Behold! 2024’s Most Stunning Space Photos
See the year’s most striking images from the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, NASA’s Mars rover and the best sky watching on offer