Stories by Rebecca Boyle

Astronomers are racing to understand mysterious ancient objects that pepper James Webb Space Telescope images

A controversial prediction about black holes and the expansion force of the universe could explain a cosmology mystery

The game-changing Vera C. Rubin Observatory will collect more astronomical data in its first year than all other telescopes combined

A new generation of telescopes could peer back to the earliest epochs of the universe

Cosmic surveys suggest the force pulling the universe apart might not be constant after all

The upcoming total solar eclipse and a pair of new sun probes are revolutionizing scientists’ understanding of our closest star

Experiments planned for the 2024 total solar eclipse aim to figure out how the sun works.

Astrophysicist Aomawa Shields recounts her alternative career path in a new memoir about life, space and motherhood

Vast quantities of liquid water may exist on moons of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, making life possible there, too

Growing swarms of spacecraft in orbit are outshining the stars, and scientists fear no one will do anything to stop it

Commercial spacecraft are vying to land on the lunar surface, but can they jump-start a new space economy?

Astronomers are hunting for the first moon around a planet beyond our solar system

Creating a sustainable human presence beyond low-Earth orbit requires a clear-eyed view of the risks—and rewards—inherent in spaceflight

Moonquakes still shake and reshape the lunar surface in ways that could threaten future astronauts and habitats

Although resuscitation attempts are still underway, officials are on the verge of announcing the death of the Red Planet’s longest-lived robotic explorer

Two newfound galaxies appear to be devoid of the mysterious substance, paradoxically providing more proof dark matter exists

Astronomers peer inside planetary nurseries for clues about how our solar system and others came to be

Life is hard for early-career researchers, who must contend with uncertain futures, compete for funding and balance family life, with the frequent need to move for jobs

Our closest star has a much more exciting biography than scientists once assumed. New research illuminates the sun's past and potential future

A new reactor design could make nuclear-powered space exploration cheap, reliable and safe

The newfound object NGC 1052-DF2 defies easy explanation and could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of how galaxies form and evolve

Exposure to artificial light weakens rodent’ muscles and bones, but risks to humans are not clear 

A tomato expert and viola player uses plant statistics to trace the history of the violin

As plasma is ejected from the sun’s surface, its temperature skyrockets--and so far physicists have not been able to explain why