Cosmology

A thin slice of the map created by DESI's five-year survey shows galaxies and quasars above and below the plane of the Milky Way. Credit: Claire Lamman/DESI collaboration

The largest 3D map of the universe has been completed and will help study dark energy

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A record-breaking 3D map of the universe has been completed, giving scientists a new way to study dark energy. The vast data could reveal surprising changes in how the universe is expanding.
The experimental equipment built and used by the students. Credit: Nabil Salama and Agit Akgümüs

Students built a dark matter detector and set new experimental boundaries

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A compact experiment at the University of Hamburg searched for axions, one of the main candidates for dark matter, and showed that even small arrays can contribute to particle physics.
The motion of galaxy clusters reveals the strength of gravity on a scale of hundreds of millions of light years. Credit: Lucy Reading / Simons Foundation

Newton's law of gravity faces unprecedented cosmic test

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Hubble voltage. Illustration: NSF Noir Lab

Extremely precise measurement of the expansion rate of the universe strengthens the “Hubble tension”

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An international collaboration has once again found that the local universe is expanding faster than the standard cosmological model predicts, possibly hinting at new physics.
Weak gravitational waves from the early universe may hint at how dark matter first formed. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Gravitational waves from the early universe may have created dark matter

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A new paper suggests that a weak background of stochastic gravitational waves from the early universe created low-mass particles that may have later become the dark matter that shapes galaxies and large cosmic structures.
Graphics: N. BURGESS/SCIENCE; Data: NASA; Satellite Image: STEVEN RODNEY/UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA; GABRIEL BRAMMER/COSMIC DAWN CENTER/NIELS BOHR INSTITUTE/UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN; Image Processing: JOSEPH DEPASQUALE/STSCI

Cosmic illusions may decide the debate over the rate of expansion of the universe

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An expected reappearance of the supernova SN Requiem, seen repeatedly due to gravitational lensing, may provide a third way to measure the Hubble constant.
Dark matter. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The mystery deepens: New model suggests dark matter is not made up of one type of particle

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A study published in Science Bulletin suggests that self-interacting two-component dark matter could explain both the sparse cores of dwarf galaxies and the dense gravitational lensing structures observed in the universe.
Black hole. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is the universe infinite? What does science really know about the shape of the universe?

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Measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation indicate that the observable universe is approximately flat, but scientists still do not know whether the entire universe is infinite, finite without an edge, or has a more complex topological structure.
Astronomers have discovered an unusual gravitationally stimulated supernova whose light traveled more than 10 billion years to reach Earth. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Rare Excited Supernova May Help Decipher the Rate of Expansion of the Universe

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The event SN 2025wny, seen through gravitational lensing after a journey of more than ten billion years, may provide a new measurement of the Hubble constant and contribute to the understanding of dark energy.
Sunset, just before the Vera Rubin Telescope begins nighttime operations. Photo courtesy of NSF

The Rubin Observatory's giant camera is underway, and its goal is: "To answer one question - what is the universe?"

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The Vera Rubin Observatory has begun publishing its first discoveries – supernovae, variable stars and asteroids – ahead of the launch of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a ten-year sky survey.
The universe is full of dark energy. Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via DALEE

The cosmic spaces are not empty, they are filled with dark energy.

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Even the most sparse regions of the universe are not "nothing." According to quantum field theory, they are filled with vacuum energy, and it is there that the expansion of the universe accelerates.
A combination of infrared and X-rays reveals a nascent cluster with hot gas – already a billion years after the Big Bang. From the article in Nature.

Galaxy cluster at the beginning of the universe: Webb and Chandra found hot gas earlier than expected

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The two space telescopes revealed a nascent galaxy cluster (“protocluster”) in which a hot gas cloud emitting X-rays also appears, a sign of “virial heating” and advanced gravitational collapse – already when the universe was about a billion years old.
Computer simulation showing baby black holes growing in a young galaxy in the early universe. Credit: Dr John Regan

New simulations offer a solution: This is how black holes grew quickly to become supermassive in the early universe

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Simulation study claims that the young universe was chaotic and rich in dense gas, allowing even “light seeds” to undergo “binge” episodes that exceeded conventional growth limits
Suyanov-Zeldovich effect. Credit: Lingxiao Yuan

Extremely hot intracluster gas discovered in young galaxy cluster – earlier than predicted

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ALMA measurement and the Sonyaev-Zeldovich effect indicate “overheating” about 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang, challenging models of galaxy cluster formation
A gravitational lens distorts objects behind it. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Mysterious object challenges simple models of dark matter

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An unusual observational case: an object with a mass of a million solar masses, which has no clear “parallel” among known objects, may be the result of a collision between different types of dark matter
A gravitational lens distorts objects behind it. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Mysterious object challenges accepted dark matter models

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Gravitational lensing analysis points to a body “the size of a million suns” with a structure unlike any known object – and may hint that dark matter is not as “smooth” as we thought
Image of the expansion of the universe created by artificial intelligence. Credit: ZARM, Universität Bremen (AI generated)

What if dark energy doesn't exist? New theory could rewrite the expansion of the universe

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Researchers suggest that the accelerating expansion of the universe could be due to the geometry of space-time and the extension of the theory of gravity – without adding a “mysterious element” to the equations to match observations
The world in 2050. Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via DALEE.

The journal "Nature" looks to 2050: Nuclear fusion, Mars, and "lightless" laboratories – and it all depends on politics

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The prestigious journal marks the decisive junctures: the climate crisis and the response to it, the race for artificial intelligence infrastructure, questions of public trust and science funding, and the ability to transform breakthroughs into systems that work at scale.
Dark matter distorts space-time. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New code allows simulation of the “hidden life” of dark matter within galactic halos

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Researchers at the Perimeter Institute have developed KiSS-SIDM, a computational tool that bridges intermediate regimes in a model of self-interacting dark matter, and may improve the understanding of core collapse and even the formation of black holes.
An illustration illustrating the rotation of neutral hydrogen (right) in galaxies located in an elongated galaxy (middle), with the galaxies showing a coherent overall rotational motion that follows the large-scale cosmic fabric (left).

One of the largest rotating structures ever seen: a giant cosmic filament where galaxies spin “in the same direction”

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Artist's impression of material spiraling inward, pulled by the strong gravity of a central supermassive black hole, forming an "accretion disk." Credit: Dimitrios Sakkas (tomakti), Antonis Georgakakis, Angel Ruiz, Maria Chira (NOA)

New observations: The relationship between UV and X-ray radiation in quasars has changed over cosmic time

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International research finds that the long-standing correlation between UV and X-ray emissions from quasars is not constant throughout the history of the universe – a hint that the structure of the accretion disk and “corona” around supermassive black holes is not universal
Faint radio glow from the early universe may hold hidden clues about the first stars. Illustration: depositphotos.com

13-billion-year-old radio signal may reveal the first stars in the universe

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An international team led by the University of Cambridge shows that the 21-centimeter signal from hydrogen atoms at cosmic dawn is sensitive to the mass of the first stars (Population III), and that the REACH and SKA radio observatories will be able to map how the universe evolved.
Type Ia supernova - is the universe slowing down? Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is the universe slowing down?

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The Big Bang Theory. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Study: “Cannibal Stars” and Primordial Black Holes Could Have Formed in the First Second After the Big Bang

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A cosmological model suggests that during a brief matter-dominant period immediately after inflation, halos of particles formed that gravitationally-thermally collapsed to form primordial black holes (PBHs), boson stars, and “cannibal stars” that prevent mutual annihilation of particles —
Neutrinos are created as a byproduct of nuclear fusion, such as that which occurs inside stars. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Will neutrinos reveal why the universe exists?

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A collaboration between two leading neutrino experiments, NOVA in the US and T2K in Japan, paints the most precise picture yet of neutrino oscillations – and may come closer to explaining why the universe is full of matter and not
Researchers have built a small but powerful detector to find gravitational waves in a hidden frequency range. The discovery could reveal unseen black hole activity and echoes from the early universe. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The small device that will open a new window to the universe: a compact gravitational wave detector for the millihertz range

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UK researchers present a desktop detector based on optical resonators and atomic clocks, which opens access to the “middle domain” of gravitational waves and could reveal binary white dwarfs, black hole mergers and a stochastic background – and a bridge
Does dark matter change the color of light? Illustration: depositphotos.com

According to a new theory, we've been looking for dark matter the wrong way.

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But the York researchers say the light may change its color slightly depending on the type of dark matter it encounters. If this theory is confirmed, this effect could provide a new way to study the hidden component.
LIGO Gravitational Wave Observatory in the US, credit: caltech

A new model of the Big Bang incorporates gravitational waves and seeks to change our understanding of the beginning of the universe.

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Scientists propose that gravitational waves shaped the universe. Their model challenges the cosmic inflation model
Baryon acoustic oscillations represent the sound of the Big Bang. Credit: Gabriela Secara, Perimeter Institute, CC BY-SA

New measurements suggest we may be living in a giant "cosmic void"

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New research suggests we may reside in a local cosmic void – a region devoid of galaxies and matter – which could explain the rapid expansion of the universe relative to the Standard Model predictions and provide a solution
An artist's impression of CAPERS-LRD-z9, home to the earliest confirmed black hole. The supermassive black hole at its center is thought to be surrounded by a thick cloud of gas, giving the galaxy its distinctive red color. Credit: Erik Zumalt, The University of Texas at Austin

Webb Telescope Discovers Oldest Black Hole – Breaking Universe Records

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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the oldest confirmed supermassive black hole, found in a rare "Little Red Spot" galaxy and formed just 500 million years after the Big Bang.
Prof. Ron Margolin, Tel Aviv University. Screenshot.

Podcast: The Great Mysteries of Science – Is There Intelligence in the Universe? (Episode 4)

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Prof. Ron Margolin of Tel Aviv University on meaning, the laws of nature, and whether the universe is “directed” — from Tel Aviv 360, Tel Aviv University’s podcast channel (Hebrew only)
Image of Stokes curves and a black hole. Credit: KyotoU / Taiga Miyachi

Scientists discover spiral symphony hidden in black hole oscillations

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Precise analysis reveals complex frequency patterns and quasi-normal modes that had been lost to sight—and suggests a new way to improve the interpretation of black hole “resonance sounds” and the accuracy of gravitational wave measurements
An artist's illustration of the mechanism proposed by Professor Stefano Profumo, in which quantum effects near the rapidly expanding cosmic horizon after the Big Bang gravitationally create dark matter particles. Credit: Stefano Profumo

Two bold theories may finally explain dark matter

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Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAOs) – the “sound of the Big Bang” – support the idea of a local vacuum. Credit: Gabriela Saccara, Perimeter Institute

New hypothesis: Earth may be inside a giant cosmic bubble that distorts the universe

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According to a new hypothesis by astronomers, Earth — and the entire Milky Way galaxy — may reside inside a giant, matter-poor hollow region about a billion light-years across. This region creates the illusion of
Artist's impression of the Milky Way galaxy. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Milky Way may be surrounded by a hundred previously unobserved hidden galaxies

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Researchers at Durham University have predicted using advanced simulations that there are dozens of faint galaxies orbiting the Milky Way – and new telescopes may soon detect them.
This Hubble image of IC 758 shows a peaceful galaxy – but beneath its calm appearance lies the remains of SN 1999bg, the explosive death of a massive star. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick

Quiet Galaxy, Explosive Secret: The Supernova Surprise of the Serene Spiral

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A seemingly peaceful galaxy hides the dramatic consequences of the violent death of a massive star.
A perfect cosmic circle captured by Webb shows a distant spiral galaxy twisted around a closer elliptical galaxy. This Einstein ring provides a glimpse into the warped nature of spacetime. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, G.

Webb captures perfect Einstein ring that reveals hidden galaxy

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A stunning new image from the James Webb Space Telescope reveals a cosmic illusion called an Einstein ring, where the light from a distant galaxy is distorted into a perfect circle by the gravity of a closer galaxy.
Spiral galaxies photographed by Webb rotating in the same direction relative to the Milky Way (in red) and in the opposite direction (in blue). Credit: Shamir, Lior, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2025 under CC BY 4.0

Does the mystery of galaxy rotation challenge the Big Bang assumptions?

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A new study has found that two-thirds of distant galaxies rotate clockwise, a surprising imbalance compared to the random distribution that would have been expected.
The composition of the universe. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Hidden change in dark energy could rewrite the laws of physics

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Dark energy may not be constant after all. DESI analysis of millions of galaxies shows signs that it may be evolving, suggesting a huge shift in cosmology
: First image: Researchers led by astronomers from the University of Michigan have discovered the smallest and faintest galaxy (encircled by a white ellipse) orbiting the Andromeda galaxy. Credit: CFHT/MegaCam/PAndAS (Principal Investigator: Alan McConaughey; Image Processing: Marcus Arias) Second image: Map of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and its satellite galaxies, with the newly discovered galaxy, Andromeda XXXV, clearly highlighted. Credit: JM Arias et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. (2025)

Mysterious Galaxy "Andromeda XXXV" Subverts the Rules of Galactic Evolution

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Astronomers from the University of Michigan have revealed the smallest and faintest galaxy yet discovered around the Andromeda Galaxy, and their discovery raises new questions about the formation and survival of dwarf galaxies.
This Hubble image captures the stunning remains of an exploded star in the distant galaxy LEDA 132905, located more than 400 million light-years away. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, RJ Foley (UC Santa Cruz)

Hubble captures the dramatic end of a distant supernova

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The Hubble Space Telescope has documented the remnants of the supernova SN 2022abvt in the distant galaxy LEDA 132905, more than 400 million light-years from Earth.
To mark the 100th anniversary of Edwin Hubble’s discovery of a Cepheid variable star, named V1, in the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, astronomers collaborated with the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) to study the star. AAVSO observers followed V1 for six months, creating a graph—or light curve—that records the star’s periodic rise and fall in brightness. Based on this data, the Hubble Space Telescope was scheduled to observe the star during its weakest and brightest hours. Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Project (STScI, AURA), Robert Gendler.

The star that proved the universe is bigger than we imagined

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A century ago, Edwin Hubble's discovery of the variable star V1 in the Andromeda Galaxy revealed a vast, expanding universe, becoming a turning point in our understanding of the cosmos.
A magnificent black hole with an allocation disk and a cosmic hill of matter.

Supermassive black holes defy physics to become cosmic giants

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Researchers have linked X-ray emissions from 21 distant quasars to the rapid growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe
The time travel of the James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: NASA

A bright surprise in the early universe: new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope

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Among the impressive achievements of the telescope is the detection of very early galaxies, which developed only about 300 million years after the Big Bang
Galaxies. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Accurate mapping of millions of galaxies will reveal the secrets of dark matter and the expansion of the universe

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The Physics of the Universe Survey (PAUS) accelerator has revealed a groundbreaking catalog detailing distances to millions of galaxies with unprecedented precision.
An artist's impression showing what happened when two giant galaxy clusters, known together as MACS J0018.5, collided: the dark matter in the galaxy clusters (blue) moved ahead of the associated clouds of hot gas, or normal matter (orange). Both dark matter and normal matter feel gravity, but only normal matter experiences additional effects such as shocks and eddies that slow it down during a collision. Credit: WM Keck Observatory / Adam Macarenko

Dark matter overtakes normal matter in the collision of giant galaxy clusters

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Astronomers have managed to unravel a complicated collision between two giant galaxy clusters in which the clusters' vast dark matter clouds separated from the normal matter. Each of the clusters contains thousands of galaxies and is located billions of miles apart
Prof. Martin Rees, winner of the 2024 Wolf Prize in Physics. Photo courtesy of the Wolf Prize Foundation

The British Astronomer Royal won the Wolff Prize in Physics

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The Wolf Prize in Physics for 2024 is awarded to Professor Martin Rees of the University of Cambridge, England, for his "pioneering contributions to high-energy astrophysics, the formation of galaxies and structures in the universe, and cosmology"
This image of NGC 5468, a galaxy about 130 million light-years from Earth, combines data from the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. It is the most distant galaxy in which Hubble has detected variable Cepheid stars. These stars serve as important landmarks for measuring the expansion rate of the universe.

The Webb and Hubble space telescopes confirm the universe's expansion rate, the puzzle continues

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Web sightings provide new insights into a decade-long mystery
Simulation of a smooth halo of stars around the Milky Way. Figure: ESA

Gaia: The Milky Way's last major collision happened surprisingly recently

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The Large Hadron Collider LHC is down for an upgrade. Photo: CERN

Why is the mass of the Higgs particle lighter than expected?

Researchers have built a model according to which the mass of the Higgs boson, which helps produce the mass of elementary particles, changed in the early universe, and is therefore much smaller than the standard model of particle physics describes
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