Cosmic Evolution

Astronomers are hopeful that the powerful infrared capability of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will resolve a puzzle as fundamental as stargazing itself — what IS that dim light in the sky?

Astronomers have taken a fresh look at the nearby Alpha Centauri star system and found new ways to narrow the search for habitable planets there.

Visionary model builds on the legacy of Carl Sagan's explanation for the 'faint young Sun paradox'.

An international team of astronomers has made a bizarre discovery -- a star that refuses to stop shining.

New ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding Proxima Centauri.

A giant planet, which should not exist according to planet formation theory, has been discovered around a distant star.

Sun-like star Kronos shows signs of having ingested 15 Earth masses worth of rocky planets, prompting Princeton astronomers to name it after the Titan who ate his children.

Methyl chloride was discovered around the infant stars in IRAS 16293-2422. These same organic compounds were discovered in the thin atmosphere surrounding Comet 67P/C-G.

A recently discovered dwarf galaxy in the constellation Lynx may serve well as a proxy for better understanding the developing chemistry of the early universe.

A new X-ray study has revealed that stars like the Sun and their less massive cousins calm down surprisingly quickly after a turbulent youth.