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Phil Plait

Bad Astronomy

Shuttle lands in Florida

An artist’s impression of the UK-led CosmoCube spacecraft, which would orbit be tasked with listening out for an “ancient whisper” from the early universe on the far side of the moon.

(Image Credit: Nicolo Bernardini (SSTL Ltd) & Kaan Artuc (University of Cambridge))

CosmoCube

Learn about a cosmic project that will journey to the dark side of the moon in order to listen for the Universe’s earliest echoes.

New Spacecraft Hopes to Capture Ancient Whispers From the Universe’s Dark Ages

Sunday Newsletter 

Subscribe to our Sunday newsletter and get all our fun, unique, and fascinating science stories right to your inbox, with a few added bonuses.

Get Your Weekly Dose of Fun, Quirky, and Fascinating Science — Our Sunday Newsletter Is Here

starburst over Earth

Learn how a deactivated satellite sends signals from beyond, not by reviving its systems, but by inadvertently setting off sparks. 

A Dead NASA Satellite Has Sent a Strange Radio Signal to Earth — Here’s How

(Image Credit: NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory)

Virgo cluster 2

Discover the first images from NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory and learn about what it's new mission is for space.

Take a First Look at the Vera C. Rubin Images: Millions of Galaxies and Thousands of Asteroids

The ESA-led Solar Orbiter spacecraft got its first good look at the Sun's south pole in March 2025. (Image Credit: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/SPICE Team, M. Janvier (ESA) & J. Plowman (SwRI))

Sun's south pole

Learn how the European Space Agency’s spacecraft captured a completely new view of the Sun, thanks to its novel tilted orbit. 

Here Are the First Images of the Sun’s South Pole, a Completely New View in Our Solar System

Meningitis bacteria, not associated with the new study. (Image Credit: nobeastsofierce/Shutterstock)

Meningitis bacteria

Although there is no exact comparison to any known bacterium on Earth, the space bacteria shares some key genetic similarities with a terrestrial cousin.

Never Before Seen Bacterium in Space Station Could be a Strain Only Found in Space