physics

The Milky Way over the Warsaw Telescope. Cepheid stars found by OGLE and used to determine the galaxy's warped shape are shown as yellow dots in the sky. Image by K. Ulaczyk / J. Skowron / OGLE

New 3D maps of the Milky Way confirm our galaxy is warped

By Vicky Stein

Scientists have designed reusable nano-sized reactors — called nanocoils — that can trigger microplastic breakdown. The work could someday be applied to wastewater, cutting off the flow of microplastics before they are flushed into the environment. Photo by REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

This new nanotech could help clean up Earth’s microplastics

Chemists have adapted emerging technology -- called nanocoils -- to dissolve microplastics and turn the pollution into food for algae.

By Berly McCoy

Imaging scientist Katie Bouman watching the first reconstructed image of a black hole emerge from the Event Horizon Telescope data. Image courtesy of Katie Bouman

Katie Bouman ‘hardly knew what a black hole was.’ Her algorithm helped us see one

Imaging scientist Katie Bouman chats with the PBS NewsHour about how she crafted an algorithm that constructed the first ever photo of a black hole.

By Vicky Stein

Scientists have obtained the first image of a black hole, using Event Horizon Telescope observations of the center of the galaxy M87. The image shows a bright ring formed as light bends in the intense gravity around a black hole that is 6.5 billion times more massive than the Sun. This long-sought image provides the strongest evidence to date for the existence of supermassive black holes and opens a new window onto the study of black holes, their event horizons, and gravity. Photo by Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration

Here is the first photo of a black hole

On Wednesday, the Event Horizon Telescope released the first-ever image of a black hole, a historic moment shared by scientists spread around the world.

By Nsikan Akpan

This is not an actual image of a black hole. This artist’s impression shows the surroundings of a supermassive black hole, typical of that found at the heart of many galaxies. The black hole itself is surrounded by a brilliant accretion disc of very hot, infalling material and, further out, a dusty torus. There are also often high-speed jets of material ejected at the black hole’s poles that can extend huge distances into space. Illustration and caption by European Southern Observatory

WATCH: What does a black hole look like? Scientists reveal the first picture

The Event Horizon Telescope is expected to release the first image of a black hole on Wednesday. In preparation for what might be a momentous day, here’s what you need to know.

By Nsikan Akpan

If this space study is right, humans have never left Earth’s atmosphere

By Vicky Stein

A new study redefines the boundaries of our planet.

Why the northern and southern lights don’t always look identical

By Vicky Stein

On a clear night, people near the poles might see colorful light wafting across the sky. New research could explain why these auroras don't look the same to everyone .