EurekAlert! News by Subject: Space & Planetary - News by Subject: Space & Planetary

Space & Planetary

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Aug-2025 23:11 ET (4-Aug-2025 03:11 GMT/UTC)

Ribbons in the sky: Space radio telescope reveals plasma jet in a supermassive black hole binary candidate

Delft University of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An international team of astronomers has captured one of the most detailed images yet of a spectacular, ribbon-like jet emerging from the heart of the distant active galaxy, OJ 287. Enabled by the RadioAstron space telescope in combination with a global network of radio observatories, this breakthrough sheds new light on the extreme environments surrounding supermassive black holes and the powerful jets they launch into space.

Surrey engineers develop 'cosmic veil' next-gen space solar panels

University of Surrey
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new 'cosmic veil' developed by engineers at the University of Surrey could help perovskite solar cells survive in space, opening a new gateway to lighter, cheaper and more efficient solar power for satellites and spacecraft.

Journal: Joule

Through the shot glass, and what can be found in liverworts

Kobe University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Studying plant vegetative reproduction is key to increasing crop yield and for bioengineering. Kobe University research is making progress on studying the genetic regulation of the process in liverworts, which are ideal model plants and even a candidate for space crops.

Journal: New Phytologist
Funder: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Yamada Science Foundation, Asahi Glass Foundation, Kyoto University Foundation, Ohsumi Frontier Science Foundation

Cosmic dust opens window on ancient atmosphere

University of Göttingen
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Since the beginning of Earth's history, tiny particles of rock and metal from space have been hitting our planet. On clear nights, we can even see their traces as shooting stars. Trapped in layers of rock, these micrometeorites can remain preserved for billions of years. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen and including the Open University, the University of Pisa, and Leibniz University Hannover has developed a method that allows them to reconstruct the atmosphere of the past using fossilized micrometeorites. The results were published in Communications Earth & Environment.

Journal: Communications Earth & Environment

International research lead by York University professor sheds light on 'lava planets'

York University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new paper led by a York University professor and published today in Nature Astronomy introduces a simple theoretical framework to describe the evolution of the coupled interior–atmosphere system of hot rocky exoplanets known as “lava planets.” The study combines expertise in geophysical fluid mechanics, exoplanetary atmospheres, and mineralogy to explore how the compositions of lava planets evolve through a process akin to distillation. What began as an exploratory study has since opened a promising new line of research. The predictions outlined in this work helped secure 100 hours of observation time on the James Webb Space Telescope.

Journal: Nature Astronomy

Goethe University awarded Hessen’s only LOEWE Center in the current funding round

Goethe University Frankfurt
Grant and Award Announcement

Goethe University Frankfurt has been successful with several proposals in the Hessian State Offensive for the Development of Scientific and Economic Excellence (LOEWE): the religion research project “DynaRel” will receive €19 million in funding over the next four years as the only LOEWE Center in the 18th funding round. The new LOEWE Research Cluster “Lipid Space,” which investigates the role of lipophilic substances in tissue self-regulation, will also receive €4.3 million over four years. Goethe University is also a partner in the medical technology LOEWE Research Cluster “MultiDrug-TDM”, led by TU Darmstadt, and will also receive funding in the LOEWE-Exploration line for a physics project on the structure of water in nanopores.

Funder: Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst

China's 30-meter landsat composites: a new era in earth observation

Journal of Remote Sensing
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The new dataset introduces a seamless, annual Leaf-On Landsat composite data cube for China, spanning from 1985 to 2023.

Journal: Journal of Remote Sensing

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