How a pyrite-oxidizing microbe helps preserve atmospheric oxygen in sulfate
Peer-Reviewed Publication
In honor of Global Astronomy Month, we’re exploring the science of space. Learn how astronomy connects us through curiosity, discovery, and a shared wonder for what lies beyond.
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 26-Dec-2025 04:11 ET (26-Dec-2025 09:11 GMT/UTC)
Research led by a University of Utah geoscientist shows O₂ in sulfate deposits, coupled with geochemical clues, could help identify microbial activity in Earth’s rock record and even in Martian sediments.
University of Texas at Dallas researchers are developing a material to protect spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) from harsh environments that can damage vehicles in space, such as satellites, shortening their lifespans.
The research project is supported by a two-year, $1 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
New research suggests that dark matter may once again hold the key to one of astronomy’s enduring mysteries: the excess of gamma rays shining from the Milky Way’s center. By modeling the galaxy’s early history and violent mergers, the team found that dark matter in the core may be shaped far differently than previously assumed, potentially matching the puzzling radiation pattern first detected by NASA’s Fermi telescope. The findings revive dark matter as a serious contender for explaining the Milky Way’s enigmatic central glow.