Our Milky Way galaxy may not have a supermassive black hole at its centre but rather an enormous clump of mysterious dark matter exerting the same gravitational influence, astronomers say. They believe this invisible substance – which makes up most of the universe's mass – can explain both the violent dance of stars just light-hours (often used to measure distances within our own solar system) away from the galactic centre and the gentle, large-scale rotation of the entire matter in the outskirts of the Milky Way. The new study has been published today in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).

Big Earth Data Journal is calling for papers for a Special Issue on 10th Anniversary Special Issue of Big Earth Data. The journal has published pioneering research that leverages Earth observations, big data analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, sustainable urbanization, disaster monitoring, etc. To celebrate the journal’s 10th anniversary, we invite submissions to a special issue that reflects on the journal’s decade-long impact, showcases cutting-edge advancements in Big Earth Data research, and defines future directions for the field. This special issue will not only honor the progress made but also encourage the community to tackle emerging challenges and seize opportunities in the next era of data-driven Earth science. Welcome to submit!