Latest articles by Deepa Jain
Earth's moon could've had Saturn-like rings, new study hints
A new study implies that in the past, moons in our solar system may have had rings just like planets do — deepening the mystery of why no ringed moons exist today.
Comets played a 'major' role in making life on Earth possible, new study hints
A reanalysis of the data from the "rubber-ducky" comet 67P, collected nearly a decade ago, suggests comets may have deposited a lot more water on Earth than scientists previously thought.
'God of chaos' asteroid may be transformed by tremors and landslides during 2029 flyby of Earth, study finds
When the 'God of chaos' asteroid Apophis makes an ultraclose flyby of Earth in 2029, our planet's gravity may trigger tremors and landslides that totally change the asteroid's surface.
Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse? One of the brightest stars in the sky may actually be 2 stars, study hints
Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the sky, may have a secret sunlike companion that drives the star’s mysterious six-year-long "heartbeat," new research suggests.
$100,000 quadrillion asteroid Psyche may be rusting, James Webb telescope reveals
A new James Webb Space Telescope analysis of the giant, metal-rich asteroid Psyche reveals signs of hydration in the form of rust. This could help pin down the mysterious rock's origins.
9-mile-thick layer of solid diamonds may lurk beneath Mercury's surface, study hints
New simulations suggest that a 9-mile-thick layer of solid diamonds may lurk deep below the surface of Mercury. The gems almost certainly can't be mined for bling — but they may help solve some of the planet's biggest mysteries.
The speed of sound on Mars is constantly changing, bizarre study finds
New research shows that the speed of sound on Mars varies considerably by location and temperature. The findings could help scientists understand sounds picked up by Martian rovers, as well as make future crewed ventures safer.
'Dinky' asteroid imaged by NASA has ultra-rare double moon, study confirms
Researchers have proposed a model for how a double moon named Selam formed around the tiny asteroid Dinkinesh. This is the first 'contact binary' moon ever discovered, scientists say.
Scientists grow diamonds from scratch in 15 minutes thanks to groundbreaking new process
Scientists have used a new technique to synthesize diamonds at normal, atmospheric pressure and without a starter gem, which could make the precious gemstones easier to grow in the lab.
Uranus and Neptune aren't made of what we thought, new study hints
A study suggests the ice giants Uranus and Neptune aren't quite as watery as previously thought. They may also contain huge amounts of frozen methane, potentially solving the puzzle of how they formed.
The Geminid meteors may be 10 times older than we thought, simulations of oddball asteroid Phaethon suggest
The comet-like asteroid Phaethon likely lobbed thousands of rocky fragments toward Earth while rapidly spinning around the sun 18,000 years ago, new research suggests ― and it may fling some more soon.
5 Earth-like worlds may lurk in the outer reaches of the solar system, simulations suggest
The young sun may have captured several Mars- or Mercury-size exoplanets that now orbit in the outer reaches of the solar system, but identifying them will be extremely challenging.
