Supernovas happen at the end of a star’s life and then they fade away. Scientists are struggling to explain why one supernova has lasted for the past three years. During research, scientists found documentation from the 1950s that indicate this supernova was long-lasting back then. This discovery is challenging the established theories of how stars evolve. Listen to learn how scientists are rethinking their theories about supernova.
Story Length: 3:41
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November 2, 2016
2:32
Astronomers have noticed blobs of eerie light glowing in outer space and have been puzzled by them since their discovery. Astronomers were studying galaxies in the distant universe, when they noticed strange glowing clouds of gas that were 10 times the diameter of the Milky Way. They have been looking into the source of light coming from the blobs and have recently made an interesting discovery that reveals why the blobs produce a glow.
Read MoreMay 26, 2016
2:42
Scientists recently made an exciting discovery. They spotted three, earth-sized planets beyond our solar system. Though scientists have found many planets in the past, these particular ones are special because they may potentially support life. They each orbit a reddish “dwarf star” that is smaller than our sun and much cooler. Scientists used to ignore these dwarf stars, but now we know that such stars can produce planets worth studying. Scientists will continue to analyze these planets to find out more about their atmospheres and properties. Listen to hear more about these three newly-discovered worlds.
Read MoreFebruary 21, 2016
3:25
Scientists recently announced a huge discovery—gravitational waves. The waves were detected when a collision of two black holes created ripples or waves, similar to ripples on a pond. These ripples were predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as a part of his theory of relativity. Scientists have been working to detect these waves for decades and are excited about the information that can be learned from them. In this story you will hear what gravitational waves sound like and learn more about their discovery.
Read MoreNovember 24, 2015
3:07
Our world is made of matter. Everything you see and feel is ordinary matter. Matter has a counterpart called antimatter. And true to science-fiction stereotype, if matter and antimatter meet, they destroy each other. Scientists are trying to find out why antimatter is so rare. One recent experiment took place inside a giant particle accelerator where scientists made small amounts of antimatter. After studying and measuring the forces of both antimatter and matter, they found that they behaved exactly the same. Listen to hear more about this discovery and why it matters.
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