Planets
Planets with hydrogen skies could harbor life
Microbes can live in a hydrogen atmosphere. This points to new space worlds that host alien life.
HS-ESS1-2
Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.
More Stories in HS-ESS1-2
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SpaceThis ‘Sombrero’ stole a big galaxy
The Sombrero Galaxy is an odd spiral galaxy that outshines all others within 35 million light-years of Earth. Its bright, iron-rich halo suggests it consumed one or more large galaxies.
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PlanetsGlass beads help scientists puzzle out how baby planets grow
Researchers have mimicked the first stages of planet formation in the lab. All they needed were glass beads and a catapult.
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SpaceNASA’s Parker probe spots rogue waves and magnetic islands on the sun
The Parker probe’s first data is giving scientists a look at what’s to come as the craft moves closer to the sun over the next few years.
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SpaceDust-shrouded monster is a snapshot from the early universe
Scientists have spotted a massive galaxy from the early universe shrouded in dust. It turned up in a small survey by the ALMA radio telescopes in Chile.
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SpaceExplainer: Understanding meteors and meteor showers
Meteors regularly enter Earth’s atmosphere. Most ‘shooting stars’ pose few risks to life on the ground, but the rare big ones can be lethal.
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PhysicsExplainer: What are black holes?
Among the most extreme celestial bodies in the universe, black holes are dense, massive entities whose gravity can sometimes hold together an entire galaxy.
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PlanetsAsteroids may have delivered water to early Earth
Scientists shot mineral pellets at a simulated planet. It showed an impact wouldn’t have boiled off all of an asteroid’s water.