Cosmology
Cosmology is a branch of astronomy that relates to the origin of the Universe, its evolution and eventual fate. It covers a broad variety of topics from string theory to dark matter, and cosmologists work to both broaden and refine our understanding of the current model of the Universe: The Big Bang Theory. With ties to physics, philosophy and ancient history, cosmology is an expansive subject that aims to discover the true theory of everything.
New theory could finally make ‘quantum gravity’ a reality – and prove Einstein wrong
A united Theory of Everything is the 'Holy Grail of physics'
Cosmic jets: How some of the most violent (and beautiful) phenomena in the Universe are born
You need just three ingredients to make these truly colossal ‘double-sided lightsabers’
How the Universe’s hidden ‘scars’ could unlock time travel
Nobody knows if cosmic strings exist, but if they do, they could change everything we know about the Universe.
Why the Big Bang might not have been the beginning of our Universe
The Big Bang marks the birth of the Universe, right? The physicists brave enough to look beyond it aren’t so sure.
This strange discovery in space could finally unlock the mystery of dark matter
Researchers on board the International Space Station have detected something unusual going on in interstellar space.
Here’s how the Sun will end all life on Earth
Our star won't keep burning forever.
How starlight's ‘secret code’ is unlocking the Universe’s past
Looking deep into the Universe can teach us about our cosmic history.
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs had a very strange origin, scientists find
New evidence that the impactor came from beyond Jupiter may settle an old debate in cosmo-chemistry.
Here’s how we're understanding the origins of the first stars in the Universe
Looking back deeper into spacetime is revealing the secrets of the Universe’s formation.
Dark energy may be even stranger than we thought
The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us
The 7 biggest myths about your reality, busted by science
The world isn't what it seems. Here's how science has exposed the fallacies and misconceptions of Earth and the heavens throughout history.
The Solar System will die a grisly death – and astronomers now think they know how
White dwarf stars can’t help but gobble up passing objects – including, eventually, the planets in our own Solar System.
How a solar eclipse revealed the warping of spacetime and opened a new window into the Universe
Since its effects were proven more than a century ago, scientists have used gravitational lensing to uncover many of the Universe's mysteries.
This bizarre quantum theory could finally explain how our Universe began
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the 'inflation field'.
This 'zombie' cannibal star was spotted eating its siblings
Think Silence of the Lambs, but make it extra-terrestrial and undead.
101 random fun facts that will blow your mind
Our collection of the best interesting trivia covers animals, biology, geography, space and much more.
Earth is being bombarded by mysterious bursts of intergalactic radio waves. And it has scientists puzzled
Fast radio bursts originating from beyond the galaxy were first detected almost 20 years ago.
How new antimatter science could soon explain the existence of everything
Matter comes in many flavours, each with its own unique, intriguing properties.
Bizarre giant planet could rewrite the rules of solar systems
Once upon a time, there was a planet that was too big for its tiny sun. And it threw science into chaos…
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured images of ancient galaxies that shouldn't exist. A cosmologist explains what could be going on.
According to current thinking, the Universe isn’t old enough to contain such massive galaxies.
What's inside the fifth dimension?
What else could there be beyond the three dimensions of space and one of time? And how can we begin to conceive of it?
Why we don’t have to worry about being sucked into the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way
Black holes may be notorious for sucking up anything that gets in their way, but we have nothing to worry about from the one in our galaxy’s heart. At least not for another four billion years.
In Pictures: Euclid sends back first test images
Euclid sends back its first images ahead of producing a 3D map of the Universe.
Scientists reproduce the eerily beautiful sound of twinkling stars – and you can listen
Music inspired scientists’ new approach to understanding the waves of energy that flow in the centre of massive stars – and the results are more eery than a nursery rhyme.