EurekAlert! News by Subject: Space & Planetary - Home

Space & Planetary

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 20-Jun-2026 16:16 ET (20-Jun-2026 20:16 GMT/UTC)

An international team of astronomers led by UMass Amherst may have just found one of the missing links in galaxy evolution

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A team of 48 astronomers from 14 countries, led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has discovered a population of dusty, star-forming galaxies at the far edges of the universe that formed only a billion years after the Big Bang, believed to have occurred 13.7 billion years ago.

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Scientists observe distant jellyfish galaxy for first time

University of Waterloo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Astrophysicists from the University of Waterloo have observed a new jellyfish galaxy, the most distant one of its kind ever captured.

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal

Microbes harvest metals from meteorites aboard space station

Cornell University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, can harvest crucial minerals from rocks and could provide a sustainable alternative to transporting much-needed resources from Earth. Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Edinburgh have now collaborated to study how those microorganisms extract platinum group elements from a meteorite in microgravity, with an experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station.

Journal: npj Microgravity

Novel framework addresses the importance of buildings as a physical determinant of health

Boston University School of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

)— As the population ages, renewed attention is being given to the institutional buildings where many older adults reside, such as nursing homes and long-term care settings, which affect the health and quality of life of those living in them. Research suggests that built spaces exert strong and subtle influences on the brains and bodies of aging persons. For example, the way space is designed can play a role in the risk of falling, infection control, avoidable hospitalization and confusion.

Unfortunately, this research is not currently incorporated in a systematic way into new construction or renovation projects. A multidisciplinary team led by Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has developed a framework for evaluating long-term care architectural drawings and designs. Entitled “Bioethics Peer Review for Long-Term Care Design (BPR-LTC),” the framework’s intent is for evidence-based design principles to be incorporated into the development of spaces for older adults.

Journal: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Smithsonian planetary scientists discover recent tectonic activity on the Moon

Smithsonian
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists have produced the first global map and analysis of small mare ridges (SMRs) on the moon, a characteristic geological feature of tectonic activity. The team’s discovery of how SMRs form introduces a new set of potential moonquake sources that could affect future site selections for lunar landings.

Journal: The Planetary Science Journal

Cosmic predators: How supermassive black holes slow star growth in nearby galaxies

University of Arizona
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by University of Arizona astronomers finds that supermassive black holes may slow star formation not only in their own, but nearby galaxies as well. The findings suggest that black holes may have played a much larger role in shaping the growth of galaxies in the early universe than previously thought.

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Funder: NASA Headquarters, NASA Headquarters, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Beus Center for Cosmic Foundations, European Research Council, NASA Headquarters, NASA Office of Space Science

HKU Laboratory for Space Research to host APRIM2026 positioning Hong Kong as an Asia-Pacific astronomy hub

The University of Hong Kong
Meeting Announcement

In a landmark development for the region’s scientific community, Hong Kong has been selected to host the Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM) for the first time. Dubbed the “The Olympics of Astrophysics and Space Science”, this prestigious event will take place from May 4 to 8, 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

Can we predict ionospheric turbulence? A Bayesian model offers a global warning system

Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Space weather can disrupt satellite navigation and communication systems by triggering rapid fluctuations in the ionosphere.

Journal: Satellite Navigation

Sally C. Morton, executive vice president of ASU Knowledge Enterprise, presents a bold and practical framework for moving research from discovery to real-world impact

Arizona State University
Meeting Announcement

In a must-see topical lecture called “From Discovery to Impact: A Framework for Research That Strengthens Communities,” Morton draws on Arizona State University’s pioneering model of use-inspired research — where excellence is measured by the overall economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the communities ASU serves.

Meeting: 2026 AAAS Annual Meeting

44
45
46
47
48