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SpaceX's Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch SpaceX's attempt to recover its entire Starship back at the launch pad was thwarted when the booster fell into the Gulf of Mexico and exploded Friday, but the spacecraft still soared into orbit in its boldest test yet. phys.org/news/2026-11-spacex-starship-soa…

5,000-year-old skulls reveal a disturbing secret of ancient Egypt's first kings A 5,000-year-old mystery surrounding the tombs of Egypt’s first kings has taken a disturbing turn. Scientists reexamining 46 ancient skulls discovered evidence of potentially fatal head injuries in 18, suggesting that at least 39% of those studied may have been deliberately killed. The findings support a century-old theory that royal attendants were sacrificed when kings died, possibly to serve… sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611120…

Scientists capture electrons making seemingly impossible quantum jumps Scientists have captured electrons making seemingly impossible jumps across forbidden energy gaps in graphene, with some transitions occurring at a remarkable 100% probability. The breakthrough offers an unprecedented look at quantum behavior and could help unlock a new generation of ultrafast, light-controlled electronics. sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611120…

A likely supermassive neutron star might shed light on the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes A team of astronomers recently identified a red giant star with an unseen binary companion after examining data from the Large Sky Area MultiObject Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) and the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). Although the companion object can't be observed visually, astronomers can see the gravitational effects it has on the red giant star. phys.org/news/2026-11-supermassive-neutro…

Outbursts from a Massive Star Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have discovered what is triggering repeated outbursts from a giant, unstable star located in the galaxy shown in this image released on Nov. 9, 2026. The volatile star, known as AT 2016blu, is in the spiral galaxy NGC 4559, located about 30 million light-years from Earth. Astronomers estimate the […] nasa.gov/image-article/outbursts-from-a-m…

Gemini and DECam showcase a young Type Ia supernova A star's explosive demise has added a shiny new feature to NGC 1433, a barred spiral galaxy approximately 50 million light-years away in the southern constellation Horologium (the Pendulum Clock). New images of supernova SN 2026ahvu from the U.S. Department of Energy–fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam) and the Gemini South telescope capture the explosion against its galactic surroundings,… phys.org/news/2026-11-gemini-decam-showca…

Gemini Astronaut Photos Inspired Early Earth Observation Program Astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. orbited Earth from November 11 to 15, 1966, on Gemini XII, the final mission of NASA’s Gemini program. In addition to successfully completing rendezvous maneuvers and spacewalks, procedures vital to sending American astronauts to the Moon, the crew was also spurring the development of […] nasa.gov/image-article/gemini-astronaut-p…

Solving the space junk crisis isn't just about counting trash—it's about control and economics If people ever think about cleaning up space debris, they typically think of something equivalent to a giant garbage truck in the sky, collecting lost astronaut tools and dead satellites, then hauling them back down to Earth to be deposited in a landfill. But dealing with space debris doesn't work that way, and a new paper by Dr. Slava Turyshev of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, available as a… phys.org/news/2026-11-space-junk-crisis-i…

Euclid's first data release: A stepping stone to its 3D map of the sky The ESA's Euclid has already teased us with some early results. In the past, it's given us a small image covering 60 square degrees of the sky, created with a few days of observations. Those images showed individual targets from the Horsehead Nebula to the Perseus cluster of galaxies. phys.org/news/2026-11-euclid-stone-3d-sky…

Scientists discover a hidden danger of viral infections that vaccines may prevent A new study reveals that viral infections may leave behind hidden damage to the immune system long after symptoms disappear. Researchers found that mice recovering from an acute infection experienced lasting changes to their spleens and weakened immune responses, potentially leaving them more vulnerable to future threats. Surprisingly, prior vaccination completely prevented these harmful changes… sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611120…

Superheated magma could fuel towering lava fountains Why do some volcanoes erupt with spectacular lava fountains while others release lava more quietly? Scientists have discovered that a hidden effect of extreme heat inside magma may help explain the difference. Experiments revealed that superheated magma can delay crystal formation for more than eight hours, compared with just 20 minutes in magma that has not been superheated. sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611112…

Dark energy may have flipped from negative to positive 9.5 billion years ago A mysterious force driving the expansion of the Universe may have undergone a dramatic reversal billions of years ago. Scientists exploring an overlooked branch of an alternative gravity theory discovered that dark energy could have switched from negative to positive roughly 9.5 billion years ago, potentially changing how we understand cosmic history. sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611110…

SpaceX Starship test to attempt first-ever spaceship 'catch' Elon Musk's SpaceX was poised Friday to carry out its latest test of the world's biggest and most powerful rocket, the Starship, with plans for a groundbreaking "catch" of the spaceship following a day in orbit. phys.org/news/2026-11-spacex-starship-spa…

The Sun unleashed a monster storm. Earth may have made it worse The massive solar storm that illuminated skies worldwide in May 2024 has uncovered an unexpected twist: Earth's own atmosphere may have helped make the storm so powerful. Satellite measurements revealed that roughly 85% of the charged particles fueling the disturbance originated from Earth's upper atmosphere rather than the solar wind. Scientists also detected an extraordinary 40% weakening of… sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/2611110…

APOD: 2026 November 13 – NGC 206 and the Star Clouds of Andromeda APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 November 13 – NGC… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. NGC 206 […] science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2026-…

A Global Rebound for Mangroves After decades of decline, this ecologically significant type of forest is making a comeback. science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/…

Automated assembly in space is the future and NOM4D is showing the way If we want big things in space, we'll have to build and assemble them there. Rocket fairings are not large enough to accommodate the large things we want to have in space. Not only that, but the stubborn rocket equation refuses to bend itself to our desires. phys.org/news/2026-11-automated-space-fut…

The moon is not the Wild West: Experts call for a pause on lunar industrialization As the major powers and the private companies go full tilt with their plans to develop infrastructure and extract resources on the moon, the questions around environmental protection, international regulation and who benefits all come into play. Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science (VU IIRPS) professor Florian Rabitz, together with Xiao-Shan Yap from… phys.org/news/2026-11-moon-wild-west-expe…

Hubble offers cosmic sampler of targets for Roman A gallery of gravitational lenses captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope showcases the diversity of this cosmic phenomenon and lays the groundwork for follow-up observations by the new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. phys.org/news/2026-11-hubble-cosmic-sampl…

Space telescope Euclid sets the new standard for cosmology On July 1, 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Euclid space telescope into space. Its mission: to create the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever made. phys.org/news/2026-11-space-telescope-euc…