Space

What if the same force that created civilisation is the thing most likely to destroy it?

Have a lovely weekend, everybody. 

Robin Ince: Stephen Hawking made science relatable – why is it still so misunderstood?

We need more science and scientists in popular culture, so that children don’t give up on it as only for “boffins”.

The commercialisation of space: how billionaire visionaries like Elon Musk are reinventing space flight

With ultimate goals of putting humans on Mars, the pace of innovation in space flight is amazingly fast.

One small step for private companies: how the future of space travel is being redefined

There is a widening divide between “old space” – the domain of government agencies – and “new space”, which includes…

Meet the man hoping to turn a remote Scottish island into a commercial space hub

Could Lewis become gateway to the stars? 

“Anyone can do it, I promise you!”: meet the BBC’s astronaut-ballerina

Why science needs to be more open to women, minorities – and ballet.

The Earth moved: how we discovered ripples in space time

A new book charts the decades-long search to measure gravitational waves.

The moonwalkers: what it’s like to belong to the world’s most exclusive club

“The blue and the white and the brown just hung in the blackness of space.”

Will it be Stephen Hawking or Elon Musk who is proved right on space exploration?

There are both optimistic and pessimistic visions of our future in space.

Is this the most dramatic death of a star ever recorded?

Last year, a spectacular event was recorded – something that scientists were calling “the brightest supernova ever”. Although the suspected supernova…

Making life multi-planetary: Elon Musk outlines his vision to take humans to Mars

The Space X CEO detailed the practical measures required to turn his Interplanetary Transport System from a science fiction dream into…

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Found in space: the lost comet lander Philae has finally been discovered after a two-year search

Newly developed images from the Rosetta probe pinpointed Philae’s whereabouts on comet 67P.

Closer to home: the discovery of a new exoplanet could help us find life beyond the solar system

There are promising signs in the search for life on Earth-like planets, as new research has found an exoplanet orbiting…

Tim Peake is coming home – what has happened to his body and brain during his time in space?

The British astronaut is set to return back to Earth this Saturday, following six months on the International Space Station.

Mercury in transit: everything you need to know about this rare celestial event

The journey of the planet across the face of the sun marks its first appearance in almost a decade.

Exoplanets – the “other Earths” that could bear life in the universe

The recent discovery of Earth-like planets close to home is reshaping our understanding of the worlds beyond the solar system.

Would you float off the treadmill? How to run a marathon in space

Astronaut Tim Peake ran the London Marathon aboard the International Space Station. Here’s how he did it.

How the hunt for black holes causes a rift in physics

Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space shows how rivalries developed during the fraught search for gravitational revenge.

Gravitational waves found: how we proved the final part of Einstein’s theory of relativity

Our first direct glimpse of the dark universe – and the first direct evidence that black holes exist.