Universe
See the largest and most detailed map of universe’s magnetic fields
Magnetic fields are a fundamental part of the universe. They govern how small particles – the building blocks of planets, stars, and ultimately galaxies – move through space. We still don’t know how magnetic fields came to exist in the universe, but we do know they’re everywhere. Earth itself has a magnetic field that compasses …
Could we create a black hole in a laboratory on Earth?
“Can anyone make a black hole in a laboratory?” — Sohini B., age 13, Kolkata, West Bengal, India A black hole is an object so massive and dense that even light cannot escape its gravity. They occur in space when extremely dense objects, such as the centers of stars, collapse. All the black holes observed …
How do scientists hunt for dark matter?
“Can we generate a way to interact with dark matter with current technology?” — Leonardo S., age 13, Guanajuato, Mexico That’s a great question. It’s one of the most difficult and fascinating problems right now in both astronomy and physics, because while scientists know that the elusive substance called dark matter makes up the majority …
Are multiverses real? It depends on how you define ‘real’
“Are multiverses real? If so, what do they look like? How do you get there without disturbing time?” — Emily, age 9, Pune, Maharashtra, India The idea of a multiverse – a hypothetical collection of all possible universes – is one that science fiction fans love to explore. But does the multiverse actually exist? To …
Why is space so dark even though the Universe is filled with stars?
This age old question has been dubbed Olbers’ paradox. Credit: John Colosimo/ESO “Why is space so dark even though the Universe is filled with stars?” — Nikhil, age 15, New Dehli People have been asking why space is dark despite being filled with stars for so long that this question has a special name – …
What is the smallest thing in the Universe?
“What is the smallest thing in the Universe that actually exists?” — Mimi, age 12, Abeokuta, Nigeria To find an answer, we asked physicist Omololu Akin-Ojo, who teaches this subject. A physicist is someone who studies physics. Physics is the science of energy, forces and particles. We study physics in order to be able to …
How do atoms – the building blocks of everything – form?
“How do atoms form?” — Joshua, age 7, Shoreview, Minnesota R ichard Feynman, a famous theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize, said that if he could pass on only one piece of scientific information to future generations, it would be that all things are made of atoms. Understanding how atoms form is a fundamental …
2026 is poised to be an exciting year for space exploration
In 2026, astronauts will travel around the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era, powerful new space telescopes will prepare to survey billions of galaxies, and multiple nations will launch missions aimed at finding habitable worlds, water on the Moon and clues to how our solar system formed. Together, these launches will mark …
What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?
“What is below Earth, since space is present in ever direction?” — Purvi, age 17, India If you’ve seen illustrations or models of the solar system, maybe you noticed that all the planets orbit the Sun in more or less the same plane, traveling in the same direction. But what is above and below that …
How are dark matter and antimatter different?
“What is dark matter and what is antimatter? Are they the same or different?” — Namrata, age 13, Ghaziabad, India Imagine an epic video game with your favorite hero as a character. Another character is a mirror-image twin who shows up occasionally, exploding everything they touch. And, to add an extra level of difficulty, the …