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Editors of EarthSky

Magnetars are the most powerful magnets in the universe

Magnetars are the bizarre super-dense remnants of supernova explosions and the strongest magnets known in the universe.

Watch two neutron stars rip each other apart to form a black hole

This supercomputer simulation from NASA shows one of the most violent events in the universe: Two neutron stars ripping each other apart to form black hole.

Why is West Antarctic ice sheet in irreversible decline?

New studies say that part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is now undergoing an "irreversible" decline. The science behind the news, from NASA

New plastics heal themselves

Researchers have developed a regenerating plastic that grows back after damage.

Most detailed view yet of Milky Way’s magnetic fields

Researchers have created a new map of the Milky Way's magnetic fingerprint, the magnetic fields that shape our galaxy.

The best-observed X-flare in history

NASA says the March 29, 2014 X-flare was the best-observed in history. This post contains beautiful images of that intense event on the surface of the sun.

This is cool! Watch a realistic virtual universe unfold

If astronomers had used an average desktop computer to run the new Illustris simulation, the calculations would have taken more than 2,000 years to complete.

Our sun now has a brother star, the first one ever found

These astronomers say there's a “small, but not zero” chance that brother stars to our sun could host planets that harbor life.

Nearest hypervelocity star found speeding through space at 1 million mph

Astronomers think hypervelocity stars happen when the galaxy's central back hole captures one of two stars in a binary system and slingshots the other out of the galaxy.

Are we ready for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?

Do we need a greater or different kind of awareness of the cosmos in order to make contact with extraterrestrial civilizations?