California Institute of Technology

The heating of the asteroid by the Sun sees its surface release sodium gas, which produces a comet-like tail

Astronomy

This strange blue asteroid has another big surprise for us

This space oddity has long puzzled scientists for its peculiar non-asteroid-like behaviors. Researchers have now uncovered another curious characteristic of 3200 Phaethon, this time with its dazzling tail, rewriting 14 years of science knowledge.

The DuAxel rover, pictured here in its single-unit cruising configuration

Astronomy

Wheeled NASA rover splits in two to explore craters

Four-wheeled robotic rovers may be a good choice for the exploration of other planets, but they could conceivably get stuck at the bottom of deep craters. NASA's DuAxel rover is designed with that in mind, as it splits in two for steep descents.

Computer simulations have found that "nuclear pasta" – strange material found inside neutron stars – may just be the strongest material in the universe

Astronomy

"Nuclear pasta" ranked strongest material in the universe

Forget steel, forget diamond and even forget graphene – “nuclear pasta” may be the strongest material in the universe. This strange substance is formed in the intense pressures inside neutron stars, and researchers have now run computer simulations to test just how strong it is.