It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
The European probe Euclid has provided insights into the secrets of the universe with a mass of new observations, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Thursday.
For the first time, the ESA has published a huge volume of observations from the probe. According to ESA, the data lay the foundation for the largest 3D map of the cosmos created so far.
"These are far more than beautiful pictures," said ESA science director Carole Mundell. "Today marks a scientific milestone in our study of the cosmos."
The data are based on 13 months of operations by the probe. The first data were published last year.
Euclid was launched into space in July 2023. Its centrepiece is a high-resolution telescope equipped with two instruments: a camera for the visible wavelength range (VIS) and a near-infrared instrument that enables both spectroscopic and photometric measurements (NISP).
They are designed to image the shapes of galaxies or help determine how far away galaxies are.
ESA aims to look back into the past of the universe and study its evolution over the past 10 billion years. In total, data on billions of galaxies are to be collected, and a 3D map of space is to emerge, with time as an additional component.
Using information from Euclid, experts hope to draw conclusions about dark matter and dark energy, which together make up an extremely large share of the universe. All other known components, such as galaxies, make up only about 5%.
Euclid imaged more than 1 billion celestial objects in the observations now published, yet the area mapped corresponds to only 14% of what Euclid is to observe during its entire mission. The data contain more than 900 million galaxies and 60 million possible active galactic nuclei.
Because Euclid is in space, there are no atmospheric disturbances, unlike with telescopes on Earth. Rare and distant objects such as galaxy clusters and gravitational lenses are also detected.
The probe delivered the largest catalogue of possible "strong gravitational lenses," according to ESA. The gravitational lensing effect means that the mass of a cluster causes the light from galaxies lying behind it, as seen from Earth, to be distorted. Strong gravitational lenses could in theory reveal how fast the universe is expanding.
"Strong lensing provides unique insight into the dark universe, allowing us to 'weigh' individual galaxies, including their invisible dark matter, and explore how the Universe is expanding," said Natalie Lines of the University of Portsmouth.
Researchers discover rare star system that emits radio signals every eight minutes
Scientists have linked mysterious radio pulses to an unusual pairing of stars — a dead star that spins every eight minutes and a star similar to our own Sun
Scientists at the Curtin University node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have linked mysterious radio pulses to an unusual pairing of stars — a dead star that spins every eight minutes and a star similar to our own Sun.
The newly discovered system, known as GPM J071507−114153, consists of two stars orbiting each other: a white dwarf — the dense core left behind when a star dies — and a G-type star similar to our own Sun.
Scientists at the Curtin University node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have linked mysterious radio pulses to an unusual pairing of stars — a dead star that spins every eight minutes and a star similar to our own Sun.
The newly discovered system, known as GPM J071507−114153, consists of two stars orbiting each other: a white dwarf — the dense core left behind when a star dies — and a G-type star similar to our own Sun.
It is the first time radio pulses have been detected from a white dwarf orbiting a Sun-like star. Typically, such pulses are observed in systems with smaller and cooler red dwarf stars, meaning the discovery breaks new ground.
These types of stellar pairs belong to a broader class of objects known as long-period transients (LPTs), producing radio signals that switch on and off over intervals ranging from minutes to hours. Around a dozen have been detected since the first was discovered by the same ICRAR team in 2021, and astronomers are still working to understand them.
While several previously discovered LPT systems contain a white dwarf and another star, it has remained unclear which of the two stars was generating the radio pulses.
“This is the first time the pulses are clear enough to see the white dwarf moving in its orbit around its companion, so we know that the pulsations are coming from a region close to the white dwarf, or possibly even from the white dwarf itself,” said lead author and commissioning scientist with the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, Dr Sam McSweeney, who made this discovery while working as a researcher at the Curtin University node of ICRAR. The team processed more than 100 hours of radio data at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre to validate and understand the white dwarf motion.
Associate Professor Natasha Hurley-Walker, co-author on the paper, said that the pulses emitted by the white dwarf allowed the team to detect stellar flares on the Sun-like star, similar to those that create aurorae here on Earth.
“As a bonus, we also saw the white dwarf moving behind a region with a strong magnetic field, most likely a ‘stellar prominence’, which is a large loop of plasma erupting from a star’s surface.”
“It’s amazing that by using radio wavelengths we can detect the storms on a star over 5000 light-years away.”
ICRAR researchers have been at the forefront of discovering these rare systems.
“We detected this system in a large survey using the MWA (Murchison Widefield Array) to scan the entire Milky Way visible from Australia. We then used the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa to determine its precise position,” said Associate Professor Hurley-Walker.
After the LPT was located using the radio telescopes, the W.M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island, confirmed its association with a G-type star through optical observations.
Both the MWA, led by Curtin University at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-Astronomy Observatory on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia, and MeerKAT, built and operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory in the country’s North Cape province, serve as precursors for the SKA telescopes, SKA-Low in Australia and the SKA-Mid in South Africa, respectively.
Dr McSweeney said, “If we are already making such discoveries with precursor telescopes, just imagine how many more star systems we will be able to find, and what a beautifully detailed view of their signals we will have, once the SKAO telescopes are completely built."
An examination of 12 interplanetary dust particles supports the longstanding but hard-to-prove theory that the Kuiper Belt is home to a reservoir of water that’s rich in “heavy” oxygen. Scientists have suspected that ice in the outer solar system contains heavy oxygen – non-radioactive stable isotopes of the element. Yet, whether such a cache of heavy oxygen-enriched water truly exists has proven difficult to determine; meteorites rarely arrive with clues about this mystery. Now Lindsay Keller and colleagues have circumvented the need for meteorite samples altogether. They examined interplanetary dust particles collected from Earth’s stratosphere, observing that the dust had high densities of scars from solar energetic particles – proving that the dust came from the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt. Further analyses showed that dust particles were mainly made of hydrated minerals. Using models, Keller et al. investigated how these minerals could have formed, linking their existence to reactions with carbon dioxide and ice at low temperatures. The isotopic compositions of the minerals indicated that the water present in these reactions was made with one of two heavy oxygen isotopes, rather than normal oxygen. The evidence, the authors write, provides “compelling evidence for the presence of a major heavy water reservoir beyond the orbits of the gas giant planets that was largely isolated from inner solar system materials.”
Permanent structures on the Moon could start with something already there: lunar dust. New research from the University of Arkansas shows that pure regolith, the loose material that covers the Moon, could be 3D-printed into LEGO-like bricks. Using it for construction could reduce what NASA needs to send from Earth as it works toward future lunar settlements.
The research was published in the journal NPJ Advanced Manufacturing. Cole McCallum, a U of A undergraduate at the time, was the first author. Wan Shou, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was the senior author.
The researchers used a form of 3D printing called laser powder bed fusion. A fine powder is spread across a flat bed, then a high-powered light source such as a laser fuses the powder through a process known as sintering. The bed is lowered, more powder is applied and the next layer is created.
Lunar regolith, unlike soil on Earth, contains no organic matter. It consists of loose, jagged particles created over billions of years as asteroids, micrometeorites and other space debris struck the Moon’s surface. For their experiments, the U of A researchers used Lunar Highlands Regolith Simulant (LHS-1), a commercially available material designed to mimic samples collected during the Apollo missions in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Printing Without Binders
Other researchers have used binders with lunar regolith to 3D-print objects. But those binding agents would have to be transported from Earth to the Moon. The U of A researchers were the first to demonstrate that lunar regolith simulant could be sintered directly without a binder into reconfigurable building blocks for construction using a relatively low power light source.
“There’s nothing else it’s binding to. The regolith powder is binding to itself,” McCallum said.
The researchers printed blocks a few centimeters wide, some shaped like crosses and others like the letter H. The two representative shapes could be fitted together like LEGOs to build larger structures. However, the objects made from pure regolith are more porous and structurally weaker than objects printed with binders.
“These structures we’re making can be self-supported,” McCallum said. “But I would be hesitant to say our process could be used for something that’s supporting other loads at this moment yet.”
According to Shou, more research is needed to understand this process in microgravity and vacuum environments. Also, the mechanical performance of the bricks should be optimized to be practically useful. He is optimistic that the reported approach could provide an efficient way to create components and structures for a permanent settlement on the Moon.
An Early Start in Research
McCallum, a Little Rock native, started working in Shou’s lab early in his undergraduate studies at U of A.
“He had this really strong belief that undergrads should get involved more with research,” McCallum said.
McCallum graduated in May with degrees in both mechanical engineering and physics. He received an inaugural Lafayette Fellowship, which selected 30 fellows from more than 3,400 applicants to pursue master’s degrees in France. The program was created to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“It helps you refine and overcome all the problems you have as a researcher. There are a lot of mistakes that I made the first time through,” he said. “It was really nice to have a head start on everyone else and make those mistakes early.”
The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between the two organisations and foster collaboration at the intersection of physics and space research.
The agreement builds on their complementary missions and shared commitment to advancing scientific research through international cooperation. While IUPAP promotes the development of physics across its many disciplines, COSPAR provides an international framework for scientific research in space. Their areas of common interest include astrophysics, fundamental physics in space, gravitational waves, cosmic rays, neutrinos, and the search for dark matter and antimatter. Both organizations transcend geopolitical boundaries, support global collaboration via international conferences and assemblies that ensure free circulation of scientists and support unhindered exchange of ideas across borders while maintaining scientific integrity and ethical conduct in research. Both organizations foster scientific talent in the Global South.
Pietro Ubertini, COSPAR Vice-President, said: "The importance of closer collaboration between the physics and space science communities is clear, and we are sure the MoU is the first building block for a bridge between space-based and ground scientific research. Our common goal is to improve the worldwide scientific community exchange of ideas: the opportunities this partnership will create for international scientific cooperation are invaluable."
Silvina Ponce Dawson, IUPAP President, said: "This agreement is an important step in strengthening the connections between the physics and space research communities. Many of the questions we seek to answer, from the nature of dark matter to the most extreme phenomena in the Universe, require expertise from different disciplines and international cooperation. By working more closely with COSPAR, we hope to create new opportunities for scientific exchange, support researchers at different stages of their careers, and encourage broader participation in these fields, particularly in regions where scientific capacity is still developing."
Under the MoU, the two organisations will explore and develop joint initiatives in research and education, outreach and communication, scientific community building and capacity development. They will also consider establishing joint IUPAP–COSPAR awards in space sciences and supporting regional collaborations, including initiatives that strengthen scientific capacity.
The agreement further provides for closer institutional links, including mutual opportunities for cross-representation in Commissions. By bringing together their international networks and scientific communities, COSPAR and IUPAP aim to create new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, support the participation of researchers worldwide and advance scientific understanding of the Universe.
The MoU was signed on 20 October 2026 by COSPAR Vice-President Pietro Ubertini and by IUPAP President Silvina Ponce Dawson in Beijing, China.
The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) is an international scientific organization established in 1958, under the International Science Council (ISC). Its mission is to promote cooperation in space research, with an emphasis on the exchange of scientific results, information, and the development of global partnerships across disciplines for the benefit of all.
Through its scientific Commissions, Panels and Task Groups, COSPAR covers a wide range of space science fields, including Earth observation, planetary protection, astrophysics, and space life sciences and is a trusted advisor to the United Nations on critical issues in space research. It plays a key role in fostering collaboration between the global scientific community, space agencies, industry, and emerging space nations. Through specialized capacity building workshops, it supports the growth of space science expertise worldwide. Its biennial event, the COSPAR Scientific Assembly, brings together thousands ofresearchers from around the world, serving as a major platform for knowledge exchange and international dialogue. A recent focus has been on strengthening ties between science and industry. This was achieved by forming the Committee on Industry Relations, which includes 16 leading aerospace companies worldwide. The Committee advises COSPAR on integrating industry capabilities into its activities, ensuring mutual benefits for both science and industry. Website: https://cospar.world
The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) is the only international scientific union covering all areas of physics. Established in 1922, IUPAP promotes the worldwide development of physics, fosters international scientific cooperation, and supports the application of physics to address challenges of concern to humanity.
Through its Commissions, Working Groups and Standing Committees, IUPAP encourages research, education and scientific exchange, promotes inclusiveness and diversity, and supports the free circulation of scientists across national boundaries. It also collaborates with international organizations to advance interdisciplinary research and strengthen physics communities worldwide. Website: https://iupap.org
While Uranus (pictured, image taken from the 1998 Voyager 2 mission) and Neptune have long been classified as ice giants, the composition of their interiors is a mystery. New research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) measured the planets' atmospheric argon-40 to estimate the amount of rock found inside them, searching for clues about the planets' origins, including where and how they formed in our solar system.
SAN ANTONIO — November 11, 2026 — Measurements of an argon isotope could help scientists understand whether the interiors of Uranus and Neptune, our solar system’s so-called ice giants, are dominated by ice or rock. New research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and published in The Planetary Science Journal measured the planets’ atmospheric argon-40 to estimate the amount of rock found beneath their surfaces and search for clues about the planets’ origins, including where and how they formed.
“Despite decades of research, we still have surprisingly little information about what lies beneath the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and their physical compositions,” said Dr. Olivier Mousis, a planetary scientist in SwRI’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division in Boulder, Colorado, who led the study. “It is worth considering whether they may contain much more rock than their ice giant classifications suggest. We investigated whether argon-40 could help us distinguish between these possibilities, or if there are better uses for this unique chemical marker in future research.”
The argon-40 found in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune have two possible origins. Some of the atmospheric argon-40 could have been inherited from the protosolar nebula, the cloud of dust and gas that formed the solar system approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Additional argon-40 could be explained by billions of years of radioactive decay of the potassium-40 found in rocky materials deep inside the planets. By distinguishing between the ratios of argon-40 that the planets inherited during formation and the argon-40 produced in their interiors that reached their atmospheres, the team believed that they could potentially extrapolate the amount of rock each planet contains.
The main challenge facing the team was determining exactly how to interpret between the two possible origins for the isotope. To address this problem, Mousis and his team combined calculations of argon-40 production with a numerical model of the protosolar nebula. The model tracked the condensation, trapping and transport of “primordial” argon inside ice particles as the nebula evolved and then which accumulated to help form Uranus and Neptune.
“Based on our research, the primordial argon element that made its way to Uranus and Neptune and its isotopes would completely overwhelm any contributions produced by radioactive decay inside the planets,” said Mousis, adding that the argon-40 contributions from the protosolar nebula are more abundant than previously thought. “Taking this under consideration, we have concluded that atmospheric argon-40 measurements probably tell us more about the planets’ formation environments and history than about their rocky or icy interiors.”
The team’s simulations revealed that the materials for planets particularly rich in argon may have formed near an argon frost line, a boundary near the edge of the protosolar nebula where low temperatures condense argon gas into solid ice. The accumulation of argon-bearing particles near the frost line could have influenced the chemical composition of the materials that formed Uranus and Neptune.
“Understanding the composition of the material that formed Uranus and Neptune is essential for reconstructing their formation histories,” said Dr. Robin Canup, vice president of SwRI’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division, and a co-author of the study. “Our results demonstrate how the evolving conditions in the early solar system could leave chemical signatures that persist in planetary atmospheres billions of years later.”
The findings may help guide future study of the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. According to the researchers, future probe missions, such as the proposed NASA Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission concept, could directly sample noble gases and isotopic ratios that cannot be reliably determined through remote observations. Measurements of nitrogen, carbon and other atmospheric components may help determine the veracity of theories about how the ice giants formed.
“Argon-40 measurements may help us answer two fundamental questions that have long eluded scientists,” Mousis said. “What are Uranus and Neptune made of, and where did their building blocks form before they were incorporated into the planets? Future atmospheric probes equipped with sufficiently sensitive mass spectrometers could bring us closer to answering both.”
This latest research is part of an ongoing exploration of Uranus and Neptune. In October 2026, another SwRI-contributed study suggests that their chemical origins may be different despite their similar characteristics, such as their size, mass and atmospheric conditions, and their similar formation timeframes. Read more about this research.
Read the article, “Primordial and Radiogenic Argon-40 in Uranus and Neptune” in The Planetary Science Journal, Volume 7, Issue 11 / DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/aeb2ee. The article was authored by Mousis, Canup, Dr. Christopher Glein of SwRI’s Space Science Division in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Mark Hofstadter of the Space Science Institute and Dr. Jonathan Lunine of the California Institute of Technology and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The research may help scientists determine whether the interiors of Uranus and Neptune (pictured, image taken from the 1998 Voyager 2 mission) are dominated by ice or rock or if measuring atmospheric argon-40 may instead be more useful for revealing vital clues about where and how these planets formed in our solar system.
Two professors from the Institute of Computer Science at the University of WĂĽrzburg and their teams are involved in an ambitious collaborative project to explore Mars.
The idea is that a swarm of autonomously operating, interconnected robots will explore the vast Valles Marineris valley on the Red Planet – both on the ground and from the air. The robots are also set to venture into the caves that are thought to exist in the valley and collect images and other data there.
This is the aim of the VaMEx initiative run by the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The project has been running since 2012 and has now reached its fourth development phase. Those involved are continuing to work on the key technologies required by robot swarms to explore the challenging terrain on Mars.
Hakan Kayal, Professor for Space Technology, and Guido Dietl, Professor of Satellite Communication and Radar Systems, are involved in VaMEx. The two scientists from the University of WĂĽrzburg are receiving around 1.4 million euros from the DLR for their current sub-project. The project began in early October 2026 and will run for three years. It forms part of the WĂĽrzburg Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Extraterrestrial Studies (IFEX).
Robust solutions for robot swarms
The JMU professors are building on preliminary work carried out by themselves and others in recent years as part of the VAMEX initiative. They are also setting out several new areas of focus.
Broadly speaking, the aim of the project is to develop robust navigation and coordination solutions for swarms of flying, walking and driving robots. At the start of the new project, the JMU teams are initially involved in defining the overall system architecture, the requirements specification and the relevant hardware and software interfaces.
WĂĽrzburg’s SkyCAM is being further developed
One focus is on the further development of the SkyCAM system. This camera system was developed by Hakan Kayal’s research team. It is designed for observing the sky and is intended to specifically and automatically detect short-lived celestial phenomena such as lightning, cloud formation, meteors or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) in the sky.
“We are now adapting SkyCAM for integration onto the Janus Mars rover and will then prepare the system for deployment on the AMADEE-27 analogue mission,” says Hakan Kayal. This mission by the Austrian Space Forum takes place on Earth under conditions that are as close as possible to those on Mars. It is scheduled to take place from 5 to 18 April 2027 in Monsaraz, Portugal.
Kayal’s team would like to have two or three SkyCAM stations there, which would simultaneously record phenomena in the sky and synchronise their data with one another. As well as taking photos and videos, the main aim is to measure the distance, speed and flight profile of moving objects and to assist with the navigation of the VaMEx swarm’s robots.
Specialised navigation system in development
Guido Dietl’s team is working on technologies that will enable the robots to orientate themselves reliably on Mars. As there are no navigation satellites there, such as GPS on Earth, the aim is to develop a navigation system that combines data from star and sun sensors with position data via a network of radio beacons.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is to be used both for precise distance measurement and for determining the angles to the respective beacons. By combining all this measurement data, the robots should be able to determine their position and direction of travel autonomously and reliably, even in challenging terrain.
The sensor and navigation systems developed at the University of WĂĽrzburg will be gradually integrated into the robot swarm and validated during future analogue missions and final field tests under realistic conditions.
About the project
The WĂĽrzburg-based VaMEx-ARES sub-project “Navigation-Supporting Robotics Hardware, Radio Software Further Development, UWB sensor fusion, SkyCAM navigation algorithms’ is funded by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) under grant reference 50NA2606D, following a resolution by the German Bundestag, with funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.
The VaMEx-ARES consortium also includes research groups from the University of Bremen, the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the Technical University of Braunschweig, the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg and RWTH Aachen University.
