A new study suggests that supernova explosions occurring within 1 000 light-years of Earth may have contributed to past mass extinctions, after finding evidence linking two mass extinction events during Devonian and Ordovician periods to supernovae.
A supernova explosion approximately 2.5 million years ago may have influenced viral evolution on Earth in Lake Tanganyika, Africa’s deepest lake.
Scientists have discovered new evidence that Earth has been bombarded by extreme cosmic radiation in the past, leaving “fingerprints” of supernova explosions and solar superflares in tree rings and ice cores. These rare events, known as Miyake Events, reveal sudden spikes in radiocarbon (¹⁴C) levels, suggesting that powerful cosmic forces — ranging from massive solar storms to nearby supernovae –may have impacted Earth’s atmosphere far more frequently than previously thought. A newly identified event from 12 350 BCE could be the most intense yet, challenging our understanding of space weather and cosmic threats to our planet.
In a stellar event anticipated to occur between now and September 2024, the T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) star system, located 3 000 light-years away, is predicted to undergo a nova outburst, becoming visible to the unaided eye. This rare occurrence, last witnessed in 1946, will temporarily elevate the system’s brightness to match that of the North Star, offering a unique viewing opportunity.
A new study suggests that the Earth has been moving through the remnants of an ancient exploded star for at least the past 33 000 years. The research team extracted a special isotope of iron called iron-60 from sea sediment samples and found that the isotope is…
Astronomers have detected a new type of cosmic explosion that has the characteristics of a supernova and a gamma-ray burst– two of the most powerful outbursts in the universe. In 2018, astronomers spotted a cosmic blast that has a strange behavior– dubbed the…
Astronomers have detected the brightest and most powerful supernova ever– the explosion was so massive that it was previously thought to be impossible. The SN2016aps supernova, which was observed by the PanSTARRS Survey for Transients on February 22, 2016, in a…
In an interview with Wal Thornhill, Chief Science Advisor of The Thunderbolts Project, we explore a number of intriguing space science discoveries, including supernovae, "neutron stars," "black holes" and "white dwarf" stars which…
Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, has been dramatically dimming recently, indicating that it's about to enter its last phase of life before finally exploding into a supernova. Some scientists believe that Betelgeuse may be ready to go…
An international team of astronomers led by Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) has made a bizarre discovery; a star that just keeps shining. Supernovae, the explosions of stars, have been observed in the thousands and in all cases they marked the death of a star. But in…
