Active small bodies—including comets, active asteroids, icy minor planets, and transitional objects—occupy a unique position in planetary science. As ...

A groundbreaking study published in Communications Earth & Environment has called into question the long-standing assumptions about how our solar system came to be. Tiny shavings from a meteorite ...

A research team led by University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy Professor Yong-Zhong Qian uses new models and evidence from meteorites to show that a low-mass supernova triggered the ...

A region of active star formation in the constellation Ophiuchus is giving astronomers new insights into the conditions in which our own solar system was born. In particular, a new study of the ...

When scientists want to understand the earliest history of our Solar System, they’ve typically turned to ancient meteorites. These celestial objects that come to Earth are remnants of the building ...

A newly studied solar system breaks the usual planet pattern, raising fresh questions about how rocky and gas planets form.

If you've ever wondered why we are here, then you can thank Jupiter for part of the answer. A new study from Rice University suggests that if it weren't for the gas giant, the Earth would have ...

CREDIT: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. McClure et al. Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of ...

Illustration comparing the planets of the Solar System and the Sun on the same scale. The planets are shown to scale relative to each other but their distances are not. From left to right the bodies ...