H1821+643, a quasar powered by a supermassive black hole

Chandra Observatory shows black hole spins slower than its peers

30 June 2022

Astronomers have made a record-breaking measurement of a black hole’s spin, one of two fundamental properties of black holes. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shows this black hole is spinning slower than most of its smaller cousins. This is the most massive black hole with an accurate spin measurement and gives hints about how some of the universe’s biggest black holes grow.

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First spaceflight for Gates Cambridge Scholar

17 December 2021

On 10th November Kayla Barron blasted off into space on her first trip to the International Space Station where she is part of a six-month science mission. Kayla, a Gates Cambridge alumna, was one of four astronauts on the SpaceX Crew Dragon.

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Artist’s impression of the exoplanet GJ 1132 b

Hubble sees new atmosphere forming on a rocky exoplanet

11 March 2021

For the first time, scientists using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have found evidence of volcanic activity reforming the atmosphere on a rocky planet around a distant star. The planet, GJ 1132 b, has a similar density, size, and age to Earth.

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Perseus: A galaxy cluster located about 240 million light years from Earth

New data tests 'theory of everything'

19 March 2020

One of the biggest ideas in physics is the possibility that all known forces, particles, and interactions can be connected in one framework. String theory is arguably the best-known proposal for a 'theory of everything' that would tie together our understanding of the physical universe.

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