On 14 September, 2015, the international LIGO/Virgo collaboration detected the very first gravitational wave signal, a tiny distortion of spacetime predicted by Einstein, in this case produced by the merger of two black holes. The CNRS astrophysicist Marie-...
Why is the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona, so much hotter than its surface? Ten years after formulating a hypothesis based on a numerical model, CNRS researchers have now used direct observations of the star's surface to confirm...
With large-scale observation campaigns, innovative data analysis methods and theoretical advances on all fronts, astrophysics and cosmology are entering a high-precision era with the potential to unravel many of the unsolved mysteries of the Universe....
During his “miraculous year” 120 years ago, Albert Einstein explained the photoelectric effect, laying the foundations of quantum mechanics. The historian of science Christian Bracco provides an insight.
The astrophysicist Jean-Luc Atteia explains why the exceptional gamma-ray burst detected in early October could dramatically change what we know about supernovae and black holes.
Polar auroras are fascinating events that are regularly visible on Earth. Yet do they occur on other planets, such as Mars for example? And if so, how can they be observed? In this report,...
It's off to the Moon. 29 August was to mark the beginning of the Artemis space programme. These lunar exploration missions should lead to the return of a human crew to the Moon by 2027. The goal...