Cosmic rays are mostly protons (with a smaller fraction of electrons) that traverse interstellar space at energies far beyond what human-made accelerators typically achieve. The extreme upper end of galactic cosmic-ray energies reaches or exceeds 10^15 electron volts—known as a peta-electron-volt (PeV). Finding a source capable of accelerating protons above this threshold is considered one of the most compelling problems in modern astrophysics.

The source was initially flagged by the Tibet AS gamma experiment and later by China’s Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO). These observatories detected very high-energy gamma rays above 0.1 PeV, including emissions associated with LHAASO J1912+1014u. Because gamma rays often carry only about one-tenth the energy of their parent cosmic rays, such detections made the object a strong candidate for PeV proton acceleration.

However, proving a proton PeVatron is difficult. At PeV scales, cosmic-ray electrons can also generate gamma rays in related energy bands, and the angular resolution of current gamma-ray instruments can limit definitive separation between competing models. The breakthrough came by expanding the dataset beyond gamma rays alone.

Researchers incorporated observations from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT), the Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope in the FUGIN survey, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Together, these facilities cover a wide range of photon energies—from radio wavelengths through GeV and TeV gamma rays to X-rays—enabling detailed multiwavelength modeling of the physical processes at work.

The gamma-ray spectrum from LHAASO J1912+1014u shows a smooth extension from above 100 trillion electron volts down to about 400 million electron volts. This continuity makes an electron-acceleration-only explanation unlikely on energetic grounds. In addition, the GeV gamma-ray spatial pattern matches the distribution of interstellar gas traced by FUGIN radio data, reinforcing a hadronic scenario in which protons interact with matter to produce gamma rays.

Finally, Chandra data indicate weak diffuse X-ray emission, further narrowing the viable interpretations. By bundling “three arrows”—GeV gamma-ray measurements, radio-derived gas tracers, and X-ray constraints—the team argues that the most consistent explanation is that LHAASO J1912+1014u is actively accelerating protons into the PeV range.

These results were published in The Astrophysical Journal on July 16, 2026, and the authors note that dozens of PeVatron candidates remain in the Milky Way. Future work will apply similar multi-instrument strategies to systematically test other potential accelerators.

Subject of Research: Hadronic Scenario for Galactic PeVatron LHAASO J1912+1014u Supported by Fermi-LAT γ-ray Data and FUGIN CO Data
Article Title: Hadronic Scenario for Galactic PeVatron LHAASO J1912+1014u Supported by Fermi-LAT γ-ray Data and FUGIN CO Data
News Publication Date: 16-Jul-2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae680d
References: The Astrophysical Journal (published July 16, 2026); DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae680d
Image Credits: Adapted from Tsunefumi Mizuno, et al. The Astrophysical Journal. July 16, 2026

Keywords

Cosmic rays; PeVatron; LHAASO; Fermi-LAT; FUGIN; Chandra; gamma rays; hadronic interactions; interstellar gas; multiwavelength modeling

Although the Sun is dominated by hydrogen and helium, heavier elements such as silver, iron, and carbon exist in tiny fractions. Those fractions matter because they preserve information about how matter formed and evolved throughout the cosmos. In particular, the elemental composition of the Sun serves as a baseline for understanding other stars and the chemical development of the Milky Way.

The new result comes from spectroscopic analysis: when atoms in the Sun’s outer layers absorb specific wavelengths of light, they create dark absorption lines—fingerprints tied to individual elements. By comparing these silver spectral lines to theoretical predictions, the researchers infer how much silver must be present to reproduce the observed absorption features.

Earlier solar models relied on simplified assumptions about the Sun’s atmosphere and the behavior of silver atoms. In the new work, the team built a more detailed framework by combining a dynamical description of the Sun’s upper layers with improved atomic-physics calculations. Crucially, the calculations incorporate non-equilibrium (non-LTE) effects, allowing the radiation field to influence the same silver atoms responsible for the absorption lines.

This refinement changed the interpretation of the measured spectral signatures. With the enhanced model, the researchers could match the spectral lines more accurately, leading to the higher inferred silver content. The update also resolves a “missing silver” problem: previously, the solar silver abundance was lower than the amount found in chemically primitive meteorites formed around 4.6 billion years ago.

Now, the Sun’s revised silver abundance aligns much better with these ancient meteorites. That agreement strengthens the connection between stellar spectroscopic measurements and the composition of early solar-system building blocks.

The approach is also poised to become a broader tool. The team plans to apply the same non-LTE modeling strategy to other stars, aiming to track where silver forms and how it becomes distributed across the Milky Way over cosmic time.

The calculations were performed using the Swedish supercomputer Tetralith at the National Supercomputer Centre at Linköping University, bringing together expertise in stellar physics and atomic modeling to produce a more reliable abundance determination.

Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Ag I model atom and the 3D non-LTE solar silver abundance
News Publication Date: 17-Jul-2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202659578
References: 10.1051/0004-6361/202659578
Image Credits: Anish Amarsi/Uppsala University

Keywords

solar silver, spectroscopy, non-LTE, stellar atmospheres, non-equilibrium modeling, chemical evolution, atomic physics, silver abundance, meteorites, Milky Way

A central purpose of the collaboration is to accelerate foundational technology development needed for future commercial LEO platforms. These include Starlab, a continuously crewed free-flying commercial space station, and VISTA, the George Washington Carver Science Park being developed at Ohio State to support in-space research, manufacturing, and services.

For Lehigh, the partnership was formalized through a framework agreement signed by Anand Jagota, the university’s vice provost for research. The agreement links Lehigh with a network of institutions positioned to translate academic research into practical capabilities for next-generation space operations.

Lehigh leadership emphasizes that space is evolving beyond government-only exploration into a commercial sector with its own infrastructure requirements and supply chains. The consortium is intended to help students and researchers contribute to that transition by participating in collaborative research and exchange opportunities.

A key theme in the consortium’s work is creating structured talent pipelines aligned with the technical demands of sustained LEO activity. This includes engineering support for long-duration missions, microgravity experimentation, and the systems integration challenges required for station-scale platforms and payload operations.

Lehigh’s expansion in space-related work is anchored in Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science priorities. The university highlights a growing ecosystem that combines new research capacity, specialized training pathways, and longstanding expertise rooted in faculty and alumni experience across aerospace and space systems.

Recent additions to Lehigh’s mechanical engineering research strengthen capabilities relevant to orbiting infrastructure, including multifunctional deployable structures and strategies for on-orbit assembly of large-scale space systems. Such technical areas are foundational for building and maintaining complex commercial platforms in microgravity environments.

Lehigh’s involvement also builds on established connections to the broader space community, leveraging leadership from faculty with NASA astronaut experience and industry-linked alumni in major space systems organizations. By contributing to coordinated global research efforts, Lehigh is working to support the scientific and technical continuity needed for long-term LEO discovery and operations.

Subject of Research: Microgravity science and commercial LEO space platform technology
Article Title: Lehigh Joins International Consortium to Expand Microgravity Research and Support Commercial LEO Platforms
News Publication Date: Not provided
Web References: https://impact.research.osu.edu/story/ohio-state-convenes-international-partners-expand-space-research
References: Not provided
Image Credits: Lehigh University

Keywords

microgravity, low-Earth orbit, commercial space stations, space systems engineering, deployable structures, on-orbit assembly, research consortium, satellite science, talent pipeline, Starlab, VISTA

Researchers led by University of Florida Assistant Professor of Astronomy Jason Dittmann used helium escape to probe the planet’s upper atmosphere. Their study, published in Science, reports evidence that helium is leaving the planet at a rate too high to be explained by a dwindling “leftover” helium reservoir alone.

The signal was captured with the Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. To interpret why helium should be present despite the planet’s age, the team combined helium measurements with stellar energy conditions—specifically X-ray data that quantify how strongly the host star irradiates the planet.

That X-ray input matters because high-energy photons heat the upper atmosphere and can drive atmospheric particles upward until they escape. By linking the observed helium loss to the star’s X-ray luminosity, the authors infer that LHS 1140b must be replenishing helium continuously. Without such replenishment, helium would have largely vanished long ago.

This inference echoes atmospheric escape seen on Earth, but under markedly different stellar forcing. It also offers an important bridge between two ideas: that rocky planets can be largely airless, and that some may retain atmospheric components in a “steady-state” exchange with ongoing escape.

Dittmann originally discovered LHS 1140b in 2016 using ground-based transit searches. Because Earth’s own atmosphere can mimic or distort subtle dimming signals, he applied a machine-learning approach to distinguish planetary transits from terrestrial weather effects.

With JWST and Hubble’s ongoing “Rocky Worlds” observing efforts, the next steps focus on detecting molecules beyond helium. If signatures such as water vapor—or related carbon dioxide—emerge, it would strengthen the case for a stable atmosphere rather than an intermittent gas “burp” that rapidly evaporates.

The team expects that within roughly four to five years, observations will either confirm atmospheric persistence or push the planet toward a bare-rock interpretation. In either outcome, LHS 1140b is poised to become a flagship test case for how atmospheres survive around dwarf stars—and for whether the most Earth-like candidates truly stay habitable.

Keywords

Helium escape; LHS 1140b; rocky exoplanets; dwarf stars; habitable zone; atmospheric loss; X-ray irradiation; JWST; Hubble; machine learning

The search for atmospheres on rocky planets has been notoriously difficult. While gas giants often show clear spectral fingerprints, habitable-zone super-Earths produce extremely subtle signals. Even with powerful observatories such as NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, previous observations frequently suggested airless or weakly buffered worlds, leaving open the key question of whether they can hold onto atmospheres long enough to be habitable.

Red dwarf stars offer a practical advantage: their small size makes planetary transits more detectable. By measuring periodic dips in starlight as a planet passes in front of its host star, researchers can perform transmission spectroscopy—splitting the starlight into a spectrum and reading which atmospheric constituents absorb particular wavelengths. In this study, the team targeted a more accessible atmospheric layer by searching for helium in the upper atmosphere.

LHS 1140 b orbits an older, cool red dwarf every 24.7 days. With a mass about 5.6 times Earth’s and a radius roughly 1.7 Earth radii, the planet is consistent with a rocky composition. It receives about 42% of the radiation Earth gets from the Sun, placing it in a temperature range where liquid water could exist, though the presence of an Earth-like surface remains unknown.

Using the WINERED spectrograph on the Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, the researchers observed the planet in 2024 and detected spectral evidence of helium escaping from its atmosphere. The result indicates an active gaseous envelope, challenging assumptions that many rocky habitable-zone planets rapidly lose volatiles.

The data show that heating from stellar X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation likely drives the escape. In 2025, however, the team found no escaping helium, implying the atmospheric outflow is variable rather than constant. This short-timescale change provides rare real-time evidence that an exoplanet’s atmosphere can evolve quickly under changing stellar forcing.

By combining the observations with models of exoplanet evolution, the team interpreted the atmosphere as highly layered: a helium-dominated, hydrogen-poor upper region, with heavier species such as water trapped at lower altitudes nearer the surface. Such stratification helps explain both the detectability of helium and the lack of signals from deeper atmospheric layers.

The group also examined a second planet in the same system, LHS 1140 c, which is smaller and more strongly irradiated. No atmospheric evidence was found there, suggesting the planets may lie on opposite sides of the “cosmic shoreline,” where some worlds retain atmospheres for billions of years while others lose them quickly.

The study was conducted by scientists across Harvard and Carnegie, including Shreyas Vissapragada, Collin Cherubim, and multiple Carnegie co-authors, and involved prior observations and advanced interpretation. Together, these results strengthen the case that at least some rocky habitable-zone exoplanets can maintain atmospheres—and that helium escape spectroscopy can reveal them.

Subject of Research:
Not applicable

Article Title:
Helium escaping from the atmosphere of a nearby rocky exoplanet orbiting in a habitable zone

News Publication Date:
16-Jul-2026

Web References:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aea9708

References:
10.1126/science.aea9708

Image Credits:
Melissa Weiss/Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Keywords

exoplanets; rocky worlds; habitable zone; atmospheric escape; helium; transmission spectroscopy; red dwarf stars; LHS 1140 b; WINERED; James Webb Space Telescope

While global experts meet at Fortezza da Basso to discuss the next era of space exploration, the tour is designed to connect today’s research questions with the historical and scientific landscapes that inspired them. Participants will travel to two Florence landmarks—Villa Galileo and the INAF Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory—using transport provided for accredited media due to the venues’ limited capacity.

At Villa Galileo, media groups can explore the final residence of Galileo Galilei, the figure widely regarded as a founder of modern observational science. The visit emphasizes how early telescopic observation and rigorous inquiry established practices that still underpin contemporary astrophysics, from instrument calibration to observational methodology.

The second stop, the INAF Arcetri Observatory, functions as a modern hub of Italian astrophysics. Journalists will be able to witness how current instrumentation supports research tied to cutting-edge space missions, reflecting the way ground-based facilities amplify what spacecraft measure across the Solar System and beyond.

The itinerary begins at 10:00 CEST and is expected to blend historical context with technically grounded discussion. Tour content will focus on observational infrastructure, mission-oriented astrophysics, and the scientific ecosystem that links data collection to interpretation.

Because the tour takes place in heritage and research settings, the number of participants is capped. Detailed logistics—including pick-up and drop-off points, a full schedule, and practical information—will be emailed to confirmed attendees by 3 August 2026.

Registration is free, but access is restricted to a limited number of registered and accredited media representatives attending COSPAR 2026. Media representatives who are not yet accredited should first secure their complimentary media pass for the Assembly.

Already accredited attendees must RSVP specifically for the Press Tour by emailing the COSPAR 2026 Press Office with their name no later than 28 July 2026. Media contact for the tour is press.cospar2026@inaf.it.

Keywords: COSPAR 2026, INAF, media press tour, planetary science, astronomical history, Arcetri Observatory, Galileo, space missions, Florence, science journalism

Subject of Research: Planetary science & space research (through COSPAR assembly activities)
Article Title: COSPAR 2026 Media Press Tour Announced for Florence
News Publication Date: 2026-08-04 (event date referenced)
Web References: N/A
References: N/A
Image Credits: COSPAR/AIM

When two black holes merge, the newly formed object does not settle instantly. Instead, it enters the ringdown phase, emitting gravitational waves that behave like a set of characteristic vibrations. These signals are called quasinormal modes, and each mode carries information about the black hole’s properties.

By extracting the frequencies and damping rates of these quasinormal modes from gravitational-wave data, scientists can infer the black hole’s mass and its spin. Just as importantly, the observed pattern can be compared against the predictions of General Relativity, providing a stringent test of whether Einstein’s gravity remains valid in the strong-field regime.

Since the first gravitational-wave detection in 2015, the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration has recorded hundreds of black hole mergers and identified ringdown features consistent with General Relativity. However, the present generation of detectors limits how many vibration modes can be measured reliably, and therefore how precisely alternative explanations can be checked.

The review highlights that the ringdown signal can contain richer structure than simple single-mode behavior. Researchers have reported multiple overtones, interactions between modes, and dynamical mode excitations that reshape how the “music” of the merger is heard in real observations.

It also emphasizes unusual effects such as exceptional points, where modes can merge in unexpected ways, and “tails” of gravitational-wave emission that can be enhanced in crowded astrophysical environments. Together, these features help researchers model signals more accurately and reduce the risk of overlooking new physics.

Beyond Einstein’s framework, black hole spectroscopy may probe ideas that go beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, including beyond-Einstein gravity theories, the possible influence of dark matter, and quantum-scale effects near the event horizon.

With next-generation observatories—such as the European-led Einstein Telescope, the US Cosmic Explorer, and the space-based LISA mission—researchers expect routine detection of multiple ringdown modes. That capability could transform black holes into precision laboratories for fundamental physics and astrophysical discovery.

ENDS

Keywords

black hole spectroscopy, gravitational waves, ringdown, quasinormal modes, General Relativity, LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA, Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer, LISA, mode interactions

Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Black hole spectroscopy: from theory to experiment
News Publication Date: 22-Jun-2026
Web References: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6382/ae59e2
References: Emanuele Berti et al, “Black hole spectroscopy: from theory to experiment” (Institute of Physics / Classical and Quantum Gravity)
Image Credits: Aurore Simonnet (SSU/EdEon), LVK, URI; LIGO Collaboration

In early 2025, Perseverance surveyed the western rim of Jezero and used its instruments to identify six distinct rock types within the Broom Point sequence. Several layers include breccias—rocks composed of angular fragments—intermixed with intervals of fine-grained, pulverized dust. Within the breccias, rock fragments contain tiny cavities left behind by gas bubbles, a signature that the fragments were once molten during formation.

A striking clue comes from dark, glassy beads embedded in the layers. Such droplets can be produced by volcanic activity, but their unusually high abundance suggests an impact-driven origin. The study notes that the largest beads are comparable in scale to those thrown during Earth’s Chicxulub asteroid impact that helped end the age of dinosaurs.

Because the same rock varieties recur multiple times through the sequence, the team argues that high-energy impacts struck repeatedly across the region of early Mars. The mixture of “large-impact” and “small-impact” layers implies varying distances between each impact source and the area where the ejecta ultimately accumulated.

The deposits may also reflect transient water or ice. Some layers resemble debris-flow deposits that could have formed when hot material blasted into water or ice, rapidly flashing it to steam—an Earth-like mechanism that creates fast, ground-hugging surges.

The architecture is even more dramatic: several layers tilt at angles exceeding 80 degrees, nearly vertical. That geometry cannot be explained by the single impact that created Jezero Crater, meaning the rocks were already disturbed before Jezero formed.

Scientists propose a two-stage cosmic event. First, a massive impact created the Isidis Basin, toppling and tilting earlier rocks. Later, Jezero Crater formed, fracturing and uplifting the already inclined layers into the steep, rugged structure Perseverance now traverses.

To anchor the timeline, Perseverance collected two core samples from the region, named “Bell Island” and “Main River.” If future missions return them to Earth, radiometric dating could establish when the impact barrage occurred and help reconstruct how early Mars—and possibly early Earth—was hammered during the solar system’s formative violence.

Subject of Research: Jezero Crater rim stratigraphy (Broom Point member) formed by repeated asteroid impacts
Article Title: Stratigraphy Preserved on the Jezero Crater Rim Reveals Repeated Impacts on Early Mars
News Publication Date: 15-Jul-2026
Web References: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026JE009779
References: doi:10.1029/2026JE009779
Image Credits: Not provided in the content

Keywords

Mars; Perseverance; Jezero Crater; early Mars; asteroid impacts; breccia; glassy beads; stratigraphy; Isidis Basin; sample return chronology

In research published July 15, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate, Jana Z’Rotz of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland, and colleagues modeled how different teleworking patterns affect CO₂-equivalent (CO₂eq) emissions. The study focuses on the tradeoff between commuting-related emissions and the footprint of housing space and information and communications technology (ICT).

To estimate these effects, the team used an online survey fielded in late 2024 to Swiss participants. More than 1,000 respondents reported teleworking within the previous month. The researchers then calculated emissions linked to commuting frequency, the use of home office areas, and the ICT intensity associated with remote work.

As expected, respondents who teleworked more often generally produced fewer commuting emissions. However, the study found that this reduction was largely offset by emissions from increased utility use and space-related energy demands in the home workspace.

The offset became especially pronounced when teleworkers used a separate home office room rather than sharing space. In that case, additional housing-area and ICT demands rose enough to erase much of the commute-related climate advantage.

Overall, the findings indicate that teleworking does not automatically reduce work-linked emissions across the board. Instead, the climate outcome depends on how remote work is organized, including whether work is concentrated in a dedicated room and how much technology-driven energy use increases.

The authors suggest practical pathways to improve the environmental impact. They point toward strategies such as making at-home workspaces more compact or enabling multi-person remote arrangements that can reduce per-person space and equipment requirements.

Still, the study has limits. It used simplified emission estimates and lacked a direct control group of non-teleworkers. The authors therefore call for future research with broader datasets and more rigorous comparisons.

“Among teleworkers, a higher number of teleworking days and having a separate home office room are positively associated with CO₂eq emissions related to housing space and [information and communication technology],” the researchers conclude.

Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Do teleworking arrangements reduce CO₂eq emissions? Effects on commuting, housing space and ICT use.
News Publication Date: 15-Jul-2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000979
References: Z’Rotz J, Ohnmacht T, Rérat P (2026) Do teleworking arrangements reduce CO₂eq emissions? Effects on commuting, housing space and ICT use. PLOS Clim 5(7): e0000979.
Image Credits: Egor Kunovsky, CC-BY 4.0

Keywords

Teleworking; commuting; housing emissions; ICT use; CO₂eq; PLOS Climate

By examining the star’s chemical composition, researchers at the University of Cambridge traced likely mineral building blocks inside the planets. Their analysis points to an unusually magnesium-rich host star, implying that the planets’ interiors could be dominated by magnesium-bearing minerals. On Earth, magnesium largely forms silicate minerals such as olivines, which are important for retaining water through geological processes.

In contrast, the new work indicates that Barnard’s Star planets are likely to form large amounts of periclase, a rare magnesium mineral. Crucially, this mineral is less effective at storing water than Earth’s olivine-rich interiors. The team also found that the planets probably struggle to keep substantial atmospheres, making them even less promising for habitability.

Their hostile conditions stem from proximity. Even the outermost planet orbits roughly ten times closer to its star than Mercury does to the Sun. With low gravitational pull relative to atmospheric escape, stellar radiation and particle winds would strip gases away over time.

Using the system’s evolutionary context, the researchers estimate that any retained atmospheres could persist for at most about two billion years—far shorter than the star system’s estimated 10-billion-year age. That timeline strongly suggests current planetary environments are thin or absent.

Another striking feature is tidal locking. Because these worlds orbit so close, each planet rotates in sync with its orbit, keeping one hemisphere in permanent daylight while the opposite face remains in perpetual night. This would create extreme, persistent temperature contrasts.

Beyond individual planet characteristics, the study explores long-term orbital behaviour. Compact multi-planet systems are often dynamically unstable, risking collisions, infall, or ejection. Here, the researchers report orbital resonance: the inner three planets’ orbital “years” follow a 9:12:16 ratio, helping maintain gravitational balance.

The team concludes that future surveys and missions—such as ESA’s PLATO—could uncover many more small, rocky worlds. While Barnard’s Star planets appear too uninhabitable, the method linking stellar chemistry to planetary composition may sharpen the search for planets with life-friendlier ingredients.

Finally, the paper highlights a broader strategy: even when planets are hostile, their mineral inventories and atmospheric histories can reveal how planetary systems evolve, and why some worlds may retain conditions needed for biology.

Subject of Research: Barnard’s Star planetary system stability, composition, and evolution of four sub-Earth exoplanets
Article Title: The Barnard’s Star planetary system: stability, composition, and evolution of four sub-Earth exoplanets
News Publication Date: 24-Jun-2026
Web References: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/550/2/stag1207/8715836
References: 10.1093/mnras/stag1207
Image Credits: Not provided

Keywords

Barnard’s Star; exoplanets; sub-Earth; periclase; tidal locking; orbital resonance; atmospheric loss; magnesium-rich stars; planetary habitability; PLATO