Spotlight

3 articles
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    Astronomy

    Planets Are Born from Dust Trap Rings

    All we are is dust in the wind, man. The same goes for the planets and asteroids and comets. Starting from our dusty beginnings, gravity and a mess of other forces conspired to build our solar system. There’s a venerable tradition of trying to figure out what that grand and hectic process must have looked […]

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    Astronomy

    We Discovered a Rogues’ Gallery of Monster-Sized Gas Giants

    It doesn’t feel right to see a toddler walking down the street by themselves. Toddlers don’t just go rogue, and if they do they are quickly chased down by a parent or grandparent or teacher and brought back where they belong. Most planets are like toddlers: They follow a well-behaved orbit around a star. It […]

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    Environment

    The Man Who Seduced the World with Whale Songs

    Roger Payne sparked the anti-whaling movement. He’s not done yet.