Cosmic breadcrumb trail reveals hidden dark matter
Update (Aug 14, 2026): This research was recently featured by CNN. For billions of years, an ancient star cluster has been slowly unraveling, leaving...
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Astronomers witness cosmic recycling system in action
An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has captured an unprecedented view of a dying star’s remains in the act of being...
Four CIERA students awarded $10,000 each from NASA-funded grant program
Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) graduate students Alice Cai, Charles Gibson, Josh Harry, and Andy Marszewski are four of 28...
Astronomers discover how giant planet survived its star’s death
When astronomers discovered a giant planet orbiting a dead star in 2020, they wondered how it survived its star’s violent demise. Now, observations...
Famous ‘Pink Planet’ harbors a salty surprise
James Webb Space Telescope finds salt clouds surround one of the coldest objects ever studied Northwestern University-led astronomers have discovered salty skies surrounding the...
Found: Milky Way black hole’s missing wind
The half-century-long search is finally over, opening a new window into the physics at play in the center of the galaxy The hunt...
CIERA Announces Northwestern’s First 51 Pegasi b Fellowship Recipient
The Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) is proud to announce that William Balmer (they/them) has been named Northwestern University’s first...
CIERA Welcomes six new CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows
We are delighted to announce that six CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows will be joining the CIERA community in Fall 2026. Please join us in...
Spin separates giant planets from ‘failed stars’
Clearest evidence yet that giant planets spin faster than their cosmic lookalikes For decades, astronomers have struggled to differentiate giant planets from brown dwarfs,...
Gravitational-wave detections double with new catalog
EVANSTON, Ill. — An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has detected 128 new gravitational-wave candidates — more than doubling the size...
Synthetic Biology in Space: NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins Visits Northwestern
On February 3, 2026, Microbiologist and retired NASA astronaut Kate Rubins visited Northwestern University to give a special seminar on conducting biology in space,...
CIERA’s Allison Strom awarded Sloan Fellowship
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has named Northwestern University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics member Allison Strom, assistant professor in the...