The movement of stars depends mostly on the invisible dark matter halo around a galaxy. Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2

By combining data from Hubble and Gaia mission, astronomers have been able to measure the proper motion of 15 stars in the Sculptor Galaxy, the first such measurement outside the Milky Way. Analysis shows an unexpected preference in the direction of movement, which suggests that the standard theoretical models used to describe the motion of stars and dark matter halos in other galaxies might be invalid.

Astronomers have long been able to measure the movement of stars in our ‘line of sight’ (i.e. the movement towards or away from us) by measuring the redshift, which is caused by the Doppler effect...

Picture of the GRS 1758-258 microquasar, obtained with the Jansky Very Large Array radiotelescope at 5 GHz frequency radio waves. The white line shows the Z-shape path formed by the relativistic plasma produced in the core region, where the black hole is located. Credit: Image courtesy of University of Barcelona

The results of a study allow researchers progressing in the study of the distribution of gravitational waves from distant sources. Researchers from the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) and the University of Jaén have described, for the first time, the structure of a Z-shaped galactic microquasar...

Jayakrishna Ambati, M.D., (left) and Nagaraj Kerur, Ph.D., have discovered a crucial trigger for macular degeneration, a condition which robs millions of their sight. The discovery may allow doctors to intervene early to halt the process. Credit: Josh Barney | UVA Health System

Unexpected finding points to potential way to stop macular degeneration. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered a critical trigger for the damaging inflammation that ultimately robs millions of their sight. The finding may allow doctors to halt the inflammation early on, potentially saving patients from blindness. “Almost 200 million people in the world have macular degeneration...

Illinois researchers developed nanoparticles that can target cancer stem cells (yellow), the rare cells within a tumor (blue) that can cause cancer to recur or spread. Credit: Image courtesy of Dipanjan Pan

University of Illinois researchers are sending tiny drug-laden nanoparticles on a mission to seek and destroy cancer stem cells, the elusive and rare cells that can cause cancer to come back even when years have passed since the initial tumor was treated. In a study led by Dipanjan Pan, an Illinois professor of bioengineering, researchers designed nanoparticles that specifically bind to a protein that marks the surface of breast cancer stem cells...