planets

A two-kilometre drilling project in Vocca, in the Italian Alps, is being discussed as a way for scientists to study the depths of the Earth, including the terrestrial mantle. La Stampa reports on the excavation and what it could reveal about the planet's interior. Italian readers are following the story as an unusual scientific endeavour on home soil.

A user says they may have discovered a previously unknown planet, claiming they used Anthropic's Claude Code, the AI coding assistant, to help find it. The claim, shared on Reddit's ClaudeAI community, is drawing attention as a striking example of AI tools being used for scientific discovery, though the finding has not yet been independently confirmed or published.

Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth at 4.37 light-years away, is back in focus. Proxima b, an Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone, orbits Proxima Centauri, and the James Webb Space Telescope may have detected a giant planet around Alpha Centauri A. Scientists say rocky planets could still be hiding around the system's Sun-like stars.

Scientists have explained a recurring phenomenon on Mars: every spring and summer morning, a cloud roughly 1,600 km (1,000 miles) long forms above Arsia Mons, one of the planet's giant volcanoes, before evaporating within hours. New simulations show that winds rising over the 19 km (12 mile) peak cool so rapidly that water vapor freezes directly into ice, producing the dramatic elongated cloud.

Scientists report that an enormous, recurring cloud stretching across Mars may be shaped by physical processes never before observed in any planetary atmosphere. The elongated cloud, which forms over a Martian volcano, has puzzled researchers, and the proposed mechanism could challenge existing models of how clouds behave on other planets.

A new book about the 1986 animated Transformers movie examines Orson Welles' last performance, in which he voiced the planet-eating villain Unicron. Welles died shortly after recording his lines, making the role a notable footnote in cinema history. The book promises exclusive detail on the making of the film and Welles' involvement.

Scientists are studying an unusual, elongated cloud that forms over Mars, examining the exotic physics thought to drive it. The cloud, which stretches over the Red Planet in a distinctive pattern, has drawn attention for behaving unlike typical Martian weather, prompting researchers to investigate the atmospheric conditions behind its formation.

Players racing through a Star Wars podracing game are finding Sebulba far tougher than expected. Many assumed the character would be a routine early opponent ahead of the Galactic Racing League, faced only after roughly a dozen events across four planets. Instead, racers report being repeatedly beaten and struggling to progress past him.

Scientists report that one of Mars' strangest cloud formations is created through physical processes never before observed in any planetary atmosphere. The elongated cloud, which regularly appears over the Red Planet, appears to involve atmospheric dynamics unique to Mars' thin, dusty air. The finding is drawing attention for what it could reveal about weather beyond Earth.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured images of intricately eroded, light-toned layered deposits in Mars's Arabia Terra region. The oddly shaped formations, photographed by the HiRISE camera, preserve a record of the planet's ancient climate, with layers of similar thickness and brightness hinting at the conditions under which they formed.

A University of Arizona astronomer has confirmed the presence of weather on a planet located 7.5 light-years from Earth. The finding offers a rare look at atmospheric conditions on a world beyond our solar system. Details of which planet was observed and what weather was detected were not provided in the initial report.

An artist has shared a new digital illustration depicting something falling, featuring a face, a planet and vibrant colors in a space-themed composition. The piece, tagged under falling, space and digital illustration, has drawn a small amount of engagement so far. Little additional detail about the artwork or its creator is available at this time.

Planet Fitness has acquired Body Xchange, a gym chain operating fitness centers in California and the Southwest. The deal adds Body Xchange's locations to Planet Fitness's national network, continuing its expansion in the US budget fitness market. Details such as the purchase price and what it means for existing Body Xchange members have not yet been announced.

A physics professor at Albion College has published research that adds to scientific understanding of how impacts from space have shaped Earth. The work contributes to the broader study of impact events and their effects on the planet's history. Details of the findings and their significance have not been widely detailed, so reactions remain limited for now.

Planet Fitness has acquired the Body Xchange Health Club locations in Bakersfield, California, bringing the local gyms under the national fitness chain's brand. The deal means Body Xchange members in the area will see their clubs converted to Planet Fitness locations. Local outlet KBAK reported the acquisition, which marks a notable consolidation in Bakersfield's fitness market.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), located in Chile's Atacama Desert, is broadening its research into how stars and planets form. The radio observatory, jointly operated by international partners, continues to be one of the most powerful tools for probing cosmic dust clouds and protoplanetary disks. No further details on the expansion were available.

A long, thin cloud that stretches across Mars each year is drawing attention for the unusual physics behind it. The cloud, which forms over a giant volcano on the Red Planet, appears to rely on strange atmospheric processes that scientists are still working to fully explain, making it one of the most curious weather phenomena on Mars.

Elon Musk has returned to trillionaire territory and remains the richest person on the planet, according to a Fortune report dated October 6, 2026. The article, circulating in investing and markets circles, also draws attention to reports that he gave away a large sum to others. Financial commentators and retail investors are sharing the news as markets track his net worth and SpaceX's valuation.