As the year draws to a close, we take a look at some of the biggest science stories of the year, and why they matter.

You're going to see a lot of stories in 2026 claiming soon-to-be-achieved science and tech advances. Here are the ones just ...

Some scientific breakthroughs may be lost to time due to scandal and redaction, while others are simply a case of waiting for ...

With 3I/ATLAS streaking away from our planet, speculation remains as to whether the interstellar comet is alien or not.

From Viking to Perseverance, scientists have spent decades chasing chemical hints that could point to life beyond Earth.

In 2025, astronomers sharpened their view of the planetary system around Proxima Centauri — the sun's closest stellar ...

Last Friday, the interstellar comet designated 3I/ATLAS completed its closest approach to Earth without crashing into us or depositing an invading armada.

Looking ahead, the comet will pass roughly 33 million miles from Jupiter in March 2026. Loeb noted the scientific value: monitoring 3I/ATLAS with the Juno spacecraft could reveal unusual activity, ...

Astronomer Avi Loeb argued that other objects like interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS could be useful for reaching out to aliens, if they exist.

From mudstones on Mars to strange gases in exoplanet atmospheres, tentative evidence for extraterrestrial life is starting to ...

Astronomers thought they had seen the "first hints of life on an alien world" this year, but they disappeared under closer ...

Avi Loeb says interstellar objects such as 3I/ATLAS could carry time capsules into deep space faster than spacecraft built with 1970s technology ...