Pub Date : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02720-6
Nabeel Rehemtulla, Michael W. Coughlin, Adam A. Miller, Theophile Jegou du Laz
Robotic wide-field time-domain surveys, such as the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, capture dozens of transients each night. The workflows for discovering and classifying transients in survey data streams have become increasingly automated over decades of development. The recent integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools has produced major milestones, including the fully automated end-to-end discovery and classification of an optical transient, and has enabled automated rapid-response space-based follow-up. The now-operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory and its Legacy Survey of Space and Time are accelerating the rate of transient discovery and producing large volumes of data at incredible rates. Given the expected order-of-magnitude increase in transient discoveries, one promising path forwards for optical time-domain astronomy is heavily investing in accelerating the automation of our workflows. Here we review the current paradigm of real-time transient workflows, project their evolution during the Rubin era and present recommendations for accelerating transient astronomy with automation. The automated detection of transient phenomena in the sky has developed rapidly in recent years, driven by robotic telescopes such as the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. Here the authors summarize the state of the art and look ahead to more discoveries during the Legacy Survey of Space and Time era.
机器人宽视场时域调查，如兹威基瞬变设施和小行星地球撞击最后警报系统，每天晚上都会捕捉到几十个瞬变。在几十年的发展中，用于发现和分类测量数据流中的瞬态的工作流程已经变得越来越自动化。最近机器学习和人工智能工具的整合产生了重大的里程碑，包括完全自动化的端到端光学瞬变发现和分类，并实现了自动化的快速响应天基后续。现在运作的Vera C. Rubin天文台及其遗留的时空调查正在加速瞬态发现的速度，并以令人难以置信的速度产生大量数据。鉴于瞬态发现的预期数量级增加，光学时域天文学的一个有希望的前进道路是大量投资于加速我们工作流程的自动化。在这里，我们回顾了实时瞬态工作流的当前范例，预测了它们在Rubin时代的演变，并提出了用自动化加速瞬态天文学的建议。近年来，在兹威基瞬变设施和小行星对地撞击最后预警系统等机器人望远镜的推动下，对天空瞬变现象的自动探测发展迅速。在这里，作者总结了目前的技术状况，并展望了在时空遗产调查时代的更多发现。
{"title":"The automation of optical transient discovery and classification in Rubin-era time-domain astronomy","authors":"Nabeel Rehemtulla, Michael W. Coughlin, Adam A. Miller, Theophile Jegou du Laz","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02720-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02720-6","url":null,"abstract":"Robotic wide-field time-domain surveys, such as the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, capture dozens of transients each night. The workflows for discovering and classifying transients in survey data streams have become increasingly automated over decades of development. The recent integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools has produced major milestones, including the fully automated end-to-end discovery and classification of an optical transient, and has enabled automated rapid-response space-based follow-up. The now-operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory and its Legacy Survey of Space and Time are accelerating the rate of transient discovery and producing large volumes of data at incredible rates. Given the expected order-of-magnitude increase in transient discoveries, one promising path forwards for optical time-domain astronomy is heavily investing in accelerating the automation of our workflows. Here we review the current paradigm of real-time transient workflows, project their evolution during the Rubin era and present recommendations for accelerating transient astronomy with automation. The automated detection of transient phenomena in the sky has developed rapidly in recent years, driven by robotic telescopes such as the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. Here the authors summarize the state of the art and look ahead to more discoveries during the Legacy Survey of Space and Time era.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"9 12","pages":"1764-1769"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145761476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02740-2
Anna Barnacka
{"title":"The alchemy of art and science in the age of black holes","authors":"Anna Barnacka","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02740-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02740-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"9 12","pages":"1758-1759"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145680061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02719-z
Andreas A. C. Sander, Roel R. Lefever, Joris Josiek, Erin R. Higgins, Raphael Hirschi, Lidia M. Oskinova, Daniel Pauli, Max Pritzkuleit, John S. Gallagher III, Wolf-Rainer Hamann, Ilya Mandel, Varsha Ramachandran, Tomer Shenar, Helge Todt, Jorick S. Vink
Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars are the evolved descendants of the most massive stars and show emission-line-dominated spectra formed in their powerful winds. Marking the final stage before core collapse, the standard picture of WR stars has been that they evolve through three well-defined spectral subtypes known as WN, WC and WO. Here we present a detailed analysis of five objects that defy this scheme, demonstrating that WR stars can also evolve directly from the WN stage to the WO stage (WN/WO). Our study reveals that this direct transition is connected to low metallicity and weaker winds. The WN/WO stars and their immediate WN precursors are hot and emit a high flux of photons capable of fully ionizing helium. The existence of these stages unveils that high-mass stars that manage to shed off their outer hydrogen layers in a low-metallicity environment can spend a considerable fraction of their lifetime in a stage that is difficult to detect in integrated stellar populations, but at the same time yields a hard ionizing flux. The identification of the WN-to-WO evolution path for massive stars has significant implications for understanding the chemical enrichment and ionizing feedback in star-forming galaxies, in particular at earlier cosmic times. Through next-generation spectral analysis, scientists have uncovered an evolutionary path for Wolf–Rayet stars in metal-poor environments. Characterized by hard ionizing radiation, these stars challenge current assumptions about massive star evolution.
{"title":"Discovery of a transitional type of evolved massive star with a hard ionizing flux","authors":"Andreas A. C. Sander, Roel R. Lefever, Joris Josiek, Erin R. Higgins, Raphael Hirschi, Lidia M. Oskinova, Daniel Pauli, Max Pritzkuleit, John S. Gallagher III, Wolf-Rainer Hamann, Ilya Mandel, Varsha Ramachandran, Tomer Shenar, Helge Todt, Jorick S. Vink","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02719-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02719-z","url":null,"abstract":"Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars are the evolved descendants of the most massive stars and show emission-line-dominated spectra formed in their powerful winds. Marking the final stage before core collapse, the standard picture of WR stars has been that they evolve through three well-defined spectral subtypes known as WN, WC and WO. Here we present a detailed analysis of five objects that defy this scheme, demonstrating that WR stars can also evolve directly from the WN stage to the WO stage (WN/WO). Our study reveals that this direct transition is connected to low metallicity and weaker winds. The WN/WO stars and their immediate WN precursors are hot and emit a high flux of photons capable of fully ionizing helium. The existence of these stages unveils that high-mass stars that manage to shed off their outer hydrogen layers in a low-metallicity environment can spend a considerable fraction of their lifetime in a stage that is difficult to detect in integrated stellar populations, but at the same time yields a hard ionizing flux. The identification of the WN-to-WO evolution path for massive stars has significant implications for understanding the chemical enrichment and ionizing feedback in star-forming galaxies, in particular at earlier cosmic times. Through next-generation spectral analysis, scientists have uncovered an evolutionary path for Wolf–Rayet stars in metal-poor environments. Characterized by hard ionizing radiation, these stars challenge current assumptions about massive star evolution.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"10 2","pages":"290-305"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145680178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02725-1
Elias Aydi, John D. Monnier, Antoine Mérand, Gail H. Schaefer, Laura Chomiuk, Magdalena Otulakowska-Hypka, Jhih-Ling Fan, Kwan Lok Li, Kirill V. Sokolovsky, Ricardo Salinas, Michael Tucker, Benjamin Shappee, Richard Rudy, Kim L. Page, N. Paul M. Kuin, David A. H. Buckley, Peter Craig, Luca Izzo, Justin Linford, Brian D. Metzger, Koji Mukai, Marina Orio, Ken J. Shen, Jay Strader, Jennifer L. Sokoloski, Robert E. Williams, Montana N. Williams, Gesesew R. Habtie, Stefan Kraus, Narsireddy Anugu, Jean-Baptiste Le Bouquin, Sorabh Chhabra, Isabelle Codron, Tyler Gardner, Mayra Gutierrez, Noura Ibrahim, Cyprien Lanthermann, Benjamin R. Setterholm, Christopher Ashall, Jason T. Hinkle, Thomas de Jaeger, Anna V. Payne
Novae are thermonuclear eruptions on accreting white dwarfs in interacting binaries. Although most of the accreted envelope is expelled, the mechanism—impulsive ejection, multiple outflows or prolonged winds, or a common-envelope interaction—remains uncertain. Gigaelectronvolt γ-ray detections from >20 Galactic novae establish these eruptions as nearby laboratories for shock physics and particle acceleration, underscoring the need to determine how novae eject their envelopes. Here we report on near-infrared interferometry, supported by multiwavelength observations, of two γ-ray-detected novae. The images of the very fast 2021 nova V1674 Her, taken just 2–3 days after discovery, reveal the presence of two perpendicular outflows. The interaction between these outflows probably drives the observed γ-ray emission. Conversely, the images of the very slow 2021 nova V1405 Cas suggest that the bulk of the accreted envelope was ejected more than 50 days after the eruption began, as the nova slowly rose to its visible peak, during which the envelope engulfed the system in a common-envelope phase. These images offer direct observational evidence that the mechanisms driving mass ejection from the surfaces of accreting white dwarfs are not as simple as previously thought, revealing multiple outflows and delayed ejections. Early high-resolution images of two 2021 novae reveal eruptions unfolding in multiple stages with colliding outflows that produce shocks and gamma rays, reshaping our understanding of stellar explosions.
{"title":"Multiple outflows and delayed ejections revealed by early imaging of novae","authors":"Elias Aydi, John D. Monnier, Antoine Mérand, Gail H. Schaefer, Laura Chomiuk, Magdalena Otulakowska-Hypka, Jhih-Ling Fan, Kwan Lok Li, Kirill V. Sokolovsky, Ricardo Salinas, Michael Tucker, Benjamin Shappee, Richard Rudy, Kim L. Page, N. Paul M. Kuin, David A. H. Buckley, Peter Craig, Luca Izzo, Justin Linford, Brian D. Metzger, Koji Mukai, Marina Orio, Ken J. Shen, Jay Strader, Jennifer L. Sokoloski, Robert E. Williams, Montana N. Williams, Gesesew R. Habtie, Stefan Kraus, Narsireddy Anugu, Jean-Baptiste Le Bouquin, Sorabh Chhabra, Isabelle Codron, Tyler Gardner, Mayra Gutierrez, Noura Ibrahim, Cyprien Lanthermann, Benjamin R. Setterholm, Christopher Ashall, Jason T. Hinkle, Thomas de Jaeger, Anna V. Payne","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02725-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02725-1","url":null,"abstract":"Novae are thermonuclear eruptions on accreting white dwarfs in interacting binaries. Although most of the accreted envelope is expelled, the mechanism—impulsive ejection, multiple outflows or prolonged winds, or a common-envelope interaction—remains uncertain. Gigaelectronvolt γ-ray detections from >20 Galactic novae establish these eruptions as nearby laboratories for shock physics and particle acceleration, underscoring the need to determine how novae eject their envelopes. Here we report on near-infrared interferometry, supported by multiwavelength observations, of two γ-ray-detected novae. The images of the very fast 2021 nova V1674 Her, taken just 2–3 days after discovery, reveal the presence of two perpendicular outflows. The interaction between these outflows probably drives the observed γ-ray emission. Conversely, the images of the very slow 2021 nova V1405 Cas suggest that the bulk of the accreted envelope was ejected more than 50 days after the eruption began, as the nova slowly rose to its visible peak, during which the envelope engulfed the system in a common-envelope phase. These images offer direct observational evidence that the mechanisms driving mass ejection from the surfaces of accreting white dwarfs are not as simple as previously thought, revealing multiple outflows and delayed ejections. Early high-resolution images of two 2021 novae reveal eruptions unfolding in multiple stages with colliding outflows that produce shocks and gamma rays, reshaping our understanding of stellar explosions.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"10 2","pages":"271-280"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02725-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145680063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02714-4
XRISM collaboration
The elements in the Universe are synthesized primarily in stars and supernovae, where nuclear fusion favours the production of even-Z elements. In contrast, odd-Z elements are less abundant and their yields are highly dependent on detailed stellar physics, making theoretical predictions of their cosmic abundance uncertain. In particular, the origin of odd-Z elements such as phosphorus (P), chlorine (Cl) and potassium (K), which are important for planet formation and life, is poorly understood. While the abundances of these elements in Milky Way stars are close to solar values, supernova explosion models systematically underestimate their production by up to an order of magnitude, indicating that key mechanisms for odd-Z nucleosynthesis are currently missing from theoretical models. Here we report the observation of P, Cl and K in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant using high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy with X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission data, with the detection of K at above the 6σ level being the most significant finding. Supernova explosion models of normal massive stars cannot explain the element abundance pattern, especially the high abundances of Cl and K, while models that include stellar rotation, binary interactions or shell mergers agree closely with the observations. Our observations suggest that such stellar activity plays an important role in supplying these elements to the Universe. XRISM observations show the presence of odd-numbered elements chlorine and potassium in Cas A. These findings suggest that stellar activity plays an important role in cosmic chemical evolution, enriching space with elements vital for planets and life.
{"title":"Chlorine and potassium enrichment in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant","authors":"XRISM collaboration","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02714-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02714-4","url":null,"abstract":"The elements in the Universe are synthesized primarily in stars and supernovae, where nuclear fusion favours the production of even-Z elements. In contrast, odd-Z elements are less abundant and their yields are highly dependent on detailed stellar physics, making theoretical predictions of their cosmic abundance uncertain. In particular, the origin of odd-Z elements such as phosphorus (P), chlorine (Cl) and potassium (K), which are important for planet formation and life, is poorly understood. While the abundances of these elements in Milky Way stars are close to solar values, supernova explosion models systematically underestimate their production by up to an order of magnitude, indicating that key mechanisms for odd-Z nucleosynthesis are currently missing from theoretical models. Here we report the observation of P, Cl and K in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant using high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy with X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission data, with the detection of K at above the 6σ level being the most significant finding. Supernova explosion models of normal massive stars cannot explain the element abundance pattern, especially the high abundances of Cl and K, while models that include stellar rotation, binary interactions or shell mergers agree closely with the observations. Our observations suggest that such stellar activity plays an important role in supplying these elements to the Universe. XRISM observations show the presence of odd-numbered elements chlorine and potassium in Cas A. These findings suggest that stellar activity plays an important role in cosmic chemical evolution, enriching space with elements vital for planets and life.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"10 1","pages":"144-153"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02714-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145711514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02687-4
Daniel Müller, Jack Ireland, Anik De Groof, George Dimitoglou, Bernhard Fleck
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) was launched on 2 December 1995. An international collaboration between ESA and NASA, the mission was designed to study the Sun from its deep core to the outer corona and the solar wind. Thirty years after its launch, SOHO has provided a nearly continuous record of solar and heliospheric phenomena for more than a full 22-year magnetic cycle. Its observations have revolutionized our understanding of the Sun and heliosphere, and the mission is still producing high-quality data on a daily basis. SOHO has produced images of structures and flows below the Sun’s surface, and of activity on the far side of the Sun. SOHO data eliminated uncertainties in the internal structure of the Sun as a possible explanation for the ‘solar neutrino problem’. SOHO provided evidence for the upward transfer of magnetic energy from its surface to the corona and identified the source regions of the fast solar wind. Furthermore, it has pioneered modern space weather forecasting capabilities. This Review aims to synthesize the scientific legacy of the mission, highlighting key discoveries and its role in spawning a series of new space missions and inspiring a whole generation of scientists. SOHO has provided a high-quality, continuous record of the Sun and its atmosphere. Marking the thirtieth anniversary since SOHO’s launch, this Review highlights its legacy, shaping our understanding of the Sun, and the new space missions it has inspired.
{"title":"SOHO’s 30-year legacy of observing the Sun","authors":"Daniel Müller, Jack Ireland, Anik De Groof, George Dimitoglou, Bernhard Fleck","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02687-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02687-4","url":null,"abstract":"The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) was launched on 2 December 1995. An international collaboration between ESA and NASA, the mission was designed to study the Sun from its deep core to the outer corona and the solar wind. Thirty years after its launch, SOHO has provided a nearly continuous record of solar and heliospheric phenomena for more than a full 22-year magnetic cycle. Its observations have revolutionized our understanding of the Sun and heliosphere, and the mission is still producing high-quality data on a daily basis. SOHO has produced images of structures and flows below the Sun’s surface, and of activity on the far side of the Sun. SOHO data eliminated uncertainties in the internal structure of the Sun as a possible explanation for the ‘solar neutrino problem’. SOHO provided evidence for the upward transfer of magnetic energy from its surface to the corona and identified the source regions of the fast solar wind. Furthermore, it has pioneered modern space weather forecasting capabilities. This Review aims to synthesize the scientific legacy of the mission, highlighting key discoveries and its role in spawning a series of new space missions and inspiring a whole generation of scientists. SOHO has provided a high-quality, continuous record of the Sun and its atmosphere. Marking the thirtieth anniversary since SOHO’s launch, this Review highlights its legacy, shaping our understanding of the Sun, and the new space missions it has inspired.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"10 1","pages":"24-33"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02688-3
Ann N. Nguyen, Laura B. Seifert, Kei Shimizu, Kathie Thomas-Keprta, Loan Le, Lindsay P. Keller, Simon J. Clemett, Zia Rahman, Jessica J. Barnes, Harold C. Connolly Jr., Dante S. Lauretta
The oldest constituents in chondritic samples are presolar grains that condensed in the outflows and explosions of dying stars. These grains divulge the types and concentrations of dust that seeded our Solar System. However, they are subject to destruction during planetesimal formation and alteration. We conducted a detailed study of presolar grains in fragments of asteroid Bennu to elucidate the alteration history of distinct lithologies—angular and hummocky—and the sources of stardust that were accreted by the parent asteroid. The presolar grain abundances support a history of substantial aqueous alteration. Nevertheless, we found organic-rich clasts within a hummocky particle having higher presolar silicate abundances, akin to some of the least altered chondritic meteorites, and presolar silicate, oxide and SiC grains that retain their crystallinity. These clasts illustrate that aqueous alteration was heterogeneous within the parent body and their properties may better represent the starting materials that accreted to form the protolith. In addition, the Bennu samples we analysed have a six-times greater proportion of C-rich supernova dust than other chondritic samples, injected perhaps from a nearby supernova. This observation adds to evidence that Bennu’s parent body sampled a region of the protoplanetary disk having a distinct mixture of starting materials. Bennu samples have abundant supernova stardust and clasts that are richer in presolar silicates and organics than other chondritic samples, suggesting that the protolith sampled material with a unique mixture of primordial components before undergoing heterogeneous aqueous alteration.
{"title":"Abundant supernova dust and heterogeneous aqueous alteration revealed by stardust in two lithologies of asteroid Bennu","authors":"Ann N. Nguyen, Laura B. Seifert, Kei Shimizu, Kathie Thomas-Keprta, Loan Le, Lindsay P. Keller, Simon J. Clemett, Zia Rahman, Jessica J. Barnes, Harold C. Connolly Jr., Dante S. Lauretta","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02688-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02688-3","url":null,"abstract":"The oldest constituents in chondritic samples are presolar grains that condensed in the outflows and explosions of dying stars. These grains divulge the types and concentrations of dust that seeded our Solar System. However, they are subject to destruction during planetesimal formation and alteration. We conducted a detailed study of presolar grains in fragments of asteroid Bennu to elucidate the alteration history of distinct lithologies—angular and hummocky—and the sources of stardust that were accreted by the parent asteroid. The presolar grain abundances support a history of substantial aqueous alteration. Nevertheless, we found organic-rich clasts within a hummocky particle having higher presolar silicate abundances, akin to some of the least altered chondritic meteorites, and presolar silicate, oxide and SiC grains that retain their crystallinity. These clasts illustrate that aqueous alteration was heterogeneous within the parent body and their properties may better represent the starting materials that accreted to form the protolith. In addition, the Bennu samples we analysed have a six-times greater proportion of C-rich supernova dust than other chondritic samples, injected perhaps from a nearby supernova. This observation adds to evidence that Bennu’s parent body sampled a region of the protoplanetary disk having a distinct mixture of starting materials. Bennu samples have abundant supernova stardust and clasts that are richer in presolar silicates and organics than other chondritic samples, suggesting that the protolith sampled material with a unique mixture of primordial components before undergoing heterogeneous aqueous alteration.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"9 12","pages":"1812-1820"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02688-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02694-5
Scott A. Sandford, Zack Gainsforth, Michel Nuevo, Matthew A. Marcus, Hans A. Bechtel, Ryan C. Ogliore, Clive Jones, Gerardo Dominguez, Daniel P. Glavin, Jason P. Dworkin, Timothy J. McCoy, Sara S. Russell, Thomas J. Zega, Harold C. Connolly Jr, Dante S. Lauretta
Nitrogen-containing organic compounds play key biological roles, and their identification in primitive astromaterials such as meteorites can shed light on the origin of life. However, meteorites are typically contaminated by uncontrolled exposure to Earth. Here we show that pristine samples returned from asteroid Bennu contain polymeric organics exceptionally rich in nitrogen and oxygen. These polymers contain a variety of functional groups including amines, amides, N-heterocycles, and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, among others. They are seen in a carbonaceous vein with mineral inclusions and in multilayered organic sheets. Their morphology and composition indicate formation from pre-aqueous N-rich precursors and later modification during aqueous alteration. These findings demonstrate that asteroids like Bennu contain complex nitrogen-rich organic phases formed by pre-aqueous and aqueous processes, and they expand the known inventory of potential prebiotic extraterrestrial compounds. Samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission contain N-rich organics with prebiotic implications. This material probably formed in the earliest stages of the asteroid’s history possibly even before its water ice melted.
{"title":"Nitrogen- and oxygen-rich organic material indicative of polymerization in pre-aqueous cryochemistry on Bennu’s parent body","authors":"Scott A. Sandford, Zack Gainsforth, Michel Nuevo, Matthew A. Marcus, Hans A. Bechtel, Ryan C. Ogliore, Clive Jones, Gerardo Dominguez, Daniel P. Glavin, Jason P. Dworkin, Timothy J. McCoy, Sara S. Russell, Thomas J. Zega, Harold C. Connolly Jr, Dante S. Lauretta","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02694-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02694-5","url":null,"abstract":"Nitrogen-containing organic compounds play key biological roles, and their identification in primitive astromaterials such as meteorites can shed light on the origin of life. However, meteorites are typically contaminated by uncontrolled exposure to Earth. Here we show that pristine samples returned from asteroid Bennu contain polymeric organics exceptionally rich in nitrogen and oxygen. These polymers contain a variety of functional groups including amines, amides, N-heterocycles, and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, among others. They are seen in a carbonaceous vein with mineral inclusions and in multilayered organic sheets. Their morphology and composition indicate formation from pre-aqueous N-rich precursors and later modification during aqueous alteration. These findings demonstrate that asteroids like Bennu contain complex nitrogen-rich organic phases formed by pre-aqueous and aqueous processes, and they expand the known inventory of potential prebiotic extraterrestrial compounds. Samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission contain N-rich organics with prebiotic implications. This material probably formed in the earliest stages of the asteroid’s history possibly even before its water ice melted.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"9 12","pages":"1803-1811"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02694-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02710-8
Vigneshwaran Krishnamurthy, Yann Carteret, Caroline Piaulet-Ghorayeb, Jared Splinter, Dhvani Doshi, Michael Radica, Louis-Philippe Coulombe, Romain Allart, Vincent Bourrier, Nicolas B. Cowan, René Doyon, David Lafrenière, Loïc Albert, Björn Benneke, Lisa Dang, Ray Jayawardhana, Doug Johnstone, Lisa Kaltenegger, Adam B. Langeveld, Stefan Pelletier, Jason F. Rowe, Pierre-Alexis Roy, Jake Taylor, Jake D. Turner
The formation and evolution of giant planets remain incompletely understood, with mounting evidence that many close-in giants may have migrated from their birth locations. The detection of helium escaping the atmosphere of exoplanets has provided a powerful new tracer of atmospheric escape and exoplanetary evolution. Here, using high-precision spectroscopic observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) in single-object slitless spectroscopy mode (SOSS) mode, we report the detection of substantial helium absorption during the pre-transit phase of WASP-107 b (17σ), as well as in the transit and post-transit phases. This unique continuous helium absorption begins approximately 1.5 h before the planet’s ingress and reveals the presence of an extended thermosphere. The observations show a maximum transit depth of 2.395 ± 0.01% near the helium triplet (36σ; at the NIRISS-SOSS resolution of ~700). Our ellipsoidal model of the planetary thermosphere matches the measured light curve well, suggesting an outflow extending to tens of planetary radii. Furthermore, we confidently detect water absorption (log10H2O = −2.5 ± 0.6), superimposed with a short-wavelength slope that we attribute to a prominent signature from unocculted stellar spots (5.2σ), rather than a small-particle haze slope. We place an upper limit on the abundance of K (log10K < −4.86, or K/H < 75× stellar) at 2σ, which is consistent with the O/H supersolar metallicity estimate. Together with the supersolar water abundance and the evidence for vigorous atmospheric escape, these findings suggest that WASP-107 b has undergone inward migration in its recent past, probably accompanied by strong tidal heating that continues to sustain its inflated atmosphere and mass loss. This investigation underscores the transformative potential of JWST for investigating planetary evolution. JWST observed helium and water in the atmosphere of the giant planet WASP-107 b, revealing a vast outflow of gas and evidence for recent inward migration. The findings shed light on how giant planets lose mass and evolve over time.
{"title":"Continuous helium absorption from both the leading and trailing tails of WASP-107 b","authors":"Vigneshwaran Krishnamurthy, Yann Carteret, Caroline Piaulet-Ghorayeb, Jared Splinter, Dhvani Doshi, Michael Radica, Louis-Philippe Coulombe, Romain Allart, Vincent Bourrier, Nicolas B. Cowan, René Doyon, David Lafrenière, Loïc Albert, Björn Benneke, Lisa Dang, Ray Jayawardhana, Doug Johnstone, Lisa Kaltenegger, Adam B. Langeveld, Stefan Pelletier, Jason F. Rowe, Pierre-Alexis Roy, Jake Taylor, Jake D. Turner","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02710-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02710-8","url":null,"abstract":"The formation and evolution of giant planets remain incompletely understood, with mounting evidence that many close-in giants may have migrated from their birth locations. The detection of helium escaping the atmosphere of exoplanets has provided a powerful new tracer of atmospheric escape and exoplanetary evolution. Here, using high-precision spectroscopic observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) in single-object slitless spectroscopy mode (SOSS) mode, we report the detection of substantial helium absorption during the pre-transit phase of WASP-107 b (17σ), as well as in the transit and post-transit phases. This unique continuous helium absorption begins approximately 1.5 h before the planet’s ingress and reveals the presence of an extended thermosphere. The observations show a maximum transit depth of 2.395 ± 0.01% near the helium triplet (36σ; at the NIRISS-SOSS resolution of ~700). Our ellipsoidal model of the planetary thermosphere matches the measured light curve well, suggesting an outflow extending to tens of planetary radii. Furthermore, we confidently detect water absorption (log10H2O = −2.5 ± 0.6), superimposed with a short-wavelength slope that we attribute to a prominent signature from unocculted stellar spots (5.2σ), rather than a small-particle haze slope. We place an upper limit on the abundance of K (log10K < −4.86, or K/H < 75× stellar) at 2σ, which is consistent with the O/H supersolar metallicity estimate. Together with the supersolar water abundance and the evidence for vigorous atmospheric escape, these findings suggest that WASP-107 b has undergone inward migration in its recent past, probably accompanied by strong tidal heating that continues to sustain its inflated atmosphere and mass loss. This investigation underscores the transformative potential of JWST for investigating planetary evolution. JWST observed helium and water in the atmosphere of the giant planet WASP-107 b, revealing a vast outflow of gas and evidence for recent inward migration. The findings shed light on how giant planets lose mass and evolve over time.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"10 2","pages":"258-270"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02738-w
Roberto Trotta
Artificial intelligence offers much promise, but its use in scientific research should be restrained so that the primary aim of academia — advancing knowledge for humans — is safeguarded.
{"title":"The indiscriminate adoption of AI threatens the foundations of academia","authors":"Roberto Trotta","doi":"10.1038/s41550-025-02738-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41550-025-02738-w","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial intelligence offers much promise, but its use in scientific research should be restrained so that the primary aim of academia — advancing knowledge for humans — is safeguarded.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"9 12","pages":"1748-1749"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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