
Robert Lea
Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.
Latest articles by Robert Lea

AI could solve puzzles posed by twin stars in 'mere minutes or seconds on a single laptop'
By Robert Lea published
A newly designed, AI-powered program could solve the puzzle of binary stars in mere seconds using a common laptop, a process that currently takes supercomputer clusters weeks.

The Milky Way may not collide with neighboring galaxy Andromeda after all: 'From near-certainty to a coin flip'
By Robert Lea published
A collision between the Milky Way and neighboring galaxy Andromeda is far from a sure thing; in fact, it could hinge on the flip of a cosmic coin.

Super-magnetic dead star throws a violent temper tantrum as NASA X-ray spacecraft looks on
By Robert Lea published
NASA's X-ray space telescope IXPE has made the first observation of polarized light emerging from an outbursting magnetar, neutron stars that possess the universe's strongest magnetic fields.

'Cosmic miracle!' James Webb Space Telescope discovers the earliest galaxy ever seen
By Robert Lea published
The James Webb Space Telescope has done it again, discovering the "mother of all early galaxies," a record-breaking distant object that existed just 280 billion years after the Big Bang.

Astronomers discover black hole ripping a star apart inside a galactic collision. 'It is a peculiar event'
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have spotted a supermassive black hole ripping apart and devouring a star in colliding galaxies. It is only the second time a tidal disruption event has been seen in interacting galaxies.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mission — Live updates
By Robert Lea last updated
Read the latest news about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

Astronomers discover mystery cosmic body bursting with X-rays: 'This object is unlike anything we have seen before'
By Robert Lea published
The mystery surrounding a strange cosmic object, or 'long-period transient,' has deepened. This object is bursting with X-rays, and astronomers describe it as unlike anything seen before.

Artemis Accords: What are they & which countries are involved?
By Robert Lea last updated
Reference As the Artemis program aims to return humanity to the moon and beyond, the Artemis Accords lay out a framework for nations collaborating in this effort.

Astronomers gaze into 'dark nebula' 60 times the size of the solar system (video)
By Robert Lea published
Using the Dark Energy Camera astronomers have found a packed stellar nursery of infant stars in the dark nebula in the 180-light-year-wide Circinus West molecular cloud.

Hubble helps explore the wreckage of a supernova star explosion in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way (image)
By Robert Lea published
Using the Hubble Space Telescope and an array of other instruments, astronomers have probed supernova wreckage in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the galaxy next door.

Scientists discover super-Earth exoplanets are more common in the universe than we thought
By Robert Lea published
Super-Earths can exist in wider orbits around their parent stars than was previously believed, suggesting these Earth-like exoplanets could be more common than we thought.

James Webb Space Telescope finds a wild black hole growth spurt in galaxies at 'cosmic noon'
By Robert Lea published
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have peered into galaxies that existed at cosmic noon to hunt ravenously feeding black holes and bursts of starbirth.

Can Hubble still hang? How the space telescope compares to its successors after 35 years of cosmic adventures
By Robert Lea published
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, the Hubble Space Telescope will celebrate 35 years in space. Can it still hold its own and prove useful when compared to instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope?

Astronomers discover dark matter 'bridge' linking colliding galaxies: 'This is the missing piece we've been looking for.'
By Robert Lea published
A massive clump of dark matter in the Perseus galaxy cluster is linked to its core by a bridge of dark matter, evidence of a history of mergers.

Has the James Webb Space Telescope discovered a 'missing' supermassive black hole? (video)
By Robert Lea published
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered "smoking gun" evidence of a hidden feeding supermassive black hole in a distant spiral galaxy.

Gamma-ray bursts reveal largest structure in the universe is bigger and closer to Earth than we knew: 'The jury is still out on what it all means.'
By Robert Lea published
New research suggests that the largest cosmic structure is even bigger and closer to Earth than we knew. It goes against scientists' models of cosmic evolution.

Where did this extremely magnetic, dense and dead star come from? Scientists aren't quite sure
By Robert Lea published
Using the Hubble and Gaia space telescopes, astronomers have discovered that a powerfully magnetic neutron star in the Milky Way wasn't born in a supernova.

Scientists discover bizarre double-star system with exoplanet on a sideways orbit (video)
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have discovered the weirdest planetary system ever seen, consisting of a planet rolling around rare binary "failed star" brown dwarfs at a 90-degree tilted angle!

A 'cosmic car radio' could help scientists tune in to dark matter within the next 15 years
By Robert Lea published
Scientists have developed a cosmic car radio that could tune into the frequency of axions, a prime dark matter suspect.

James Webb Space Telescope discovers most distant and earliest Milky Way 'twin' ever seen. Meet dragon-galaxy Zhúlóng (image)
By Robert Lea published
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted the most distant spiral galaxy ever seen, a "Milky Way twin" that existed 1 billion years after the Big Bang.

Matter-spewing 'singularities' could eliminate the need for dark energy and dark matter
By Robert Lea published
A new cosmic model suggests that singularities could briefly pop into existence, spewing matter and energy into the cosmos, negating the need for dark energy and dark matter.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit and 2 cosmonauts will return to Earth on April 19
By Robert Lea published
NASA astronaut Don Pettit and two cosmonaut colleagues will return to Earth from the International Space Station on Saturday night (April 19), if all goes to plan.

Some dark matter haloes could roll through the universe like hollow cosmic Easter Eggs
By Robert Lea published
The universe could be packed with dark matter haloes that have no galaxy fillings.

A gravitational war next door: The Large Magellanic Cloud is gradually destroying the Small Magellanic Cloud
By Robert Lea published
The Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud are at war, with the larger of these dwarf galaxies ripping the other apart.

NASA spacecraft spots monster black hole bursting with X-rays 'releasing a hundred times more energy than we have seen elsewhere'
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have used space-based telescopes, including NASA's Swift X-ray observatory, to watch a monster black hole spring to life with powerful X-ray eruptions.
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