New Special Edition: Mysteries of the Cosmos

Inside black holes, Milky Way origins, the first stars and more! ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

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New Special Edition Read the Issue Dear Friend of Scientific American, “Most of the matter in our universe is invisible,” writes Tracy R. Slatyer and Tim M. P. Tait in this special edition on the greatest mysteries in the cosmos. The two physicists have been looking for the bulk of the universe but keep missing it. That bulk is called dark matter. “We have every reason to believe dark matter is everywhere. Yet we still don’t know what it is,” Slayter and Tait lament.    So most of existence is everywhere—and nowhere. This is just one of the giant conundrums of cosmology that Scientific American explores in this collection. Where did stars, and light itself, come from? Is there a hidden sector of particles and forces called “dark energy” that is affecting the cosmos? Is the universe getting bigger at a faster or slower rate? What’s inside a black hole? And if Earth isn’t the only planet that hosts life, what might aliens look like, anyway?    It’s not that scientists don’t have answers for these puzzles. They have a lot of them. The big task now is to figure out which one is right. Amazing new instruments such as the James Webb Space Telescope        (JWST) are helping. So, too, are the growing number of people who have been to outer space, recently joined by the crew of the thrilling Artemis II mission. All have something in common: a human desire to answer questions about everything in the universe.   You can enjoy the full issue with 50% off an Unlimited subscription, an exclusive offer just for you. ​ All the best, Josh Fischman Issue Editor

Issue Highlights What if we never find dark matter? Dark matter has turned out to be more elusive than physicists had hoped... Read More The puzzle of the first black holes Astronomers are puzzled about how the oldest supermassive black holes could have grown so big so early in cosmic history... Read More When will we see the universe's first stars? The James Webb Space Telescope should soon be able to spot the first generation of stars in space... Read More The search for extraterrestrial life is a roller coaster of hope and disappointment The search for extraterrestrial life has periodically been turned upside down... Read More Read the Issue

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