Bursts of radio waves coming from outside our solar system have puzzled scientists since their discovery in 2007. By combining a radio telescope with machine learning software, the EU-funded MeerTRAP project was able to pinpoint the origin of these signals. As well as uncovering new celestial bodies, the system is helping physicists test their theories.
Most stars today can be found in giant, dead ellipticals which have long been considered by scientists the end of an evolutionary line for galaxies. How these galaxies formed and died so quickly has been an open question. The ConTExt project provides an explanation that is already paving the way to a new generation of astronomical studies.
Studying neutron star systems could tell us a great deal about the universe. However, finding these distant objects and extracting data is a challenge. To address this, an EU-funded project has developed groundbreaking models based on gravitational waves, earning a researcher a prestigious award in the process.
What role - if any - do massive black holes play in the evolution of a galaxy? To find out, an EU-funded project used highly advanced X-ray telescopes to get a closer look at these mysterious celestial bodies. What they discovered greatly expands our understanding of the universe.
The luminosity of an astronomical object, if known, can be used to measure vast distances in space. A particular type of gamma ray burst could be applied in this way, according to an EU-funded project. It would be the brightest such 'standard candle' yet, opening up new opportunities to advance our understanding of the cosmos.
How do you see the invisible in our Universe? Various types of detectors can be used, and an EU-funded project is making it easier to piece together the bigger picture from the different signals they observe. In the process, it is helping to strengthen Europe's position at the leading edge of research into the nature of the Universe.
How do planets form? How do they evolve? What could their past tell us about our own planet's future? An EU-funded project facilitating access to crucial data and top-flight infrastructure is placing planetary scientists in a better position to explore such questions as part of Europe's cutting-edge contribution to space research.
Under the InnovFin Large Projects facility, a CHF 250-million loan has been provided to increase the capacity of the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), which is the European Organisation for Nuclear Research's (CERN) central project for the decade. The expansion will help open up new commercial possibilities and deepen understanding of our universe.
EU-funded scientists set out to significantly advance humankind's knowledge of the planet Venus using data from powerful Earth-based telescopes and the Venus Express spacecraft.
An EU-funded research network has studied the threat of space junk and asteroids, helping to minimise their risks and better protect our planet, satellites and spaceships from potentially catastrophic hits.
