NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology
helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet,
microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries
and innovations that began with NSF support.
![Eight thumbnail images and 2008 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2008_review_l.jpg) |
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2008: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities that made news last year Released
March 13, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Artist's conception of the Milky Way.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/milky_way_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
New Galactic Distance Measurements Increase Milky Way's Mass and Rotation Speed Galaxy is spinning faster and is 50 percent more massive than earlier studies indicated Released
January 30, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in Green Bank, Pocahontas County, W. Va.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/magnetics_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Magnetic Fields in Far Away Galaxies Observed to be 10 Times Stronger than those in Milky Way Conventional theories of star and galaxy formation challenged Released
November 12, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Timothy Beers, professor of astronomy and physics at Michigan State University.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/beers2_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Archaeology of the Stars Michigan State researcher Timothy Beers studies the formation and evolution of stars born many billions of years before the Sun Released
September 17, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![A picture of the setting sun off the coast of Estonia and the letter "A."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/baltica_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Cracking the Code of Images New software easily detects pictures' hidden messages Released
July 15, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Illustration of a supernova explosion.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/quark_star1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Not a Quirk But a Quark ... a Quark Star! Super-luminous stellar explosion observed via Caltech's Palomar Observatory, possibly resulting in a quark star Released
June 26, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of galaxy NGC 2770 showing location of star and lines from John Keats' poem.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/supernova1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
International Gemini Observatory Captures Birth of a Supernova Stellar discovery marks a new epoc in astronomical research Released
May 28, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![2007 In Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2007_review_text_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
2007: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities reported last year Released
January 30, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Composite image of supernova remnant W49B showing a barrel-shaped nebula.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/supernova_1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Search Is on for Hot Young Stars Long duration gamma-ray bursts allow astronomers to collect more information than ever imagined Released
September 21, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of TW Hydrae](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/dustdisk_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Planetary Construction Zone? Astronomers detect the beginnings of planet formation in a dusty disk surrounding a nearby star Released
July 5, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![An artist's rendition of Altair, a star that spins so quickly it stretches at its equator.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/star1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Gazing up at the Man in the Star?
Researchers take picture of the face of Altair, a first for a star like our own Released
May 31, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![2006 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2006inreview_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
2006: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported activities highlighted last year Released
January 9, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![From Glitter to Glow, an animation depicting progressive steps in telescope data processing.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/oldest1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Universe's Oldest Objects Emerge from the Background
Faint cosmic glow appears to be remnant radiation from first stars or black holes born in our universe Released
December 18, 2006
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![The separation of luminous gas appears red, and dark matter appears blue.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bradac6_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Astronomers 'See' the Invisible
First 'direct observation' sheds new light on dark matter Released
August 21, 2006
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![This schematic view shows the outer rings of Saturn (top) and Uranus.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/ring_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
A Blue Ring Around the Planet Uranus
Color is attributed to forces acting on dust Released
April 6, 2006
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Reverberating sound waves are about to tear this simulated star apart.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/waves_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Sound Waves Rock a Star to Death
New model explains sound before sight Released
February 7, 2006
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![ESO artist's rendition of the newly discovered extrasolar planet](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/eso_planet_exo01_l2.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Closer to Home
Discovery of small, rocky, extrasolar world suggests such planets may be common Released
January 25, 2006
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![The Spiral Galaxy M51, with supernova.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/m51_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Teachers Strike Scientific Gold at Kitt Peak Workshop participants take lucky images of a brand-new supernova Released
August 26, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Young man stands in front of a row of white telescopes.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/vla12_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
New Mexico Graduate Student Receives Costa Rica's Top Science Honor At 26, Esteban Araya is the youngest person to ever receive the top science award from his native Costa Rica. A graduate student in astronomy at New Mexico Tech, Araya was honored for his research into the formation of massive stars. Released
August 5, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Star Kills Companion!](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/pic_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Star Killed by Companion Bizarre remains bear silent witness Released
March 2, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![The expanding fireball.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/sgr18062_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
VLA Probes Secrets of Mysterious Magnetar
Radio telescopes monitor the expanding fireball from a supermagnetic neutron star Released
February 18, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Six SDI views of Saturn's moon Titan](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/titan_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
A New Camera for Extrasolar Planets It hasn't found planets yet—but in its first year of operation, the instrument has already proved its worth Released
January 31, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Artist's conception of OGLE-TR-56b.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/ogle_planet_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Ogling Distant Stars An NSF-funded project that monitors the brightness of stars has given astronomers a potent tool for discovering planets far beyond our part of the galaxy. We can expect to find more "exoplanets" in the decade ahead. Released
August 9, 2004
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![comparison of our solar system with 55 Cancri system](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/55cancri_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Distant Planetary System Has "Hometown" Look After 15 years of observation and a lot of patience, the world's premier planet-hunting team found the first planetary system that reminded them of our home solar system. Released
July 30, 2004
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090507183025im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
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