Solar System

Researchers have reported detecting a direct radio signal from a planet outside the solar system for the first time. The announcement is being widely shared as a potential milestone in the study of exoplanets, since radio emissions have previously been observed mainly from stars and other cosmic objects rather than from planets themselves. Details about which planet was involved and how the signal was confirmed have not yet been widely reported.

New research indicates Mercury is contracting more quickly than previously estimated. The smallest planet in the solar system has been cooling and shrinking for billions of years, causing its crust to buckle and form cliffs and ridges. The revised findings suggest this process is still active and accelerating relative to earlier models, prompting scientists to rethink how rocky planets cool over time.

A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.

Harvard scientists report detecting a radio signal apparently coming directly from a planet outside the solar system. If confirmed, it would be a rare example of a radio emission traced to an exoplanet, possibly generated by the planet's magnetic field interacting with its star. Astronomers say such detections could open a new way to study distant planets, though further observations are needed to verify the signal's origin.

Germany's Green party is rejecting proposed reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the country's core framework for funding renewable power. The party is standing firm on maintaining support for rooftop solar installations, which rely on feed-in payments under the EEG. The refusal signals growing political friction in Germany over how the country finances and structures its energy transition.

ESA's JUICE mission to Jupiter and its icy moons is performing its second Earth gravity assist, passing less than 10,000 km overhead at 13:45 CEST, directly above the Indian Ocean. The flyby uses Earth's gravity to adjust the spacecraft's trajectory toward Jupiter. A final Earth slingshot is planned for 2029 before JUICE continues to the outer solar system.

Analysts say a Democratic sweep in the United States would benefit solar, energy storage systems (ESS) and power equipment companies. Shares tied to renewable energy and grid infrastructure are expected to gain as investors anticipate expanded clean energy spending and supportive policy under a Democratic-controlled government, drawing attention to related energy stocks.

New research suggests icy moons can retain their subsurface oceans even after catastrophic impacts that break the moon apart. The finding implies that oceans on bodies like Europa or Enceladus could survive violent events, expanding the range of conditions under which habitable environments might persist in the outer solar system.

New research reported by Science News suggests that magnetic fields may have played a key role in the formation of the solar system, potentially helping to trigger the collapse of the gas cloud that ultimately formed the sun and planets. The finding adds to debate over what set off the processes that shaped our cosmic neighbourhood billions of years ago.

Investors and analysts are watching the U.S. midterm elections for their potential to lift solar, energy storage system (ESS), and power equipment stocks. The expectation is that election outcomes could shape energy policy in ways favorable to renewable energy companies. South Korean media flagged the story, suggesting interest from Korean investors with exposure to U.S.-listed green energy shares.

Solar combined with battery storage is making its strongest case yet in Texas, according to energy industry reporting. The state's growing power demand and grid strain are driving interest in solar-plus-storage systems as a reliable alternative, and the argument is being closely watched by energy markets and policymakers elsewhere.

Researchers have tested underwater solar panels at a depth of ten metres in the South China Sea, according to an industry report. The trial explores whether photovoltaic systems can generate usable power below the surface, where light is weaker but conditions are more stable. Details on efficiency results and which institution led the test have not been released, leaving the technology's practical prospects uncertain.

A new report from Universe Today claims the Solar System's earliest planets formed in fiery, hot conditions near the young Sun rather than in the cold outer regions long assumed. The idea challenges the standard picture of planet formation, in which rocky worlds built up close to the Sun while icy bodies accumulated farther out. Astronomers and space enthusiasts are weighing what this would mean for theories of how Earth and its neighbours came together.

Investors are watching whether a political 'blue wave' could boost renewable energy and power stocks. Commentary suggests solar, energy storage systems (ESS), and power equipment companies stand to gain if election outcomes shift policy toward stronger support for clean energy, grid investment, and related infrastructure spending.

CGTN's RAZOR programme explores whether solar technology can play a role in protecting global water supplies. The report examines how solar power could be used to address water scarcity, from powering desalination plants to pumping and purification systems. As droughts and water shortages intensify worldwide, the intersection of renewable energy and water security is drawing renewed attention from researchers and policymakers.

New findings suggest asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth object studied by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, may have originated much closer to the Sun than previously believed, challenging existing models of how the solar system's early materials were distributed. Scientists say the asteroid's composition could indicate it formed in a warmer region before migrating outward.

South Korean solar, energy storage system and power stocks are expected to benefit if the US midterm elections produce a 'blue wave' Democratic victory. Investors anticipate a Democratic sweep would accelerate US clean-energy policy and spending, boosting demand for Korean renewable energy equipment and battery suppliers with exposure to the American market.

Trade coverage in the solar sector argues that photovoltaic projects have outgrown off-the-shelf engineering approaches. Growing project scale, varied grid requirements, and site-specific conditions are making one-size-fits-all designs harder to apply, pushing developers and equipment makers toward more customised planning, equipment and system integration as the industry matures.

Lightstar has expanded its project pipeline in Illinois, adding battery energy storage systems and community solar developments. The move strengthens the company's position in the state's growing clean energy market, where community solar programs continue to attract developer interest under state renewable energy incentives.

A Tesla Powerwall owner in Victoria, Australia says their installer blocked the system's solar and battery exports to the grid unless the household joined a virtual power plant program. The claim has raised concerns about consumer choice and whether installers can force VPP participation, with implications for other battery owners in the state.

A UK solar panel owner wanted panels specifically designed to perform under the country's frequent overcast winter skies. Off-grid users advised that rather than hunting for specialised cloudy-weather panels, the better approach is to oversize the system, since all panels lose output in low light and extra capacity compensates for seasonal shortfalls.

The Japanese word for the Sun is trending on Google in Japan, driven by news coverage of a study suggesting that early in its formation the Sun may have swallowed a giant Earth-sized planet. Posts share the Forbes Japan headline and discuss what this would mean for our understanding of the solar system's early history. The evidence is limited to this one headline, so wider reaction is not clear from the collected posts.