Explosion

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most energetic events in the universe, second only to the Big Bang itself. We don’t usually get any warning, but now astronomers have spotted the telltale signs of a star system that could blow its lid any moment – and it’s far too close to Earth for comfort.

​Even if an armored military vehicle isn't destroyed when a land mine detonates underneath it, its occupants can still receive traumatic brain injuries. Scientists are trying to keep that from happening, with a new shock-absorbing system that could also have applications in civilian products.

Looking to tackle the early signs of traumatic brain injury, the US Navy is developing small sensors that, when paired with specialized scanner, can quickly convert blast pressure into a clear signal of whether of not that soldier should stand down.​​

SpaceX is hopeful it will resume launches of its Falcon 9 rocket by the end of the year as it narrows down the possible causes of the explosion​ on September 1 that destroyed the booster and its AMOS-6 satellite payload.

A new study is shedding light on a type of binary star system theorized to transition into a state of hibernation lasting thousands of years following powerful nova explosion events.

An international team lead by astronomers from Queen's University Belfast have identified the fastest ever star on an escape trajectory from the Milky Way – the white dwarf US708, which is traveling at a staggering 1,200 km per second.

A US Air Force weather satellite exploded in Earth orbit on February 3, scattering debris along its path. In a report by Space.com, Air Force and space officials indicated the breakup of DMSP-F13 was due to a malfunction of its battery system rather than a collision with a foreign body.

At a press conference arranged only a few hours after the event, NASA released details of the explosion of the Antares rocket carrying the unmanned Cygnus supply ship to the International Space Station (ISS).

Using an instrument mounted on the ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), scientists have been able to shed light on some of the mysteries surrounding stardust by observing the event and aftermath of a supernova.

The best advice for surviving a nuclear bomb is to be somewhere else when it goes off. If that doesn't work out for you, though, a recent study carried out at the USDOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provides some simple guidance for maximizing your chances of survival.

Scientists are looking at using impact-absorbing nanofoams in body armor.

A concept that would see military vehicles built around a protected personnel compartment and use a sacrificial “blast wedge” to absorb energy from a blast could help protect occupants of future light armored patrol vehicles from IEDs.