So you thought the Universe was a place of peace and calm? Think again. Yes, the night sky looks the same as centuries ago – a trustworthy and unchanging backdrop to daily life that helps to ease your

What is a gamma-ray burst? Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are intense sources of high-energy radiation that we detect on Earth in the form of gamma rays. They were first detected in the 1960s by US military

The end is inevitable. Eventually, our Sun will grow old and die. When it does, how much of the rest of the Solar System will it take with it? The fate of Earth hangs in the balance… The end will star

Lizzie Wade Apocalypse How catastrophe transformed our world and can forge new futures 320pp. William Collins. £20. Luke Kemp Goliath’s Curse The history and future of societal collapse 592pp. Viking.

Strange phenomena have always drawn crowds and history is replete with miracles that have been witnessed by many people

In the world of astronomy and science fction, black holes have long dominated headlines as invisible behemoths whose gravity even traps light. First predicted as ‘dark stars’ by John Michell in 1783,