The New Story of the Milky Way’s Surprisingly Turbulent Past
The latest star maps are rewriting the story of our Milky Way, revealing a much more tumultuous history than astronomers suspected
Stories by Ann Finkbeiner
Ann Finkbeiner is a science writer based in Baltimore. She specializes in writing about astronomy and cosmology, grief, women in science, and the intersection of science and national security. She is co-proprietor of the science blog The Last Word on Nothing.
Women Are Creating a New Culture for Astronomy
A new generation of scientists are challenging the biased, hierarchical status quo
How Do We Prevent War in Space?
There are defensive, offensive and diplomatic options for averting conflicts in orbit
The New Era of Multimessenger Astronomy
Astronomers’ newfound ability to see the same cosmic events in light, particles and gravitational waves—a synthesis called multimessenger astronomy— gives them a fuller picture of some of the universe’s most mysterious phenomena
Inside the Breakthrough Starshot Mission to Alpha Centauri
A billionaire-funded plan aims to send a probe to another star. But can it be done?
Mathematicians and Computer Scientists Shrug over the NSA Hacking
The National Security Agency is the largest employer of mathematicians in the U.S.
No Easy Pieces: Sloan Telescope Builders Battled Moths, Balky Software and Broken Mirrors
A new book about the Sloan Digital Sky Survey documents the myriad unexpected challenges in undertaking a large and ambitious astronomy project