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An artist’s impression of a protoplanetary disk around the young star V883 Orionis. The disk consists of gas and dust spiralling towards the central bright star, glowing in warm yellow and orange hues. The outer regions appear cooler and more diffuse. A zoom-in inset highlights the presence of complex organic molecules, depicted as ball-and-stick molecular structures, including propionitrile, glycolonitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, and acetonitrile. These molecules are shown floating in space, representing the chemical composition of the disk.

The evolution of life may have its origins in outer space

July 24, 2025

Astronomers find signs of complex organic molecules – precursors to sugars and amino acids – in a planet-forming disc. more

Eva Maria Ahrer

Minerva Fast Track Fellowship for Eva-Maria Ahrer

July 23, 2025

Eva-Maria Ahrer, postdoctoral researcher at the Atmospheric Physics of Exoplanets (APEx) department headed by Laura Kreidberg at MPIA in Heidelberg, has been awarded a Minerva Fast Track Fellowship by the Max Planck Society. Starting in January 2026, this will allow the scientist to establish her own research group dedicated to investigating the diversity and formation history of exoplanets. more

A cylindrical, transparent container stands on an open, silver-coloured metal frame. It is filled with clear water, at the centre of which a slender, funnel-shaped vortex rotates from surface to bottom. The water surface is indented at the centre and slightly rippled at the edges. Tiny air bubbles are drawn downward by the vortex, forming fine lines along the inner wall. LED light strips encircle the container, making the vortex stand out starkly against the dark surroundings. The scene has the appearance of a scientific demonstration visualising fluid dynamics.

Water Tornado in the Laboratory: A Simple Experiment Simulates Planet Formation

July 21, 2025

A new laboratory experiment uses a water tornado to investigate key physical processes in protoplanetary discs. more

Sophia Vaughan

Michael Penston Prize of the Royal Astronomical Society for Sophia Vaughan

July 17, 2025

Sophia Vaughan, postdoctoral researcher in the Atmospheric Physics of Exoplanets (APEx) department at MPIA in Heidelberg, has been awarded the Michael Penston Thesis Prize by the British Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) for her doctoral thesis. more

Large observatory on a mountain at sunset.

First images of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

June 20, 2025

The first images from the observatory will be published on 23 June 2025 at 17:00 CEST. Researchers from the Max Planck Society report on their planned research more

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