New ALMA observations push back the epoch of massive-galaxy formation even further by identifying two giant galaxies seen when the universe was only 780 million years old, or about 5 percent its current age.

ALMA discovers remarkably early signs of low-mass star formation near the supermassive black hole at the center the Milky Way.

Astronomers using ALMA have discovered two rarely seen, distant galaxies spiraling in toward each other.

ALMA and the Rosetta spacecraft have each detected methyl chloride in space. This intriguing molecule may have interesting astrobiology implications.

Astronomers have used ALMA to image a delicate bubble of expelled material around the exotic red star U Antliae. These observations will help astronomers to better understand how stars evolve during the later stages of their lives.

Using ALMA, astronomers studied six distant starburst galaxies and discovered that five of them are surrounded by turbulent reservoirs of hydrogen gas, the fuel for future star formation.

Saturn’s frigid moon Titan has a curious atmosphere. In addition to a hazy mixture of nitrogen and hydrocarbons, like methane and ethane, Titan’s atmosphere also contains an array of more complex organic molecules, including vinyl cyanide, which astronomers recently uncovered in archival ALMA data. Under the right conditions, like those found on the surface of Titan, vinyl cyanide may naturally coalesce into microscopic spheres resembling cell membranes.  

Deep inside the remains of an exploded star lies a twisted knot of newly minted molecules and dust. Using ALMA, astronomers mapped the location of these new molecules to create a high-resolution 3-D image of this “dust factory,” providing new insights into the relationship between a young supernova remnant and its galaxy.

To make a star, the conditions inside interstellar gas clouds have to be “just right.” When it comes to a cloud’s magnetic fields, however, those conditions may range from powerful and orderly to weak and chaotic, new ALMA observations suggest.