For decades, the NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) has been the foundational digital library for astronomy. As ADS now becomes the Science Explorer (SciX), the team prioritizes preserving this trusted experience while increasing their support for space and Earth sciences more broadly, without diluting its commitment to astrophysics.

In Chile, the Center for Astrophysics and Associated Technologies has been working towards turning scientific investment into economic success for two decades, through the transfer of technology and techniques from astrophysics to industry. Many successful projects provide tangible examples of the real-world benefits of astronomy.

Niobium has been detected in the atmosphere of a young white dwarf, probably originating from a second-generation planet candidate being evaporated by the white dwarf. The planet probably formed from material ejected during the white dwarf progenitor’s death throes.

Giant impacts help rocky planets retain hydrogen-rich atmospheres because accreted mass increases atmospheric gravitational binding more than collisional heating drives atmospheric loss. This may explain the bimodal radius distribution of exoplanets.

Scientists discovered a white dwarf star circled by two nested rings of gas that were probably shaped by two hidden planetary bodies, one asteroid-sized and one Pluto-sized. The star’s unusual four-peaked light signature reveals a striking new kind of planetary debris system.

AIMS mid-infrared spectroscopy of the Mg I 12.32 µm line during an X1.5 flare reveals magnetic field weakening beneath impulsive-phase ribbons via Zeeman splitting. These changes may arise from an elevated line-formation height or local magnetic redistribution.

GRB 160425A emitted two sub-bursts in short succession with differing properties, indicative of two distinct progenitor types: collapsar and stellar merger. This event raises questions about γ-ray burst progenitor scenarios.

JWST spectra of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS reveal an enhanced D/H ratio in methane compared with measurements of Solar System objects. The high value is comparable with that calculated for pre- and protostellar regions, indicating a primitive origin.

A multiwavelength study reveals a vertically extended inner disk in a black hole X-ray binary at unexpectedly low luminosities, reshaping its emission and shielding the outer disk, with implications for its physical and observational properties.

After more than 33 years, NASA’s Astrophysics Data System will close its virtual doors in November 2026 and be replaced by its much-expanded successor, Science Explorer. While the core functionality and astrophysics database will remain the same, SciX will extend its relevance to a broader range of scientists.

For decades, the NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) has been the foundational digital library for astronomy. As ADS now becomes the Science Explorer (SciX), the team prioritizes preserving this trusted experience while increasing their support for space and Earth sciences more broadly, without diluting its commitment to astrophysics.

In Chile, the Center for Astrophysics and Associated Technologies has been working towards turning scientific investment into economic success for two decades, through the transfer of technology and techniques from astrophysics to industry. Many successful projects provide tangible examples of the real-world benefits of astronomy.

The discovery of little red dots with JWST has prompted manifold investigations into their observational properties and physical nature. This Focus issue consolidates our knowledge of these distant objects at a time when firm conclusions are beginning to be drawn.

Heliobiology is a new interdisciplinary field that links heliophysics, astrophysics, planetary science and chemistry with an astrobiological focus. We propose a formal definition of heliobiology and a practical framework for its implementation.