Today's Science: Cosmic Maps, Black Holes, and Faster Mars Travel

Today's science news brings remarkable advances in our understanding of the cosmos, from unprecedented mapping of the universe to technological breakthroughs that could accelerate space exploration.

Largest 2D Universe Map Created

Astronomers have constructed the largest-ever two-dimensional map of the universe, comprising 5.6 trillion pixels and cataloging nearly 4 billion cosmic objects.

Read more: Scientists create largest 2D map of the universe with 5.6 trillion pixels and nearly 4 billion cosmic objects

X-Ray Survey Nearly Doubles Known High-Energy Cosmic Sources

A major sky survey using X-ray telescopes has expanded our catalog of high-energy cosmic sources by nearly 100%, identifying roughly 2 million active black holes, exploding stars, and other luminous objects across the universe.

Read more: Scientists find 2 million active black holes, exploding stars and more, nearly doubling our view of the high-energy universe

NASA Thruster Test Promises Faster Mars Travel

NASA has conducted a thruster test that shows promise for dramatically reducing the travel time to Mars, potentially revolutionizing deep space exploration missions.

Read more: NASA thruster test could slash travel time to Mars - News-Graphic.com