{"id":6246,"date":"2026-02-27T06:47:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T06:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6246"},"modified":"2026-02-27T06:47:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T06:47:46","slug":"nasa-scientists-have-spotted-mysterious-giant-cosmic-brain-surrounding-a-dying-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6246","title":{"rendered":"NASA scientists have spotted mysterious giant cosmic &#8216;brain&#8217; surrounding a dying star"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft wp-block-nypost-editor-partner-article-links\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Space scientists have spotted a giant cosmic \u2018brain.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The latest images from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope have revealed new details in a mysterious, little-studied nebula surrounding a dying star.<\/p>\n<p>NASA Webb Mission Team said Wednesday (Feb 25): \u201cNebula PMR 1 is a cloud of gas and dust that bears an uncanny resemblance to a brain in a transparent skull, inspiring its nickname, the \u201cExposed Cranium\u201d nebula.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The nebula was first revealed in infrared light by a predecessor to Webb, NASA\u2019s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope, more than a decade ago. Webb\u2019s advanced instruments show detail that enhances the nebula\u2019s brain-like appearance.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"38610182\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<figcaption>Space scientists have spotted a giant cosmic \u2018brain.\u2019 <span class=\"credit\">NASA\/ESA\/CSA\/STScI\/DePasquale \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"38610187\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.99023438;display:block\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"38610187\" width=\"584\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?w=1014\" alt=\"The &quot;Exposed Cranium&quot; nebula, a brain-like cloud of gas and dust surrounding a dying star, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.\" class=\"wp-image-38610187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 2033w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=150,152&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w, 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https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=70,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 70w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=40,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 40w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=69,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 69w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=53,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 53w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=198,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 198w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=231,233&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=322,325&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=300,303&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=436,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 436w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=59,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 59w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=79,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 79w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=1200,1212&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=57,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 57w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=154,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 154w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=50,50&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/space-scientists-spotted-giant-cosmic-122240810.jpg?resize=96,96&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\"\/><figcaption>NASA Webb Mission Team said, \u201cNebula PMR 1 is a cloud of gas and dust that bears an uncanny resemblance to a brain in a transparent skull, inspiring its nickname, the \u201cExposed Cranium\u201d nebula.\u201d <span class=\"credit\">NASA\/ESA\/CSA\/STScI\/DePasquale \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While there is still much to be understood about this nebula, researchers said it\u2019s clear that it is being created by a star near the end of its fuel-burning \u201clife.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>NASA said: \u201cIn their end stages, stars expel their outer layers. It\u2019s a dynamic and fairly fast process, in cosmic terms. Webb has captured a moment in this star\u2019s decline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat ultimately happens will depend on the mass of the star, which is yet to be determined. If it\u2019s massive enough, it will explode in a supernova.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA less massive Sun-like star will continue to shed layers until only its core remains as a dense white dwarf, which will cool off over eons.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/26\/science\/nasa-scientists-have-spotted-mysterious-giant-cosmic-brain-surrounding-a-dying-star\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Space scientists have spotted a giant cosmic \u2018brain.\u2019 The latest images from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope have revealed new details in a mysterious, little-studied nebula&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}