A galaxy cluster hotter than the surface of the sun is shocking researchers : Short Wave
- Posted on January 9, 2026
- By NPR
- 2 Views
A galaxy cluster hotter than the surface of the sun is shocking researchers : Short Wave

Most astronomers agree that young galaxy clusters should be relatively cool compared to older ones. But researchers recently found a very young cluster that’s hotter than the surface of the sun. More on why the finding is so shocking, plus elephant’s remarkable sniffing abilities and a new discovery about butterfly migration in this episode of Short Wave. Interested in more science news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.