AbstractA digest of some of the big stories from the past two months

AbstractSue Bowler talks to Kenneth Philips and Mark Stenhoff about changing cultures, role models and riots

AbstractLaura Nuttall and Christopher Berry review the potential of multimessenger astronomy with gravitational-wave observations

AbstractSue Bowler discovers how RAS 200 outreach with The Prince's Trust has inspired two young people

AbstractMike Bode recalls the life of an observer of galaxies, developer of instruments and cricket enthusiast

AbstractNisha Ramkissoon, Mark Burchell, Peter Fawdon and Louisa Preston report from an RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting on finding and identifying evidence for life on Mars

Umberto Battino and Alex Murphy consider both key observables of Type Ia supernovae and computational modelling of progenitor evolution and explosion, as discussed at an RAS meeting

AbstractDominic M Bowman and the ECN Committee share their perspective of the RAS Early Career Network's first career event: postdoctoral career advice from the community

AbstractThe newly appointed 11th Astronomer Royal for Scotland wants all children to have access to a telescope. Interview by Paul Johnson

AbstractDavid Green, Ross Heyburn, Jessica Keeble, Alexandra Nippress, Stuart Nippress, Sheila Peacock and John Young review the history of the UK's seismological monitoring of underground nuclear testing

AbstractA digest of some of the big stories from the past two months

AbstractMike Lockwood and Mat Owens discuss how eclipse observations are aiding the development of a climatology of near-Earth space

AbstractTimothy Duckenfield and Dmitrii Kolotkov reflect on a meeting that looked back at 20 years of probing the Sun's corona with magneto–hydro–dynamic waves

Craig Magee and Chris Jackson examine how geophysical seismic reflection data can be used to study the inner workings of volcanoes and magma plumbing systems

Ian Strangeways looks at what we know about the weather on Mars – and how we might find out more

Steve Desch, Alan Jackson, Jessica Noviello and Ariel Anbar assess the evidence for what type of object caused the end–Cretaceous extinction and suggest best practices for writing and reviewing inter–disciplinary papers

Mathew Owens, Oliver Allanson and Megan Maunder report on the 51st annual Magnetosphere, Ionosphere, and Solar–Terrestrial (MIST) meeting

Sue Bowler talks to organizers Carole Mundell, Cathryn Mitchell and Patricia Schady about the first fully virtual National Astronomy Meeting in July

The astronomer has served on the MNRAS editorial board for more than 35 years, and since 2012 has steered it as it picked up speed through the digital age. Interview by Paul Johnson

An RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting organized by Malcolm Druett and Ben Snow on 13 November 2020 drew a broad international audience to explore a tricky layer of the Sun

Jacqueline Mitton examines one strand in the life and research of the pioneering astronomer

A digest of some of the big stories from the past two months

Sumedh Anathpindika reviews some recent results that shed new light on the dynamical evolution of giant molecular clouds and discusses the impact of ambient environment on their ability to form stars

An influential leader in the seismological community, Lay was awarded this year's geophysics Gold Medal for his outstanding work in seismological analysis

Ed Cliver, Lyndsay Fletcher and Hugh Hudson are looking for a photograph of Richard Carrington. Can you help?

Robert Massey ponders the potential post-pandemic world for those working in astronomy and geophysics, following an online meeting in January

Anna Ridley describes a new exhibition at Old Government House, Sydney, that uses documents from the Royal Astronomical Society library and archive – and technology – to help tell the story of scientific endeavour in colonial New South Wales

Claire Davies recounts a successful outreach project based on Saturn and Jupiter's 2020 conjunction, a celebration of closeness in a year dominated by distancing

Sue Bowler remembers the Guernsey-born astronomer

Richard Ellis recalls the life of the eminent cosmic-ray physicist

Leslie Morrison and Catherine Hohenkerk consider the future direction of the leap second

AbstractA digest of some of the big stories from the past two months

AbstractAlastair Gunn looks back at the scientific and cultural legacy of an iconic instrument: the 305m Arecibo radio telescope

AbstractJoanna K Barstow explores spectroscopic observations of transiting exoplanets, modelling their atmospheric clouds, and the forthcoming era of hot exoplanet research with the James Webb Space Telescope

AbstractEach year the RAS recognizes outstanding achievement in astronomy and geophysics by the award of medals and prizes, celebrating scientists who have earned the respect and admiration of their peers

AbstractDespite travel restrictions, the geologist has been looking forward to exploring the surface of Mars this year with NASA's latest lander

AbstractShami Chatterjee reviews fast radio bursts, focusing on the rapid recent progress in observations of these enigmatic events, our understanding of their central engines, and their use as probes of the intergalactic medium

AbstractAnnie Hogan explains how the RAS Bicentennial Quilt has progressed through lockdown

AbstractThe RAS Early Career Network announces the winners of its 2020 poster exhibition

AbstractKerri Donaldson Hanna summarizes what the much-anticipated sampling of asteroid Bennu has already told us about this primitive yet complex body

AbstractHelen Mason and Helen Schell explain how the SunSpaceArt outreach programme flourished in 2020, bringing art and science together for pupils and teachers

AbstractEditor Sue Bowler looks back – briefly – at astronomy and geophysics a quarter of a century ago

Brian Kennett shows what geophysics can reveal about the lithosphere of Australia.

Iwan Williams examines the surprising range of astronomical names given to steam locomotives of the 19th century.

A digest of some of the big stories from the past two months

Kim Clube, editorial office manager, reviews the changing faces of the RAS journals.

Robert Massey argues that everything – even astronomy and geophysics – is political.

The former physics teacher, now studying martian meteorites at Glasgow, explains why early-career scientists need support now more than ever. Interview by Paul Johnson.

All articles published this year, searchable by author and type

Gene Byrd and Mauri Valtonen describe how radio astronomy helped prove the existence of dark matter.

Sue Bowler finds some positive outcomes from 2020 for RAS 200 outreach projects.

Hannah Dalgleish examines ways in which astronomy can help to forge a sustainable future for life on Earth.

João Magueijo and John Webb remember the athlete, wide-ranging cosmologist, prolific author and walking encyclopedia.

Fifty years since the first touchdown on Venus, researchers have potentially detected a biosignature in its atmosphere. Sue Bowler thinks we are overdue for another trip to our twin planet.

Ryan French and colleagues discuss their Hinode/EIS outreach work and the resulting resources available for A-level classes.

From Richard Schilizzi