Student Maps 1.5 Million Space Objects With AI

18-year-old Matteo Paz identified 1.5 million new celestial objects using a machine-learning algorithm called VARnet ^[1]. The American student analyzed archival data from NASA's retired NEOWISE mission to map these objects ^[2]. His discoveries include various distant quasars and supernovae ^[1][2]. NASA leadership formally praised the student’s work on March 2, 2026 ^[1]. Scientists expressed astonishment at the scale of the mapping project ^[1]. This achievement demonstrates the potential of AI to process massive space datasets ^[2].