Unlike mechanical waves, electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, such as you would find in space.

Here's why:

* Mechanical waves require a medium (like air, water, or a solid) to travel. They do this by causing particles in the medium to vibrate and transfer energy.

* Electromagnetic waves are made up of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. These fields can exist and propagate even in the absence of matter.

This is why we receive sunlight from the sun, which travels through the vacuum of space to reach Earth.