Ian O'Neill
The A-Train: Using Five Satellites as One to Analyze Polluted Clouds
This is one of the finest examples of satellite collaboration. Five Earth-observing orbiters, four from NASA and one from France,…
China Launches Second Olympic Satellite; Will Help Earthquake Zone
China is stepping up its preparations for this year's Olympics to be held in the Chinese capital, Beijing. Concern is…
Life Found a Mile Below Terrestrial Seabed; Implications For Life on Mars
We all know how hard life can be, but spare a thought for the microbes recently discovered 1.6 kilometres (1…
2012: No Planet X
Apparently, Planet X (a.k.a. Nibiru) was spotted by astronomers in the early 1980's in the outermost reaches of the Solar…
Navigation for Spaceships Using X-ray Pulsars: Introducing XNAV
This could be the ultimate galactic GPS system: using pulsars as an interstellar navigation tool. Rapidly spinning neutron stars emit…
Soyuz Hard Landing: Equipment Module Failed to Separate – Official
Its official, last month's Soyuz emergency landing was due to a technical fault just before re-entry. A Russian space agency…
The Human Brain in Space: Euphoria and the “Overview Effect” Experienced by Astronauts
Could be the best example yet of being "spaced out"? When in space, astronauts have repeatedly reported inexplicable euphoria, a…
Solar Sonic Boom: Eclipses May Generate Atmospheric Shocks
Something strange happens during a solar eclipse. As the Moon's shadow passes over the surface of the Earth, observers have…
Could Dark Matter be the Root Cause of Flyby Anomalies?
When space probes Galileo, Rosetta, NEAR and Cassini carried out Earth flyby manoeuvre, scientists measured a bizarre and unpredictable jumps…
Phytoplankton Bloom Erupts in the North Sea
Usually the North Sea conjures up cold and gloomy visions. But as the stunning image above shows, this isn't always…