Science
What Would a Realistic Space Battle Look Like?
Science fiction space movies can do a poor job of educating people about space. In the movies, hot-shot pilots direct…
Wow, Betelgeuse Might Be 25% Closer than Previously Believed
In the last year, Betelgeuse has experienced two episodes of dimming. Normally, it's one of the ten brightest stars in…
Here’s a Clever Idea, Looking for the Shadows of Trees On Exoplanets to Detect Multicellular Life
That's the kind of headline that can leave us scratching our heads. How can you see tree shadows on other…
Machine Learning Software is Now Doing the Exhausting Task of Counting Craters On Mars
Does the life of an astronomer or planetary scientists seem exciting? Sitting in an observatory, sipping warm cocoa, with high-tech…
Chitin Could be the Perfect Building Material on Mars
It's hard to deny that we're heading for a future with a human presence on Mars. But to develop sustained…
Earth’s Oxygen Could be Making the Moon Rust
It takes oxygen to make iron rust. So when scientists discovered hematite spread widely through lunar high latitudes, they were…
Nancy Roman Telescope’s Primary 2.4-Meter Mirror is Ready
The Nancy Roman Telescope has reached another milestone in its development. NASA has announced that the space telescope's primary mirror…
A Huge Ring-Like Structure on Ganymede Might be the Result of an Enormous Impact
Ganymede's surface is a bit of a puzzle for planetary scientists. About two-thirds of its surface is covered in lighter…
There’s One Cloud on Mars That’s Over 1800 km Long
Mars' massive cloud is back. Every year during Mars' summer solstice, a cloud of water ice forms on the leeward…
Microbes Were Dormant for Over 100 Million Years, But They Were Able to Spring Back to Life
At the bottom of the ocean in the South Pacific Gyre, there's a sediment layer that is among the most…