A recent NASA study shows that the Sun has been growing more active since 2008. While solar activity typically follows 11-year cycles, it also experiences longer-term shifts that can span decades. For example, solar activity had been steadily declining since the 1980s, reaching a record low in 2008. At the time, scientists believed the Sun […]
NASA Research Reveals That The Sun’s Activity Is Intensifying Read More »
Over four years after landing, NASA’s Perseverance Rover may have made key progress in its search for ancient microbial life. In July, the rover found an arrowhead-shaped rock called Cheyava Falls, with colorful patches in a valley likely carved by water. Possible Microbial Traces Spark Debate, NASA Shares Findings for Wider Review NASA scientists suspect
NASA Rover Finds Possible Evidence of Ancient Life on Mars Read More »
How do you manage a nuclear propulsion system in space? The answer is: with extreme care. To address this, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have created a simulated nuclear reactor test platform designed to advance the development of engines capable of taking astronauts to Mars and beyond. The Transportation Barrier in Space Exploration
ORNL Confronts the Control Challenges of Nuclear Rocket Engines Read More »
Astronomers have discovered “Quipu,” possibly the universe’s largest structure, spanning 1.3 billion light-years—over 13,000 times the Milky Way’s size, Live Science reports. The Controversy of the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall Previously, the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall—situated 10 billion light-years from Earth and spanning a similar length—was regarded as the universe’s largest structure. However, scientists still
Study Reports Discovery of The Universe’s Largest Structure Read More »
Instead of relying on the usual wheels or legs to navigate extraterrestrial landscapes, a team at Texas A&M, led by Robert Ambrose, is experimenting with a more geometric approach: a spherical robot designed to roll across rugged lunar ground. Pop Culture Inspiration Fans of cult television might recall The Prisoner, the surreal 1960s series that
Spherical RoboBall Could Conquer the Moon’s Harshest Terrain Read More »
Earth’s mesosphere is often called a “no-fly zone.” The air there is far too thin for conventional aircraft. But new ultralight devices might challenge that limitation, staying aloft with nothing more than sunlight. Photophoresis as a Key to Mesosphere Flight This approach relies on photophoresis — a gas flow that occurs when light strikes an
Sunlight Alone Keeps These Tiny Aircraft Aloft Read More »
When NASA’s Dawn mission reached Ceres in 2015, scientists and the public got their first detailed view of this intriguing and enigmatic dwarf planet. The Largest Object in the Asteroid Belt As the largest body in the Main Asteroid Belt, making up more than 39% of its total mass, Ceres is the only object in
The Largest Object in the Asteroid Belt May Have Hosted Life in the Past Read More »
In 2023, astronomers witnessed one of the most unusual cosmic explosions ever recorded. The event occurred about 750 million light-years away and was first detected on July 7 by the Zwicky Transient Facility. Initially, it appeared to be a typical supernova — the explosive death of a star — and was designated SN 2023zkd. A
Star’s Attempt to Devour a Black Hole May Have Sparked a New Kind of Supernova Read More »
If Earth ever needed to borrow a cup of sugar, there could be a promising candidate just 4.34 light-years away: a possible habitable planet orbiting Alpha Centauri, according to recent findings from the James Webb Space Telescope. A Star System in Science and Popular Culture Alpha Centauri has long held a place in both astronomy
Our Closest Star Neighbor Might Host a Potentially Habitable World Read More »
Future Moon settlers will face a long list of hazards – from the airless environment and intense cosmic radiation to corrosive lunar dust, meteoroid impacts, and extreme temperature swings between day and night. Now, scientists warn that moonquakes should be added to that list of dangers. While science fiction often imagines Moon bases under attack
Moonquakes Could Pose Serious Risks to Future Lunar Bases Read More »