Revelations from the past can seem quaint once we’ve been living with them for a generation or two. That’s true of the realization in the past that spawned SETI: the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Humanity realized that if we’re blasting radio signals out into the cosmos haphazardly, then other ETIs, if they exist, are probably … Read more
The exoplanet K2-18 b may have an ocean of water beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, as shown in this artist’s concept. Credit: Illustration: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI). Science: Nikku Madhusudhan (IoA) This past year brought much of the world together through events both anticipated and unexpected. April’s highly awaited total solar eclipse delighted millions … Read more
LITTLETON, Colorado — A university-led lunar orbiter designed to pinpoint the location of ice or liquid water trapped in rocks on the moon’s surface is nearly ready for takeoff. The Lunar Trailblazer is slated to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than Feb. 26 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It … Read more
Polar bears have unique ice-repelling fur If you worry about polar bears staying warm in the frozen Arctic, don’t. These animals not only survive cold temperatures, but they need them to thrive. Polar bears have the necessary adaptations to live comfortably in frigid environments. How do they do this? The University of Dublin said on … Read more
We can’t help ourselves but wonder about life elsewhere in the Universe. Any hint of a biosignature or even a faint, technosignature-like event wrests our attention away from our tumultuous daily affairs. In 1984, our wistful quest took concrete form as SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, SETI has turned up … Read more
In one of the most famous photos in history, Buzz Aldrin – Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 11 – stands on the Moon. Credit: NASA Strange as it may sound, where the astronauts sat (or “sat” – the crew actually stood) in the Apollo Lunar Module may have profoundly impacted the way the experience of … Read more
During the overnight hours of Feb. 5-6, the moon will pass through the famous Pleiades star cluster while one day past its half-lit first quarter phase. This will actually be the third time in the past four months that the moon has interacted with this famous star pattern in what is known as an occultation. … Read more
In recent decades, technological advances have opened up the possibility of light-powered space travel at a significant fraction of light speed. This involves a ground-based light beamer pushing ultra-light nanocrafts – miniature space probes attached to lightsails – to speeds of up to 100 million miles an hour (160 million kph). Such a system would … Read more
This Hubble image shows a supernova named SN 2022aajn in a distant galaxy about 600 million light-years away with the unwieldy name of WISEA J070815.11+210422.3. However, the obtuse yet scientifically descriptive names aren’t what’s important. What’s important is that SN 2022aajn is a Type 1a supernova, also known as a standard candle, and this image … Read more
The vast valleys of Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck demonstrate the incredible forces that shaped the face of the Moon. Vallis Schrödinger (at left) and Vallis Planck (at right) are enormous canyons blasted out by streams of debris from the impact that formed Schrödinger Basin (lower right). Credit: NASA/SVS/Ernie T. Wright Each year, millions of … Read more