Science
Style Guidelines for ‘The Earth Observer’ Newsletter
Style Guidelines for ‘The Earth Observer’ Newsletter Follow the NASA Stylebook and Communications Manual and AP Style Guide when style topics are not explicitly described in this guide. Submit articles as a Word document (.docx) or RTF file, with high-resolution graphics source files of all graphics (e.g. .gif, .tif, .eps). Use the correct formatting for […]
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NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars
NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars Artemis II will be NASA’s first mission with crew aboard Orion spacecraft, confirming all systems operate as designed in deep space. The mission will launch a crew of four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center on a Block 1 configuration […]
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NASA’s Deep Space Network Starts New Dish, Marks 60 Years in Australia
NASA’s Deep Space Network Starts New Dish, Marks 60 Years in Australia NASA’s Deep Space Network has celebrated its 60th anniversary in Australia, marking a major milestone for the network, which communicates with spacecraft all over the solar system using giant dish antennas located at three complexes around the globe. The Canberra facility, which joined […]
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Food scrap system pulls drinking water out of thin air
Food scrap system pulls drinking water out of thin air Researchers have created a system that can pull drinkable water out of thin air using discarded food scraps, stray branches, and other natural materials. The system uses molecularly functionalized biomass hydrogels to convert these materials into sorbents, which absorb liquids and can be heated to […]
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Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year Highlights
Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year Highlights The Helio Big Year, a period of heightened solar activity, has come to an end, but NASA scientists will continue studying the Sun’s influence on our planet. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made history by traveling just 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s surface at a speed of […]
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Peru’s ancient irrigation systems succeeded in turning deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed
Peru’s ancient irrigation systems succeeded in turning deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed The ancient irrigation systems in Peru’s north coast were successful due to the culture and knowledge of the pre-Hispanic societies that built them, which are now being lost as modern climate change and agro-industrial practices […]
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Peru’s ancient irrigation systems turned deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed
Peru’s ancient irrigation systems turned deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed The ancient irrigation systems in Peru’s north coast turned deserts into farms due to the culture and knowledge of the pre-Hispanic societies, which functioned more efficiently than modern systems. The region’s water shortages have worsened due to […]
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Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate
Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate The NASA Mars rover Curiosity has been making progress driving up Mount Sharp, gaining new perspectives on the surrounding terrain. The rover had to navigate around a small ridgeline called “Devil’s Gate” to continue its journey, which presented opportunities for interesting geological observations and imaging. During this period, the […]
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Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand
Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand The Curiosity rover has reached Sol 4500 on Mars, marking an impressive milestone in its exploration of the Red Planet. The rover’s navigation team successfully passed the “Slip Risk Assessment Process” and began a two-sol plan to characterize bedrock targets using various instruments, including APXS, MAHLI, and […]
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From FIRST Robotics to NASA Rockets: Angel Saenz’s Journey to White Sands
From FIRST Robotics to NASA Rockets: Angel Saenz’s Journey to White Sands Angel Saenz’s journey to working at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility began with his participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition, a STEM education program that helped him develop a passion for engineering. Saenz credits the program for giving him a head start in […]
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Bonobos communicate a lot like humans
Bonobos communicate a lot like humans Bonobos have been found to communicate in complex ways similar to humans, using combinations of calls that convey meaningful information. A new study used novel methods from linguistics to demonstrate that bonobo vocal communication relies on compositionality, a key feature of human language. The researchers created a “bonobo dictionary” […]
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Stone cooking tool residue sheds light on ancient food
Stone cooking tool residue sheds light on ancient food Researchers at the Natural History Museum of Utah are using new techniques to extract microscopic plant residues from ancient stone kitchens, known as bedrock metates, to learn more about the people who used them. The team, led by archaeobotanist Stefania Wilks, is specifically focusing on starch […]
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Stone cooking tool residue shed lights on ancient food
Stone cooking tool residue shed lights on ancient food Researchers at the Natural History Museum of Utah are using new techniques to extract microscopic plant residues from ancient stone kitchens, known as bedrock metates, to learn more about the people who used them. The team, led by archaeobotanist Stefania Wilks, is specifically focusing on starch […]
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NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge
NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge NASA has selected 12 student teams to develop solutions for storing and transferring the super-cold liquid propellants needed for future long-term exploration beyond Earth orbit. The agency’s 2025 Human Lander Challenge is designed to inspire and engage the next generation of engineers and scientists as NASA […]
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Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up
Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up Employees sort crickets by size at a farm in Thailand. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit Did you know your lipstick might be made from beetles? Or that some cat food may soon be made from flies? People farm insects for all sorts […]
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Hard work feels worth it, but only after it’s done – new research on how people value effort
Hard work feels worth it, but only after it’s done – new research on how people value effort How many stairs would you climb for that payoff? Ozgur Donmaz/DigitalVision via Getty Images When deciding if something is worth the effort, whether you’ve already exerted yourself or face the prospect of work changes your calculus. That’s […]
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Hubble Studies a Nearby Galaxy’s Star Formation
Hubble Studies a Nearby Galaxy’s Star Formation Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science […]
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Hubble Spots Stellar Sculptors in Nearby Galaxy
Hubble Spots Stellar Sculptors in Nearby Galaxy Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science […]
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NASA Supports Wildland Fire Technology Demonstration
NASA Supports Wildland Fire Technology Demonstration 3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Drones were a key part of testing new technology in support of a prescribed burn in Geneva State Forest, which is about 100 miles south of Montgomery, Alabama. The effort is part of the agency’s multi-year FireSense project, […]
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Sols 4498-4499: Flexing Our Arm Once Again
Sols 4498-4499: Flexing Our Arm Once Again Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More […]
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‘Super’ AI uses less power by mimicking the human brain
‘Super’ AI uses less power by mimicking the human brain A new approach to AI’s “thinking” mimics the human brain and has the potential to revolutionize the AI industry. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can perform complex calculations and analyze data faster than any human, but to do so requires enormous amounts of energy. The human brain […]
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Study may rewrite what we know about megalodon
Study may rewrite what we know about megalodon The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body—closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale. The researchers used a […]
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Perseverance Rover Witnesses One Martian Dust Devil Eating Another
Perseverance Rover Witnesses One Martian Dust Devil Eating Another 5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A Martian dust devil can be seen consuming its smaller friend in this short video made of images taken at the rim of Jezero Crater by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover on Jan. 25, 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI […]
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La NASA aumenta su eficiencia con un piso modificado para el avixF3n X-66
La NASA aumenta su eficiencia con un piso modificado para el avixF3n X-66 3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Eric Garza, técnico de ingeniería en el Taller de Fabricación Experimental del Centro de Investigación de Vuelos Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, corta madera contrachapada a medida para las […]
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NASA Langley’s Legacy of Landing
NASA Langley’s Legacy of Landing 5 Min Read NASA Langley’s Legacy of Landing The first image of the Moon taken by the cameras on the Lunar Orbiter in 1966. Credits: NASA Landing safely on the surface of another planetary body, like the Moon or Mars, is one of the most important milestones of any given […]
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X-ray Clues Reveal Destroyed Planet
X-ray Clues Reveal Destroyed Planet In about 5 billion years, our Sun will run out of fuel and expand, possibly engulfing Earth. These end stages of a star’s life can be utterly beautiful – as is the case with this planetary nebula called the Helix Nebula. Astronomers study these objects by looking at all kinds […]
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What Are the Dangers of Going to Space? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 55
What Are the Dangers of Going to Space? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 55 2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) What are the dangers of going to space? For human spaceflight, the first thing I think about is the astronauts actually strapping themselves to a rocket. And if that […]
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NASA Webb Explores Effect of Strong Magnetic Fields on Star Formation
NASA Webb Explores Effect of Strong Magnetic Fields on Star Formation Explore This Section Webb News Latest News Latest Images Blog (offsite) Awards X (offsite – login reqd) Instagram (offsite – login reqd) Facebook (offsite- login reqd) Youtube (offsite) Overview About Who is James Webb? Fact Sheet Impacts+Benefits FAQ Science Overview and Goals Early Universe […]
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Feeling FOMO for something that’s not even fun? It’s not the event you’re missing, it’s the bonding
Feeling FOMO for something that’s not even fun? It’s not the event you’re missing, it’s the bonding They had so much fun without me. Milko/E+ via Getty Images Imagine you’ve planned the trip of a lifetime for your animal-loving family: a cruise to Antarctica with the unique opportunity to view penguins, whales and other rare […]
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NASA Receives 10 Nominations for the 29th Annual Webby Awards
NASA Receives 10 Nominations for the 29th Annual Webby Awards 2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This ultra high-definition video featuring an orange tabby cat named Taters, was streamed from nearly 19 million miles away via laser by NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment, marking a historic milestone for […]
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