Science
Sols 4520-4521: Prinzregententorte
Sols 4520-4521: Prinzregententorte NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has acquired an image of its target area, “Hale Telescope,” using its Front Hazard Avoidance Camera on Sol 4518 (April 22, 2025), featuring prominent laminations that reminded the science team of a layered-cake like Prinzregententorte. Curiosity successfully completed its plan tosol, which included APXS and MAHLI activities at […]
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Searching for the Dark in the Light
Searching for the Dark in the Light The Perseverance rover has been exploring lower “Witch Hazel Hill” on Mars, focusing on understanding the relationships between light and dark layers. The team has discovered that dark layers tend to be composed of larger clasts compared to light layers, and they’re searching for a place to sample […]
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Saturn’s moon could have life, but only a little bit
Saturn’s moon could have life, but only a little bit Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, may harbor life, but only in tiny amounts. A new study suggests that the moon’s subsurface ocean could support simple, microscopic life forms. The researchers used bioenergetic modeling to develop a realistic scenario of what life on Titan might look like, […]
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Navigation Technology
Navigation Technology NASA scientists are working to improve navigation tools for crewed spacecraft and robots in space, enabling humans to explore farther into space safely. A current investigation called NAVCOM uses the ISS Ham Radio program hardware to test software for a system that could shape future lunar navigation, processing signals similar to GPS but […]
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NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management
NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management NASA’s C-20A aircraft conducted seven research flights in March to track snowmelt and improve water management, using its Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) to collect data on seasonal snow cover and freshwater content. The Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission mapped snow accumulation over the Sierra […]
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Hubble Visits Glittering Cluster, Capturing Its Ultraviolet Light
Hubble Visits Glittering Cluster, Capturing Its Ultraviolet Light Hubble Space Telescope has revisited stunning globular cluster Messier 72 (M72) as part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations, capturing its ultraviolet light for the first time. M72 is a collection of stars located in the constellation Aquarius, approximately 50,000 light-years from Earth, and is one of the […]
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Earth Science Showcase – Kids Art Collection
Earth Science Showcase – Kids Art Collection NASA’s Earth Science Division showcased its work at an event for kids, where they shared their favorite things about the Earth through art. The showcase featured a variety of artwork created by children aged 2.5 to 9 years old, including pieces on wildlife, the color blue, Hawaii, and […]
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Colors are objective, according to two philosophers − even though the blue you see doesn’t match what I see
Colors are objective, according to two philosophers − even though the blue you see doesn’t match what I see Colors are not subjective, but rather objective features of objects that exist independently of individual perceptions. This is supported by the fact that colors can be measured and quantified using scientific laws and instruments. The variation […]
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Air Force Pilot, SkillBridge Fellow Helps NASA Research Soar
Air Force Pilot, SkillBridge Fellow Helps NASA Research Soar Jeremy Johnson, a former US Air Force pilot, has joined NASA’s Glenn Research Center as a research pilot and aviation safety officer through the Department of Defense SkillBridge fellowship program. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan […]
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Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars
Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars The Curiosity rover on Mars has made another exciting discovery, detecting the mineral siderite in three drill holes, which allowed scientists to piece together the carbon cycle of Mars. Today’s workspace looks intriguing with its fine layers and weathering patterns, but the team had to keep the arm stowed […]
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NASA Airborne Sensor’s Wildfire Data Helps Firefighters Take Action
NASA Airborne Sensor’s Wildfire Data Helps Firefighters Take Action NASA’s AVIRIS-3 airborne imaging spectrometer helped firefighters contain a wildfire in Alabama by providing real-time data on the fire’s location, extent, and intensity. The sensor detected the 120-acre fire on March 19 and transmitted images to firefighters’ phones in minutes, allowing them to limit its spread […]
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Why do chicken eggs come in different colors?
Why do chicken eggs come in different colors? Chicken eggs come in different colors due to genetics, with hens having lighter earlobes producing white eggs and those with darker feathers and earlobes laying more colorful eggs. The color of an eggshell is determined by pigments deposited onto the shell during the egg-forming process, which can […]
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Why don’t humans have hair all over their bodies? A biologist explains our lack of fur
Why don’t humans have hair all over their bodies? A biologist explains our lack of fur Humans don’t have hair all over their bodies like other animals because our ancestors evolved to lose fur over time. This change likely occurred around 7 million years ago, when humans and chimpanzees took different evolutionary paths. The main […]
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Planetary Alignment Provides NASA Rare Opportunity to Study Uranus
Planetary Alignment Provides NASA Rare Opportunity to Study Uranus NASA recently conducted a rare planetary alignment event to study Uranus’ atmosphere and rings, providing valuable data on its stratosphere’s temperature, density, and pressure. The event, known as a stellar occultation, allowed NASA scientists to measure Uranus’ atmospheric properties at multiple altitude layers, shedding light on […]
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Perfect brownies baked at high altitude are possible thanks to Colorado’s home economics pioneer Inga Allison
Perfect brownies baked at high altitude are possible thanks to Colorado’s home economics pioneer Inga Allison Inga Allison, a pioneering home economics professor at Colorado State University (CSU), made significant contributions to high-altitude baking research in the early 20th century. Allison’s work led to the development of altitude-specific baking practices, which were first published in […]
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Nine Finalists Advance in NASA’s Power to Explore Challenge
Nine Finalists Advance in NASA’s Power to Explore Challenge Nine finalists have been selected from 45 semifinalist student essays in NASA’s Power to Explore Challenge, a national writing competition for K-12 students. The challenge asked students to explore how NASA has powered its science missions and dream up their own radioisotope-powered science mission, with the […]
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NASA’s Use of the Radio Frequency Spectrum
NASA’s Use of the Radio Frequency Spectrum NASA relies heavily on radio waves to send data, communications, and commands between researchers or flight controllers and their flight platforms or instruments. The use of radio frequencies (RF) within the electromagnetic spectrum is shared among different types of applications, including NASA’s everyday operations such as walkie-talkies and […]
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NASA Collaborates to Enable Spectrum-Dependent Science, Exploration, and Innovation
NASA Collaborates to Enable Spectrum-Dependent Science, Exploration, and Innovation NASA collaborates with various stakeholders to promote collaborative use of RF spectrum for science, exploration, and innovation. The Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program coordinates with U.S. agencies, international civil space agencies, and private sector entities to avoid interference and protect NASA’s spectrum-dependent activities. NASA participates […]
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Flickering X-rays shed light on supermassive black holes
Flickering X-rays shed light on supermassive black holes Flickering X-rays from the NASA Chandra X-Ray Observatory telescope have provided insight into the relationship between galaxies and their supermassive black holes, shedding light on how the universe developed over the past 14 billion years. Researchers analyzed 15 years of data collected by Chandra to reconstruct the […]
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First Results from the Eclipse Soundscapes Project: Webinar on May 7
First Results from the Eclipse Soundscapes Project: Webinar on May 7 The Eclipse Soundscapes project collected over 25 terabytes of audio data during the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse using AudioMoth recorders. More than 500 volunteers participated in the project, making it a collaborative effort to study the impact of solar eclipses on life […]
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Eye on Infinity: NASA Celebrates Hubble’s 35th Year in Orbit
Eye on Infinity: NASA Celebrates Hubble’s 35th Year in Orbit Hubble was launched on April 24, 1990, and has since revolutionized our understanding of the universe with its stunning images and groundbreaking scientific discoveries. The telescope has captured breathtaking views of galaxies, nebulae, stars, and planets, including a record-breaking 20,000 images of the cosmos. Hubble’s […]
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Ancient land bridge let humans, animals move between continents
Ancient land bridge let humans, animals move between continents New research explores how ancient land bridge activity led to human and animal migration between Asia and Africa. A plume of hot rocks from the Earth’s mantle, which formed millions of years ago, may have played a crucial role in human evolution. The formation of a […]
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Scientists found a potential sign of life on a distant planet – an astronomer explains why many are still skeptical
Scientists found a potential sign of life on a distant planet – an astronomer explains why many are still skeptical A team of astronomers has found potential evidence for life on a distant planet called K2-18b, which orbits a star about 120 light-years from Earth. The discovery was made using the James Webb Space Telescope, […]
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Stabilized Z-Pinch Fusion Driven Electromagnetic Propulsion
Stabilized Z-Pinch Fusion Driven Electromagnetic Propulsion The University of Texas at Austin is working on a fusion propulsion system based on z-pinch technology. The system will use electrical current to compress and heat plasma, producing fusion reactions that will be accelerated by an electromagnetic accelerator. The goal of the project is to design, build, and […]
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Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions
Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions Researchers are developing stimulus-responsive adsorbents to store low-boiling fuels for mobile assets in permanently shaded regions. The project focuses on Metal Oxide Frameworks (MOFs) that can store methane and oxygen, which […]
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Lightweight Deployable Solar Reflectors
Lightweight Deployable Solar Reflectors Stanford University researchers are developing lightweight, low-cost modular solar reflectors for use on the Moon. The reflectors will be designed to concentrate sunlight into permanently shadowed areas of the Moon, potentially powering photovoltaics or other applications. The team will utilize recently developed origami design algorithms to enable compact and reversible stowage […]
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Early Career Faculty 2024
Early Career Faculty 2024 Researchers are preparing for next moonwalk simulations using advanced propulsion systems, including a high-voltage multiphase dual-rotor generator and rectifier. A team at Purdue University is working on concept demonstrations of directed energy propulsion using metasurface lightsails, which could potentially revolutionize space travel. Scientists are developing innovative power systems to enable small-scale […]
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NASA Glenn to Test Air Quality Monitors Aboard Space Station
NASA Glenn to Test Air Quality Monitors Aboard Space Station NASA Glenn Research Center is sending three air quality monitors to the International Space Station to test them for potential future use on the Moon. The monitors will be launched on April 21 aboard the 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission and will test onboard […]
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Hubble Spies Cosmic Pillar in Eagle Nebula
Hubble Spies Cosmic Pillar in Eagle Nebula Hubble Space Telescope has released a new image series revisiting stunning targets, including the Eagle Nebula, as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations. The Eagle Nebula features a towering structure of billowing gas and dark, obscuring dust that is 9.5 light-years tall and 7,000 light-years away from Earth. […]
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All models are wrong − a computational modeling expert explains how engineers make them useful
All models are wrong − a computational modeling expert explains how engineers make them useful Engineering models are not perfect and can have limitations that lead to failures if not properly understood. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in 1940 was caused by a fatal engineering assumption: that wind could not cause bridges to move up […]
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