Science
Sol 4553: Back to the Boxwork!
Sol 4553: Back to the Boxwork! Curiosity rover has returned to its “boxwork” terrain area, where it will investigate targets dubbed “Sisquoc River” and “Palo Verde Mountains”. The rover acquired an image of its workspace using its Left Navigation Camera on May 27, 2025, showing resistant, ridge-like features that are of interest for studying fluid-flow […]
🔬 Science
Smart fabric uses sound to measure touch, pressure, and more
Smart fabric uses sound to measure touch, pressure, and more Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed smart textiles called SonoTextiles that use acoustic waves to measure touch, pressure, and movement precisely. The technology uses glass fibers infused with transmitters that emit sound waves at different frequencies, allowing for low power consumption and high precision measurements. […]
🔬 Science
NASA’s MAVEN Makes First Observation of Atmospheric Sputtering at Mars
NASA’s MAVEN Makes First Observation of Atmospheric Sputtering at Mars NASA’s MAVEN mission has made its first direct observation of atmospheric sputtering on Mars, a process that could help explain the history of water loss on the planet. Sputtering occurs when atoms are knocked out of the atmosphere by energetic charge particles from the solar […]
🔬 Science
NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms
NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms NASA’s Langley Research Center has developed a technique to test long, flexible composite booms for space use, utilizing gravity to aid in the testing process. The facility’s height allows for vertical testing without the need for extra equipment that can affect the boom’s response, providing […]
🔬 Science
NASA Helps with Progress on Vast’s Haven-1 Commercial Space Station
NASA Helps with Progress on Vast’s Haven-1 Commercial Space Station NASA has supported Vast’s Haven-1 commercial space station in completing a test of its critical air filter system, which maintains a safe and healthy atmosphere for astronauts. The test, conducted at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, confirmed the system’s ability to control […]
🔬 Science
Lotions disrupt potentially unhealthy cloud around your body
Lotions disrupt potentially unhealthy cloud around your body Researchers have found that applying personal care products like lotions and fragrances can disrupt a potentially unhealthy “cloud” around our bodies, which is created by ozone reacting with oils on skin. The application of these products acts as a physical barrier between ozone in the air and […]
🔬 Science
Brain groove depth tied to better reasoning ability
Brain groove depth tied to better reasoning ability A new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience has found that the depth of small grooves on the surface of the brain is linked to stronger network connectivity and better reasoning ability. The researchers, led by Silvia Bunge and Kevin Weiner from UC Berkeley, discovered that […]
🔬 Science
A Dust Devil Photobombs Perseverance!
A Dust Devil Photobombs Perseverance! The Perseverance rover on Mars recently took a selfie to celebrate its 1,500th Martian day, but it was photobombed by a dust devil! The dust devil, about 100 meters across, was captured by the WATSON camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm for the first time. The rover had […]
🔬 Science
Hubble Images Galaxies Near and Far
Hubble Images Galaxies Near and Far Hubble Space Telescope captures stunning image of distant galaxy HerS 020941.1+001557, which appears as a red arc partially encircling a foreground elliptical galaxy. The alignment of this trio of galaxies creates an Einstein ring, a type of gravitational lens that bends and magnifies light from a distant object around […]
🔬 Science
How Do We Do Research in Zero Gravity? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 62
How Do We Do Research in Zero Gravity? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 62 Research in zero gravity, also known as microgravity, poses several challenges due to the unique environment on the International Space Station. One major issue is that objects can float away, making it difficult to contain experiments and equipment, as seen […]
🔬 Science
E. coli use an ancient war trick to kill viruses
E. coli use an ancient war trick to kill viruses E. coli bacteria have discovered an ancient war trick to kill viruses by hijacking viral enzymes to produce an immune signal molecule that triggers a defense against the virus. The newly discovered “Kongming” defense system allows the bacterium to commit suicide, taking the virus down […]
🔬 Science
Eccentric ‘Star’ Defies Easy Explanation, NASA’s Chandra Finds
Eccentric ‘Star’ Defies Easy Explanation, NASA’s Chandra Finds Scientists have discovered a star behaving like no other seen before, giving fresh clues about the origin of a new class of mysterious objects. Astronomers used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the SKA Pathfinder radio telescope to study the object, known as ASKAP J1832, which cycles in […]
🔬 Science
Cosmic Dawn Screening
Cosmic Dawn Screening Join NASA for a free screening of “Cosmic Dawn,” a documentary about the James Webb Space Telescope’s mission to unveil the early universe. The 90-minute film takes viewers on an unprecedented journey through the telescope’s assembly, testing, and launch, showcasing its complexity and risks. The documentary follows the telescope from its idea […]
🔬 Science
AI goes to ‘kindergarten’ to learn the basics
AI goes to ‘kindergarten’ to learn the basics A team of scientists has shown that AI systems need to learn basic tasks before they can handle more complex ones, similar to how humans develop skills from a young age. The researchers used recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and found that training them on simple cognitive tasks […]
🔬 Science
NASA Interns Conduct Aerospace Research in Microgravity
NASA Interns Conduct Aerospace Research in Microgravity NASA’s SEES Microgravity Research Team conducted research in microgravity aboard the ZERO-G parabolic aircraft, exploring topics such as galvanic vestibular stimulation and wound irrigation systems. The team of four interns, selected from nearly 100 proposals, spent months preparing for flight through technical mentorship and structured milestones, including proposal […]
🔬 Science
How horses run through a ‘genetic stop sign’
How horses run through a ‘genetic stop sign’ Horses have evolved a genetic mutation that allows them to bypass a “genetic stop sign” in their NRF2/KEAP1 pathway, enabling them to produce high levels of energy and protect themselves from damage during exercise. This adaptation, which involves a molecular mechanism that recodes the stop codon, is […]
🔬 Science
Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18)
Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18) A mathematician uses their expert knowledge of math to solve problems and gain new understanding about how our world works, applying math to various fields like engineering, finance, and sciences. NASA employs mathematicians in various roles, including astronomer, mathematical modeler, electrical engineer, data analyst, and computer scientist, who use math […]
🔬 Science
Summary of the 2024 SAGE III/ISS Meeting
Summary of the 2024 SAGE III/ISS Meeting The 2024 SAGE III/ISS meeting was a success, providing valuable updates on the status of SAGE III/ISS operations, data product calibration and validation, and new developments. SAGE III/ISS remains essential for profiling key atmospheric constituents, including water vapor, aerosols, O₃, and NO₂, with its long-term, consistent data record […]
🔬 Science
Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration
Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration (PPEMSE) is a NASA-funded concept that aims to explore Earth’s upper atmosphere using no-moving-parts flying vehicles. The concept utilizes photophoretic levitation and propulsion, which creates lift in structures that absorb light on the bottom yet stay cool on the top, maximizing payload capabilities. The proposed […]
🔬 Science
Mountain chickadee chatter: Scientists are decoding the songbird’s complex calls
Mountain chickadee chatter: Scientists are decoding the songbird’s complex calls Scientists are studying the complex calls of mountain chickadees to understand their communication system, which is unusual compared to other songbird species. The “chick-a-dee” call contains six elements that can be combined in hundreds of unique combinations to convey different information, similar to human grammar, […]
🔬 Science
Mars Roundtrip Success Enabled by Integrated Cooling through Inductively Coupled LED Emission (MaRS ICICLE)
Mars Roundtrip Success Enabled by Integrated Cooling through Inductively Coupled LED Emission (MaRS ICICLE) Mars roundtrip missions will require improved long-duration storage of cryogenic propellants to enable efficient, flexible, and productive trips. A breakthrough mission concept, MaRS ICICLE, proposes an ultra-efficient round-trip Mars mission with zero boil-off of propellants using low-cost, efficient cryogenic liquid storage […]
🔬 Science
Managing forests and other ecosystems under rising threats requires thinking across wide-ranging scenarios
Managing forests and other ecosystems under rising threats requires thinking across wide-ranging scenarios Climate change is causing unprecedented threats to forests and ecosystems, including giant sequoia forests in California, which are facing multiple stressors like wildfire, drought, and pests. Traditional management approaches focus on maintaining or restoring historical ecosystem conditions, but this may not work […]
🔬 Science
Johnson’s Paige Whittington Builds a Symphony of Simulations
Johnson’s Paige Whittington Builds a Symphony of Simulations Paige Whittington, a NASA engineer, combines her passion for music and space exploration by developing simulations to inform human spaceflight decisions. As a principal flutist for Purdue University’s Wind Ensemble, Whittington learned the importance of harmonization and teamwork, skills she now applies to her work as a […]
🔬 Science
Gravity Poppers: Hopping Probes for the Interior Mapping of Small Solar System Bodies
Gravity Poppers: Hopping Probes for the Interior Mapping of Small Solar System Bodies Gravity Poppers are small, minimalistic probes that hop around the surface of small solar system bodies, allowing for precise gravity field mapping and interior density reconstruction. The concept relies on a mother spacecraft tracking a swarm of poppers from orbit to estimate […]
🔬 Science
Windows are the No. 1 human threat to birds – an ecologist shares some simple steps to reduce collisions
Windows are the No. 1 human threat to birds – an ecologist shares some simple steps to reduce collisions Every year, over 1 billion birds die from collisions with glass windows in the United States alone, making window collisions the top human cause of bird deaths. Most frequently, glass acts as a mirror, reflecting clear […]
🔬 Science
Sols 4547-4548: Taking in the View After a Long Drive
Sols 4547-4548: Taking in the View After a Long Drive The NASA Mars rover Curiosity has completed a 45-meter drive on Sol 4546 (May 21, 2025), positioning itself for two full sols of imaging. The geology and mineralogy theme group (GEO) chose “Big Bear Lake” as their contact science target, which will be analyzed using […]
🔬 Science
Preflight Flower
Preflight Flower A NASA photographer captured a unique flower, Borshchov’s tulip, near the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The flower is native to Kazakhstan and attracts many visitors who come to study and appreciate its beauty. The photo was taken on April 7, 2025, ahead of a NASA astronaut and cosmonauts launching […]
🔬 Science
Percolating Clues: NASA Models New Way to Build Planetary Cores
Percolating Clues: NASA Models New Way to Build Planetary Cores NASA has discovered a new way planetary cores may have formed, challenging the long-held belief that large-scale melting was necessary for core formation. The study suggests that molten sulfide could percolate through solid rock and form a core, even before a planet’s silicate mantle begins […]
🔬 Science
NASA Videographer Wins Top Award for Capturing Human Side of Science
NASA Videographer Wins Top Award for Capturing Human Side of Science NASA videographer Jacob Shaw has won first place in NASA’s 2024 Videographer of the Year Awards for his film “Reflections,” which chronicles the Airborne Science mission PACE-PAX. The award recognizes Shaw’s ability to capture the human side of science through his storytelling approach and […]
🔬 Science
Moon and Flag at NASA Michoud
Moon and Flag at NASA Michoud The waning gibbous moon phase occurs after the full moon, when the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun. During this phase, the opposite side of the Moon reflects the Moon’s light, causing the lighted side to appear smaller from our perspective. The Moon’s orbit is simply carrying […]
🔬 Science