Concentrations of ozone-damaging aluminum oxide in Earth’s atmosphere could rise by 650% in the coming years due to an increase in the number of unused satellites burning up during re-entry, according to a first-of-its-kind study. As mega satellite satellites continue to attract interest from private companies, this could be pretty bad news for our planet’s… Read More »
Scientists believe Earth may have briefly lost its protection from the sun about two million years ago, left to endure the extreme environment of interstellar space, as the solar system passed through a dense cloud of gas and dust between stars. At that time, early human ancestors shared our planet with prehistoric animals such as… Read More »
Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, Sign up for free here. Events in space often do not develop like in the movies. But a spacecraft’s journey can offer awe-inspiring views and surprising moments that are more spectacular than fiction. SpaceX placed… Read More »
Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, Sign up for free here. Events in space often do not develop like in the movies. But a spacecraft’s journey can offer awe-inspiring views and surprising moments that are more spectacular than fiction. SpaceX placed… Read More »
SpaceX’s Starship flew into space and back, but suffered visible damage as it crashed to Earth. The rocket’s fin began to break off in mid-autumn and the camera lens cracked. Starship’s splashdown was a huge step towards reusability, and Elon Musk claimed victory. SpaceX’s Starship megarocket scored a major victory Thursday on the road to… Read More »
A series strong solar storms As the skies turned colorful in the Northern Hemisphere this weekend, people witnessed spectacular displays. northern Lights United States, Canada, Europe, China and beyond. Officials said the dazzling light displays could continue for several more days. Aurora borealis (the phenomenon more commonly known as the northern lights) occurs due to… Read More »
He went and did it again. Massive sunspot AR3664 has unleashed the most powerful solar flare ever, and Earth is once again in the line of fire. The X3.98 burst peaked early this morning (May 10) at 02:54 (0654 GMT) and triggered a temporary or complete loss of high-frequency (HF) radio signals across Asia, Eastern… Read More »
The first Spanish woman in space has now become the second female astronaut to be awarded the United States’ highest honor. Ellen Ochoa, who later directed NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony held at the White House on Friday, May 3. Ochoa became the 10th… Read More »
Within the next few years, no one knows exactly when, three NASA satellites, each weighing as much as an elephant, will go dark. They are already drifting, slowly losing their height. They’ve been looking after the planet for more than two decades, much longer than anyone expected, helping us predict weather, manage wildfires, track oil… Read More »
Within the next few years, no one knows exactly when, three NASA satellites, each weighing as much as an elephant, will go dark. They are already drifting, slowly losing their height. They’ve been looking after the planet for more than two decades, much longer than anyone expected, helping us predict weather, manage wildfires, track oil… Read More »