Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System after Mercury . In English, Mars carries a name of the Roman god of war , and is often referred to as the “Red Planet“ because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance that is distinctive among…
The spectacle before us was indeed sublime
Welcome, it’s great to have you here. We know that first impressions are important, so we’ve populated your new site with some initial getting started posts that will help you get familiar with everything in no time. This is the first one! A few things you should know upfront: Ghost is designed for ambitious, professional publishers who…
A meteor shower was observed during last night
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand, so almost…
How we choose to use the Moon
The moon has always served as an inspiration for humanity, and there are many potential benefits for further exploration of our planet’s rocky satellite. But we need to establish guidelines to prevent unethical behavior on the moon, particularly regarding the use of natural resources and off-planet labor. How humans should interact with space and celestial objects is central…
What moon craters can tell us about Earth
Asteroid impacts have a bad reputation here on Earth — it’s the dinosaurs’ signature public relations victory — but it’s the moon that really bears the scars of living in our messy neighborhood. That’s because Earth has an arsenal of forces that slowly wear away the craters left behind by impacts. And that’s frustrating for scientists who…
Scientists found water on Mars surface
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand, so almost…
On Icy Pluto, Volcanoes May Spout Liquid Water
A whiff of ammonia in reddish ices on Pluto may be evidence of recent geological activity on the dwarf planet, with liquid water spewing out from Pluto’s depths like molten lava would on Earth, a new study finds. These findings suggest that Pluto may harbor at least some features favorable to the evolution of life, researchers said. Scientists…
What Are Skyrmions?
A skyrmion can be described as a swirling quasi-particle, a knot of twisting field lines, or a subatomic hurricane. They’re also one of the most difficult physics concepts for humans to understand. That’s because these nano-size disturbances are easiest to describe mathematically and, despite being known about for nearly 60 years, physicists have only recently…
Bringing samples back is a considerable challenge
How can we bring a sample of Mars safely back to Earth? With scientists worldwide curious about the Red Planet’s potential for life, NASA and the European Space Agency are working on a future “sample-return” mission to safely study Mars materials. One possible location for sample hunting could be a Martian spot called Jezero Crater, the…
The Apollo 11 Mission
NASA’s Apollo 11 mission comes to life in 19,000 hours of newly available audio. Over the eight-day, 3-hour Apollo 11 mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins stayed in constant communication with mission control and supporting teams. The back-and-forth conversations, which took place over what are called communication “loops,” were released to the media, because NASA…