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…
Continue readingWhat 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…
Continue readingBringing 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…
Continue readingThe 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…
Continue readingMilky Way Galaxy
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter between 150,000 and 200,000 light-years (ly). It is estimated to contain 100–400 billion stars and more than 100 billion…
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