NASA astronaut Don Pettit is showing off his pride and joy: a potato named “Spudnik.”
In their very minimal “free time,” astronauts aboard the International Space Station generally play instruments, make art, take photos, and more. But Pettit spent his time making like Mark Watney in “The Martian,” and growing potatoes in microgravity.
“Recognized by Andy Weir in his book/movie…
A new citizen science project invites the public to scan never-before-seen images from the Euclid Space Telescope in search of galaxies bending spacetime.
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA), the initiative, called Space Warps, uses data from Euclid to crowdsource the…
What is quantum gravity? Scientists think it could explain the beginning of our universe
April 30, 2026
Scientists have redefined gravity to explain the Big Bang and perhaps change our picture of the earliest moments of the cosmos. This new framework of “quantum gravity” may explain aspects of the Big Bang that Albert Einstein’s 1915 theory of gravity, general…
Planets may form more easily around pairs of stars than around single stars like the sun, according to new research.
Binary star systems, in which two stars orbit each other, are common throughout the Milky Way — and, in fact, even our sun may not have always been alone. For decades, astronomers believed such multi-star systems were hostile environments for planet formation, with competing…
Aurora expert captures rare pulsating northern lights in remarkable detail: 'One of the most profound sightings of my career'
April 29, 2026
When Tom Kerss, chief aurora chaser for the Norwegian coastal voyage operator Hurtigruten, was looking back through footage from his latest season of northern lights voyages, he stumbled upon something truly remarkable.
“I’ve been chasing the Northern Lights for more…
By peering through thick veils of gas and dust, radio astronomers have been able to watch young binary stars orbit around one another in the heart of star-forming clouds – and, in the process, have revealed the stars’ masses.
Stars are born in vast clouds of molecular…
Could the moon ever be blockaded? Experts predict cislunar space could be the next Strait of Hormuz
April 29, 2026
The ongoing military conflict regarding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz may well mirror a future situation off-Earth — the use of cislunar space, the region between the moon and our planet. Think blockades, seizing of ships, impacts on the global economy, repercussions in terms of needed resources and markets, from fuel to high-tech semiconductors and production processes. Now turn your attention…
Astrobotic fires next-generation 'rotating detonation rocket engine' in record-breaking test (video)
April 28, 2026
Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic has completed a successful series of hot-fire tests of its rotating detonation rocket engine prototype Chakram, marking a key milestone toward bringing the experimental propulsion technology to flight readiness.
Rotating detonation rocket…
AI image processing has sped up analysis of data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope from years to mere days or less, ushering in an avalanche of ground-breaking discoveries that may otherwise never have been made.
And now, the technology will be used to enhance the…
NASA wants to use a fleet of MoonFall drones to scout the lunar south pole: 'We believe we can do it'
April 28, 2026
Last month, NASA chief Jared Isaacman ripped off the Band-Aid on the space agency’s back-to-the-moon agenda, calling for a large overhaul of NASA’s Artemis Program. One of his announcements was a speedy series of robotic missions to scout, conduct experiments and prepare for surface operations ahead of any “rebooting” of the lunar landscape by astronauts in 2028.
As part of NASA’s…
