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FAA initiates environmental impact study for SpaceX Starship launches from Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX’s plans to build a Starship launch complex at Kennedy Space Center are moving closer to reality even as it potentially takes over a launch site from neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

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Tiny satellites can provide significant information about space

CubeSats are satellites constructed of cubic units, or U, a bit smaller than a square tissue box, or about 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) on each side. (A 2U CubeSat, for instance, is about the size of a rectangular tissue box.) Initially developed two decades ago as an inexpensive platform for students to learn about […]

Discovery of biomarkers in space—conditions on Saturn’s moon Enceladus simulated in the laboratory

In 2018, very large organic molecules were discovered in ice particles on Saturn’s moon Enceladus. It is still unclear whether they indicate the existence of life or were created in some other way. A recent study could help to answer this question. It is possible, that conditions that support or maintain life in extraterrestrial oceans […]

Tracing the origins of organic matter in Martian sediments

Although Mars presents a barren, dusty landscape with no signs of life so far, its geological features such as deltas, lakebeds, and river valleys strongly suggest a past where water once flowed abundantly on its surface. To explore this possibility, scientists examine sediments preserved near these formations. The composition of these sediments holds clues about […]

Scientists discover huge magnetic toroids in the Milky Way halo

The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetic fields is a long-standing unsolved question at the frontier of astronomy and astrophysics research and has been selected as one of the key areas of investigation for many major world-class radio telescopes, including the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) under construction. To determine the large-scale magnetic field structures in […]

Raspberry in the sky: Astronomers discover a new supernova remnant candidate

Astronomers from the Western Sydney University in Australia and elsewhere report the detection of a new supernova remnant (SNR) candidate. The newfound SNR candidate, dubbed “Raspberry” due to its morphology, was identified in the near side of the Milky Way’s Scutum-Centaurus Arm. The findings were detailed in the Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society. […]

Student’s comparative analysis of primitive asteroids provides context for further research, future NASA missions

The primitive asteroids that UCF physics doctoral student Brittany Harvison studies carry with them traces of their origins and billions of years of our solar system’s history.

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Anticipating future discoveries: Scientists explore nontrivial cosmic topology

In a new Physical Review Letters (PRL) study, scientists explore the possibility of nontrivial or exotic topologies in the universe for explaining some of the anomalies seen in Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB).

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What deadly Venus can tell us about life on other worlds

Even though Venus and Earth are so-called sister planets, they’re as different as heaven and hell. Earth is a natural paradise where life has persevered under its azure skies despite multiple mass extinctions. On the other hand, Venus is a blistering planet with clouds of sulfuric acid and atmospheric pressure strong enough to squash a […]

Second night of auroras seen ‘extreme’ solar storm

Auroras lit up skies across swaths of the planet for the second night in a row on Saturday, after already dazzling Earthlings from the United States to Tasmania to the Bahamas the day before.

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Solar storm puts on brilliant light show across the globe, but no serious problems reported

A powerful solar storm put on an amazing skyward light show across the globe overnight but has caused what appeared to be only minor disruptions to the electric power grid, communications and satellite positioning systems.

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The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky: How a researcher used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way

What did our ancestors think when they looked up at the night sky? All cultures ascribed special meaning to the sun and the moon, but what about the pearly band of light and shadow we call the Milky Way?

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AI may be to blame for our failure to make contact with alien civilizations

Artificial intelligence (AI) has progressed at an astounding pace over the last few years. Some scientists are now looking towards the development of artificial superintelligence (ASI)—a form of AI that would not only surpass human intelligence but would not be bound by the learning speeds of humans.

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Hubble Space Telescope glimpses spiral galaxy UGC 9684

The celestial object showcased in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is the spiral galaxy UGC 9684, which lies around 240 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. This image shows an impressive example of several classic galactic features, including a clear bar in the galaxy’s center, and a halo surrounding its […]

Image: Bolivian salt lakes from orbit

This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image features salt flats and lakes in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes Mountains.

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