Friday, May 10, 2024

Space & Physics: Will climate change hinder astronomy?

May 9—Could the disruptive effects of climate change stifle plans for future space telescopes? Also, read about future interplanetary helicopters, incandescent exoplanets and much more. Enjoy!

-Lee Billings, Senior Editor, Space and Physics


Has the Last Great Space Observatory Already Launched?

Astronomy's future may be slipping away—one climate disaster at a time

NASA's Plans for Next-Generation Mars Helicopters Are Up in the Air

After the spectacular success of the first-ever "Marscopter," mission planners have soaring ambitions for follow-up flying machines

The Mathematical Case for Monkeys Producing Shakespeare—Eventually

An infinite number of random events can produce just about anything if you have quintillions of years to wait

How to Move the World's Largest Camera from a California Lab to an Andes Mountaintop

A multimillion-dollar digital camera could revolutionize astronomy. But first it needs to climb a mountain halfway around the globe

The Strangest Alien Worlds Are beyond Astronomers' Wildest Dreams

Alien worlds that glow like lightbulbs or harbor molten-rock rain are revealing planets' profound cosmic diversity—and pointing the way toward finding those that truly resemble our own familiar Earth

Meet HELIX, the High-Altitude Balloon That May Solve a Deep Cosmic Mystery

Every now and then, tiny particles of antimatter strike Earth from cosmic parts unknown. A new balloon-borne experiment launching this spring may at last find their source

AI Could Help Find a Solution for String Theory

String theory could provide a theory of everything for our universe—but it entails 10500 (more than a centillion) possible solutions. AI models could help to find the right one

Where Is the Edge of the Solar System?

The solar system's outer limits aren't as clear-cut as you might think

It's Time for a Nature Preserve—On the Moon

The far side of the moon holds the keys to the future of radio astronomy. We must maintain its pristine silence to benefit everyone

Scientist Pankaj

Day in Review: NASA’s EMIT Will Explore Diverse Science Questions on Extended Mission

The imaging spectrometer measures the colors of light reflected from Earth's surface to study fields such as agriculture ...  Mis...