Science

The Lab-Leak Hypothesis Made It Harder for Scientists to Seek the Truth

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Whenever scientific findings threaten people’s sense of control over their lives, conspiracy theories are never far behind. The emergence of novel viruses is no exception. New pathogens have always been accompanied by conspiracy theories about their origin. These claims are often exploited and amplified—and sometimes even created—by political actors. In the 1980s the Soviet KGB … Read more

12 amazing photos from the Perseverance rover’s 1st year on Mars

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(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Seán Doran) NASA’s Perseverance rover has now been exploring Mars for a full year, and it has captured some amazing photos during that stretch. The car-sized Perseverance rover touched down inside the Red Planet’s 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. The rover is searching for signs of past Mars life … Read more

1 year later, Ingenuity helicopter still going strong on Mars

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NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity was supposed to be a museum piece by now. The little chopper landed with NASA’s Perseverance rover on the floor of Jezero Crater one year ago today (Feb. 18), tasked with showing that aerial exploration is possible on Mars despite the planet’s thin atmosphere. Ingenuity did just that over the course … Read more

After a year on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover is on course for big discoveries

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The Perseverance rover’s second year on Mars should be even more action-packed than the first. The car-sized Perseverance rover landed inside the Red Planet’s Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021, tasked with searching for signs of ancient Mars life and collecting dozens of samples for future return to Earth. The 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero is … Read more

‘Space Force’ returns to Netflix for a 2nd season of high-flying hilarity

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Science fiction comedy is a television sub-genre that’s getting more and more popular. For example, we now have “The Orville,” “Resident Alien,” “Red Dwarf” and even “Avenue 5.”  “Star Trek” even experimented in this arena with the epic “Short Trek” episode “The Trouble With Edward.” And now, thankfully, we also have “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” … Read more

When the next interstellar object comes, James Webb Space Telescope will be there to study it

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The next time a space rock races through our solar system from beyond, humans will be a little more prepared to unlock its secrets. To date, astronomers have identified two interstellar objects that came from other neighborhoods and rushed through the solar system. In 2017, there was ‘Oumuamua, and in 2018, Borisov followed, giving scientists … Read more

Holographic Camera Instantly Peeks around Obstacles

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A new imaging technique might one day help physicians peer into human tissue and behind bones, let mechanics inspect moving machinery such as airplane turbines for tiny defects, or enable automated vehicles to see through dense fog or around blind corners. A study detailed in Nature Communications shows how the process, called synthetic wavelength holography, … Read more

Behold, This Is The First Asteroid Ever Discovered to Have Three Moons

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An asteroid discovered in the 19th century has just been identified as the most crowded we’ve ever found. It’s called 130 Elektra, or just Elektra for short, and astronomers have just discovered that it has not one, nor two, but three smaller satellite companions, or moons. That not only makes it the most numerous asteroid … Read more