A rogue rocket is on course to crash into the moon. It won’t be the first.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Alice Gorman, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University In a few weeks’ time, a rocket launched in 2015 is expected to crash into the moon. The fast-moving piece of space junk is the upper stage … Read more

COVID Smell Loss and Long COVID Linked to Inflammation

An impaired sense of smell affects from about 30 to 75 percent of people infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a recent estimate, suggesting that millions of people worldwide have suffered this condition at some point in the past two years. Called anosmia, the olfactory system dysfunction is typically temporary, but it can take months … Read more

Russia wants to speed up space station cargo deliveries with shorter, one-orbit flights

Roscosmos wants to speed up its deliveries to the International Space Station. The Russian space agency released a proposal to allow its Progress cargo ships to arrive in a single orbit, which would mean stuff would arrive at the orbiting complex only two hours after launch, the agency said. A statement on Roscosmos’ website says … Read more

Turbulence Equations Discovered after Century-Long Quest

Since at least the 1920s, scientists have been puzzled by the turbulence that arises when a liquid hits a wall. For instance, what happens when water violently sloshes against the side of a pool or when crude oil hits the inside of a pipeline? At long last, researchers have discovered equations that describe the intricacies … Read more

Astronomers Join Forces to Push Back Against Satellite ‘Pollution’ Ruining The Skies

The number of active satellites in the night sky has more than doubled since 2019 – from around 2,200 to 5,000. That is mostly due to Starlink, a SpaceX project aimed at providing internet anywhere in the world through ‘mega-constellations’ of satellites.   Since it began, Starlink has launched over 2,000 satellites. Unfortunately, the thousands of … Read more

Mysterious Syndrome Turning Sea Stars Into Goo Reveals Another Strange Twist

As we battle against our own pandemic, sea stars are being killed in the millions by a horrible condition that melts them into a sickly goo. Sadly, there’s no straightforward way to help these animals, such as protecting them with a vaccine, so conservation biologists have been desperately trying to find another way.   In … Read more

Mountain-Sized Rock Hidden Underneath Japan Could Be a Magnet For Megaquakes

A mountain-sized mass of igneous rock beneath the coast of southern Japan could be acting as a sort of magnet or lightning rod for huge earthquakes. According to a new 3D visualization of the feature, known as the Kumano Pluton, the tectonic energy from megaquakes seems to be diverted to several points along its side. … Read more

‘Treasure Map’ Predicts The Hiding Places of 300,000 Meteorites Across Antarctica

Although meteorites are known to fall all over the world, the environment and unique processes in Antarctica make them somewhat easier to find on the pristine, snowy landscape. Still, collecting meteorites in Antarctica is physically grueling and hazardous work.   But what if there was a “treasure map” which showed the most probable places to … Read more

You Shouldn’t Let Your Dog Do Its Business Wherever It Wants in Nature. Here’s Why

Domestic dogs are fertilizing the green spaces where they regularly poop and pee, and not in a good way. Even in nature reserves where dogs are supposed to be kept on leash, a new study in Belgium shows our pets’ droppings are a major disturbance to wildlife.   Each year, researchers estimate the paths that run … Read more