Europe’s space chief says cooperation with Russia will continue, but experts aren’t so sure

Business with Russia continues as usual amid the escalating situation in Ukraine, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) chief said on Friday (Feb. 25). But it’s unclear if the partnership can survive Russia’s recent aggression, experts say. On Friday, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher released a statement via Twitter addressing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and … Read more

Real shooting stars exist, but they aren’t the streaks you see in a clear night sky

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Idan Ginsburg, Academic Faculty in Physics & Astronomy, Georgia State University “I see thy glory like a shooting star.” So says the Earl of Salisbury as he ruminates about the future in Shakespeare’s “Richard II.” Shooting stars — … Read more

Vast Majority of People With Depression Aren’t Getting Treatment, Global Review Finds

Depression has become a leading cause of disability worldwide with no signs of slowing down. By 2030, the World Health Organization predicts the disorder could be the main contributor to the global burden of disease.   Even though we now have some effective treatments for depression, including medications and psychological interventions, medical care remains woeful … Read more

Uranus And Neptune Aren’t The Same Color. A New Study Could Finally Explain Why

Uranus and Neptune are the most twin-like of all the planets in the Solar System. They are almost the same size and mass, have similar compositions and structures, even similar rotation rates.   Which makes one glaring difference quite perplexing. Neptune is a fetching shade of azure, with visible swirling storms. Uranus is more of … Read more

Brazil’s science budget is rebounding. So why aren’t scientists celebrating? | Science

Scientists in Brazil started 2022 with a piece of good news. This year’s federal research budget is more than double last year’s—a major turnaround after 7 years of steep cuts. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will have about 6.9 billion reais ($1.27 billion) for discretionary investments this year, a 110% increase from 2021, … Read more

Infamous Mars meteorite contains organic molecules, but they aren’t proof of life

Organic molecules found in a Mars meteorite that crash-landed on Earth are not signs of life, but instead formed in chemical reactions between water and rock on the Red Planet about 4 billion years ago, a new study finds. These findings could shed light on the origins of the building blocks of life on early … Read more

Hangover Cures Aren’t Supported by Scientific Evidence, Scientists Say

If a hangover is an experience you’re familiar with, then you might have your own go-to hangover cure to try and get yourself back from that painful, zombie-fied state. However, we have bad news: new research suggests that most of these cures don’t have any solid science behind them.   Through a review of 21 … Read more

The Tiny Dots in This Image Aren’t Stars or Galaxies. They’re Black Holes

The image above may look like a fairly normal picture of the night sky, but what you’re looking at is a lot more special than just glittering stars. Each of those white dots is an active supermassive black hole.   And each of those black holes is devouring material at the heart of a galaxy … Read more

Why Aren’t All Calories Created Equal? A Dietitian Explains

A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, at least from a thermodynamic standpoint. It’s defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius (2.2 pounds by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).   But when it comes to health and your body’s energy balance, not all … Read more

Rocket scientists aren’t any smarter than the rest of us, science says

The phrase “It’s not rocket science” is commonly used to describe tasks that aren’t difficult or complicated. But are rocket scientists really smarter than everyone else? That was a vital question that researchers sought to answer in a new study published in the annual light-hearted Christmas issue of the high-profile medical journal BMJ; the study … Read more