Newly discovered asteroid turns out to be Tesla Roadster launched into space

Elon Musk’s sense of humor is out of this world.  Seven years after the SpaceX CEO launched a Tesla Roadster into orbit, astronomers from the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts confused it with an asteroid earlier this month.  A day after the astronomers with the Minor Planet Center registered … Read more

NASA finalizes strategy for human presence in space

This week, NASA finalized its strategy for sustaining a human presence in space. A document emphasized the importance of maintaining the ability for extended stays in orbit after the International Space Station is retired. “NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy will guide the agency toward the next generation of continuous human presence in orbit, enable … Read more

Complete mastodon jaw found in New York homeowner’s backyard: ‘Remarkable discovery’

A homeowner in New York uncovered a complete mastodon jaw in their backyard in what officials are calling a “remarkable discovery.”  The jaw of the extinct mammal, which was similar to an elephant, and several bone fragments were excavated from a property in Scotchtown by researchers from the New York State Museum and SUNY Orange.  “The fossils … Read more

Interstellar Voyager 1 resumes operations after pause in communications with NASA

NASA has confirmed that after a pause in communications with Voyager 1 in late October, the spacecraft has regained its voice and resumed regular operations. Voyager unexpectedly turned off its primary radio transmitter, known as its X-band, before turning on its much weaker S-band transmitter in October. The interstellar spacecraft is currently located about 15.4 … Read more

Earth bids farewell to ‘mini moon’ asteroid set for return visit in 2055

Planet Earth is bidding farewell to a “mini moon,” a harmless asteroid named 2024 PT5, which has been trailing Earth for two months and will leave on Monday, drawn away by the sun’s stronger gravitational pull. First spotted in August, the asteroid began its brief gravitational interaction with Earth in late September. After its departure, … Read more

Glowing sea slug nicknamed ‘mystery mollusk’ discovered in deep ocean

Researchers have discovered a new species of glowing sea slug deep in the ocean’s midnight zone. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) scientists said in a press release on Tuesday that while Bathydevius caudactylus is classified as a sea slug, it was nicknamed the “mystery mollusk” because the creature was unlike any other that’s been encountered … Read more

NASA reconnects with interstellar Voyager 1 spacecraft using technology not used since 1981

After a brief pause in communications with Voyager 1, NASA re-established a connection with the interstellar spacecraft located more than 15 billion miles away from Earth, using a frequency not used more than forty years. Communication between NASA and Voyager 1 has been spotty at times. In fact, the spacecraft stopped sending readable data to … Read more