Science

When the Aztecs experienced a total solar eclipse, the wailing began. After all, the moon had eclipsed the almighty sun, transforming it into an ominous onyx eye. Then there were a tumult and disorder. All were disquieted, unnerved, frightened. There was weeping. The common folk raised a cry, lifting their voices, making a great din,...

Millions of people made pilgrimage to the cities within the total solar eclipse track today, praying for clear skies at the moment the moon would briefly evict the sun from the heavens.  But a few shadow chasers didn’t want to risk the April showers, and instead booked a flight that all but promised an unobstructed...

The rare total solar eclipse packed an extra punch. During totality — when the moon completely blocked the sun — millions could see our star’s glowing, ghostly corona, or outer atmosphere. It’s a sight we almost never witness due to the sun’s blinding light. Yet during the few minutes or so of this cosmic event,...

In a world of hype, a total solar eclipse cannot be overhyped. “On a scale of one to ten, a partial eclipse is a seven,” Terry Virts, a former NASA astronaut who experienced his first total eclipse (from down on Earth) in 2017, told Mashable. “And a total eclipse is a million.” (A partial eclipse...

The mountains of the ocean teem with otherworldly life. A deep sea expedition along an expansive underwater ridge, focused on the area around Rapa Nui (Easter Island), spotted some 160 species never found before in this remote marine realm, including 60 species scientists think are completely new to science. A major goal of this mission...

As the weather warms up, the late April light show that is the Lyrid meteor shower is many people’s opportunity to dust off their stargazing blankets (not to mention their favorite hot beverage containers) and get back to looking up at the night sky in 2024. Renewed fascination in the heavenly spheres stimulated by the...

Until 2024, our lunar neighbor didn’t offer much in the way of reading material.  Just four sentences were etched on old NASA landers, two on Apollo 11 and two on Apollo 17, both with Richard Nixon’s signature. Other visible words include a memorial to fallen astronauts and logos on equipment (including Alan Sheperd’s golf balls)....

Many people associate NASA with exploring new worlds in space, but few know it’s also finding new microscopic ecosystems right here. Years ago, Kasthuri Venkateswaran, a scientist who decontaminates spacecraft bound for Mars, found a curious microorganism on the end of his swab. The bacteria, which he named bacillus pumilus, was so resilient, the usual...

Next year, NASA will blast astronauts back to the moon. This is their 21st-century ride. The European Space Agency — which helped build the Orion spacecraft that will carry four passengers — just posted an image of the tall vehicle before it was transferred to a test chamber for exposure to extreme, space-like environs. “At...

With its plan to return samples from Mars in jeopardy, NASA is now making a desperate plea for outside help to save the costly and complex mission. NASA administrator Bill Nelson and the agency’s head of science, Nikki Fox, announced Monday they will seek suggestions from the greater space industry with a formal request for...