SCIENCE

Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Space Health: Stranded Astronauts' Long Voyage Raises Concerns

In recent days, a photo of astronaut Sunita Williams has sparked worry about her health. She's been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) along with Barry Wilmore since June, after their Boeing Starliner had technical issues. They were initially supposed to stay for just eight days, but now

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Discovering a Neutron Star Speed Demon

Imagine a star spinning so fast, it completes 716 rotations in a single second. That's what scientists found when they studied a neutron star in a binary system called 4U 1820-30. This dead star, located 26, 000 light-years away, isn't just speedy – it's also explosive. Its surface bursts with therm

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Asteroid Apophis: How Earth's Gravity May Reshape It

Get ready for a cosmic shake-up! In 2029, an asteroid named Apophis will zoom past Earth, and scientists think it might get a makeover. This space rock, named after the Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass within 20, 000 miles of our planet. That's closer than some satellites! While it won't hit Ea

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Dragon's New Job: Moving the Space Station

On Tuesday, a SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS), just under a day after its launch from Florida. This mission, like many before it, delivered around 2, 700 kilograms of supplies and science experiments to the orbiting laboratory. With this voyage, SpaceX

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Mysteries of Cosmic Jets Revealed by NASA's X-ray Telescope

In a surprising discovery, astronomers found that the bright "blobs" within a jet from a nearby black hole seem to speed up when viewed in X-rays compared to radio waves. This intriguing find comes from studying data collected over decades by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The lead researcher, Da

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Mysterious Lights Over Duluth: What Were They?

Last Wednesday night, just before Halloween, Duluth residents spotted an unusual sight in the sky. An object, described as having a green glow, silently moved across the night sky. A video shared by a friend from upper Lincoln Park showed this peculiar event. People took to Reddit to discuss and fig

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

When to Watch: Taurid Meteor Shower's Best Times

You might spot some amazing shooting stars this fall! The Taurid meteor shower will be visible soon. NASA says it's one of the biggest meteor showers, thanks to Comet Encke. This comet left a bunch of space debris behind, and when Earth passes through it, we see a show! The shower has two parts: the

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Wooden Satellite Takes a Trip to Space

Imagine a tiny box made of magnolia wood floating in space. This isn't a fantasy; it's a real experiment! Researchers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry have sent a wooden satellite called LignoSat to the International Space Station (ISS). In about a month, it will be released into space to

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Nov 05 2024SCIENCE

Wood Reaches New Heights: World's First Wooden Satellite Launches from Japan

Have you ever wondered what material could be used to build houses on the moon or Mars? Well, a team from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry has an answer: wood! They've launched the world's first wooden satellite into space to test the idea. The tiny satellite, named LignoSat, is no bigger

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Nov 05 2024SCIENCE

Wood in Space: A New Building Material?

Ever thought of building a house in space? Scientists are now testing if wood can handle the harsh conditions of space. A wooden satellite, named after the Latin word for wood, LignoSat, was recently sent into orbit. It will spend the next six months being exposed to space to see how it holds up. T

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