Nasa's Psyche mission is set for launch – here's how it could unveil the interior secrets of planets

The asteroid is interesting from a scientific perspective as well as a commercial one.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Oct. 12, 2023 ~6 min

The afterglow of an explosive collision between giant planets may have been detected in a far-off star system

The discovery provides a way to study the birth of an entirely new planet in real time.

Zoe Leinhardt, Associate Professor, School of Physics, University of Bristol • conversation
Oct. 11, 2023 ~7 min


A Nasa spacecraft is on course to deliver material from an asteroid to Earth – here's what we could learn

Missions to asteroids are opening up the secrets of the Solar System

Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University • conversation
Sept. 21, 2023 ~8 min

NASA's Mars rovers could inspire a more ethical future for AI

AI poses a variety of ethical conundrums, but the NASA teams working on Mars rovers exemplify an ethic of care and human-robot teamwork that could act as a blueprint for AI’s future.

Janet Vertesi, Associate Professor of Sociology, Princeton University • conversation
Sept. 21, 2023 ~10 min

UFOs: how Nasa plans to get to the bottom of unexplained sightings

The space agency hopes to get to the bottom of the many sightings being reported.

Christopher Pattison, Researcher at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth • conversation
Sept. 19, 2023 ~6 min

Spending time in space can harm the human body − but scientists are working to mitigate these risks before sending people to Mars

Space can damage everything from your cardiovascular and nervous systems to your mental health – long voyages can feel isolating for many.

Rachael Seidler, Professor of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida • conversation
Sept. 19, 2023 ~8 min

NASA report finds no evidence that UFOs are extraterrestrial

Months after a military officer made sensational claims about unexplained objects in the skies, NASA released a report loosely outlining a scientific approach for analyzing UAP reports.

Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona • conversation
Sept. 15, 2023 ~7 min

Heating and cooling space habitats isn't easy -- one engineering team is developing a lighter, more efficient solution

You can’t bring your AC to space, unfortunately, but innovative flow boiling and condensation research might lead to lighter, more efficient heating and cooling on spacecraft.

Issam Mudawar, Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University • conversation
Sept. 14, 2023 ~8 min


Possible hints of life found on distant planet – how excited should we be?

The results are intriguing, but analysing the atmospheres of exoplanets is no easy task.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Sept. 13, 2023 ~7 min

Space junk in Earth orbit and on the Moon will increase with future missions − but nobody's in charge of cleaning it up

Treaties meant to ensure sustainability in space don’t currently regulate private companies, and not every country has signed on to an agreement for sustainable space exploration.

Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona • conversation
Aug. 31, 2023 ~8 min

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