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The familiar sight of craters on the moon and in photographs of Mars gives rise to an important question in the world of astronomy: why doesn’t Earth have dozens of impact craters, too? What causes scars to be left behind on other worlds, but not the Earth? The key lies in geological processes...

There’s a lot of tech in the world for us to be excited about. Cell phones, refrigerators, cars, virtual reality...it has all changed the way we live our lives. One development that has an even bigger effect on us and deserves more attention is the particle accelerator. Imagine slamming things...

Of all the research institutes in the world, CERN just might have the biggest international reputation. It serves as a testament to what happens when countries come together to advance science. Spanning between the borders of France and Switzerland is the Large Hadron Collider, a...

Planetariums are wonderful places to experience space while staying here on Earth. For those who have never been able to see the full beauty of the stars (thanks a lot, light pollution) it can be simply mesmerizing. Several planetariums dot the country, but a few stand out from the rest. These...

Science, without a doubt, rules. Or at least, that’s what those of us who grew up with Bill Nye the Science Guy learned when we were young. Science opens up the possibilities and lets us see the world for what it truly is: amazing! If you’re jonesing for a TV show that embraces science in all...

We spend most of our lives only thinking Earth thoughts. What do I want to be when I grow up? Where will I live? What do I want to eat for breakfast? This isn’t surprising, given that we’ve created such complex and involved lives and societies on our planet. There’s enough down here to keep us...

Humans love photography. Maybe it’s because moments are fleeting and we want to hold onto them in some way, or maybe we just love the beauty of a landscape photo or the joy of a child smiling. Whatever the reason, we take pictures of everything under the sun. But what about beyond the sun...

From the wheel to the cotton gin, there have been dozens of inventions over the decades that have changed humankind for good. One that has propelled us to new heights, both literally and figuratively, is the rocket. As we understand more about space travel, we make small changes here and there...

There’s no denying that the moon landing was an impactful and significant event in human history. When the first astronauts stood on a chunk of rock that none of our kind had ever touched before, we began to wonder if there really are any limits to what we can achieve. What’s even more amazing...

If you’re a fan of the scientific method, you probably rely on scientists to be able to interpret data and come to the conclusions that not only matter, but make sense. But why can’t we be the ones to draw conclusions? Why can’t each one of us read the facts for ourselves and decide, based on...

Life in space is pretty similar to life on Earth, other than the lack of gravity, the need for constant exercise to avoid bone decay, artificial atmosphere, and one heck of a view. Okay, so maybe it isn’t all that similar, but astronauts are still humans, even when they’re doing things most...

There are tons of programs you can find online that teach you how to train like an Olympic athlete, ballerina, pro wrestler, and just about any other extremely fit individual you can think of. But you know who goes through rigorous, challenging, and even dangerous training to be in top shape for...

The Earth rotates on its axis at a rate of 1,000 miles per hour at the equator. This rotation results in our 24 hour day. It’s fairly consistent, and we rely on it to run our daily lives and societies. Venus, on the other hand, is not quite so consistent. At varying times in its orbit, it spins...

You know what they say: new year, new astronomical opportunities! If you missed out on some of the best meteor showers and space anomalies of 2019, it’s not too late to get prepared for 2020! Here’s what’s coming up this year and where: 1. Occultation is set to happen on February 18th in...

Space is daunting, dangerous, and even lethal...at least for humans. But did you know that some bacteria can happily survive and even thrive in space? That’s right, bacteria don’t just stand up against the most extreme locations on planet Earth. They’ve also been known to cling onto spaceships...

Someday, we’re going to have humans on Mars. At this point, it’s almost inevitable. That’s why innovative companies are coming up with the amazing technology we’re going to need in order to survive. One very important consideration is shelter. How are we going to ensure we have somewhere to get...

Landing is always the scariest and most challenging part of any space mission. Dozens upon dozens of failed descents serve as a reminder of just what we’re up against and how difficult it is to prepare for the unknown or unexpected. For the Mars 2020 mission, we’re facing extremes like never...

Space probes have taken us as far as the edge of our solar system, given us up-close glimpses of the incredible gas giants, and set the stage for future missions on planets like Mars. The existence of this kind of technology is made all the more astounding when you remember that the first space...

In case you haven’t heard, we’re headed for Mars again. And while we’ve already sent a few rovers that survived far longer than anyone expected, it’s time to get some new tech out there to continue making incredible discoveries. The Mars 2020 rover comes with an updated design, new tools, and a...

In 2012, NASA made an exciting announcement; we’re going to Mars. Again. This time, we’re bringing even more sophisticated technology and gadgets to help us discover the secrets of Mars while we’re still millions of miles away. The mission, known as Mars 2020, will hopefully give us even more...