Science

When the Hubble Space Telescope finishes observing one galaxy and turns toward another, nothing shoots into space. There is no hydrazine cloud or small rocket hiding behind the solar panels. The maneuver begins with electric motors that change the speed of the metal wheels inside the observatory. This is not simply a fuel saving technique. … Read more

“Crying is predictable. Silence is terrifying”: 911 operators share the calls that seem good at first, but are actually major emergencies buzzfeed.com

IRVINE, California — About 12.5 trillion tons of ice from the Greenland and Antarctic glaciers have melted since 1979, which is enough frozen water to pack ice 5 feet deep across the entire continental United States, according to a major scientific report. Earth’s warming is accelerating the melting of the planet’s two main ice sheets, … Read more

Roman’s first test image shows hundreds of stars as green rings of light. After a few more months of adjustment, it will capture images as sharp as Hubble’s but 100 times larger. (Image credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Tyler Desjardins (STScI)) Quick Facts What it is: Hundreds of stars, captured in the first Nancy … Read more

The way ghostly particles known as neutrinos can change from one type to another could help explain which stars explode and which collapse to form black holes, according to a new study. These new findings could also help explain a number of other cosmic mysteries, such as why astronomers have detected fewer supernovae than expected. … Read more

ATLANTA — If, like Elon Musk, you’ve been dreaming of a future in which large populations of humans can live on the Moon, you’re likely to be disappointed. Although there could be trillions of pounds of water trapped inside tiny glass beads scattered across the lunar surface, scientists estimate this won’t be enough to sustain … Read more

For 10 years, physicist Stephan Schlamminger pursued one of the most stubborn figures in science. Now, after a decade of experiments, corrections, and painstaking analysis, the answer was in a sealed envelope. He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to open it. Schlamminger, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), had spent … Read more

Scientists have built a DNA-powered computer that can perform calculations using billions of molecules in a tiny drop of water. The system leverages the laws of physics to create what scientists describe as a computing system that is more efficient than conventional computers widely used today. Instead of continually using energy to force a calculation … Read more

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope began its journey to the Sun-Earth L2 region with a propellant budget built around uncertainty. The first major test of that reserve has yielded a much better result than the conservative plan. Roman’s team had allocated 441 pounds, or 200 kilograms, of fuel for the first midcourse correction. The … Read more

Los primeros mundos sólidos ensamblados en el Sistema Solar exterior no se limitaron a recopilar una primicia representativa de todo lo que les rodeaba. Un nuevo análisis de meteoritos de hierro carbonoso indica que sus planetesimales originales contenían sólo entre un 8 y un 17 por ciento de una matriz fina y rica en volátiles. … Read more