technical updates

Astronomers have taken a fresh look at the famous “Hand of God” pulsar, combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra Observatory with new radio observations from the Australia Telescope Compact Array. At the center is pulsar B1509-58, a rapidly spinning neutron star only about 12 miles wide that powers a nebula stretching 150 light-years across. The strange hand-shaped structure continues to surprise researchers, revealing puzzling filaments, patchy remnants, and boundaries that defy expectations. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/74WpRje

Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowered blood pressure in older adults by reshaping their oral microbiome, according to researchers at the University of Exeter. The study found that beneficial bacteria increased while harmful ones decreased, leading to better conversion of dietary nitrates into nitric oxide—a molecule vital for vascular health. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/YWNRKJE

Mars isn’t the neatly layered world we once imagined — its mantle is filled with ancient, jagged fragments left over from colossal impacts billions of years ago. Seismic data from NASA’s InSight mission revealed that these buried shards, some up to 4 km wide, are still preserved beneath the planet’s stagnant crust, acting as a geological time capsule. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/y4WQMYV

This quiz will challenge your knowledge of Uranus's strange rotation, chilly atmosphere, and curious collection of moons. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/Xz7O5PL

Rocket Lab's new Launch Complex 3 will launch Neutron rockets that can land themselves on land or at sea just like SpaceX rockets. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/KNJxALg

The half-lit moon will appear close to Antares in the constellation Scorpius later this week. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/a2Cyzps

This sneak peek at 'Skin in the Game' is a battle of wits between galactic heavyweights. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/bNz2Ghc

The glacial flood risks that Juneau is now experiencing each summer are becoming a growing problem in communities around the world. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/pfVqWGN

Scientists have retreated to deep beneath the French Alps to broaden the hunt for dark matter particles that could be "WIMPier than WIMPS." from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/TOjaSsE

Altair, Vega and Deneb can be seen shining with the Milky Way throughout August. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/ecYUH23

Academy Award-winning "Star Wars" legend Roger Christian shares how he recreated the vibe of the original 'Alien' film in Hulu's new series 'Alien: Earth.' from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/kXwjdnU

Starship performed very well on its 10th-ever test flight Tuesday (Aug. 27), but SpaceX will soon move on from the shiny silver vehicle —to an even bigger version of it. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/7qZU5Kf

China is going full throttle in its quest to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, notching several important milestones over the past few months. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/qpmw6zO

Europe's JUICE Jupiter probe lost contact with Earth for nearly a full day recently, but the problem was solved in time for its planned Aug. 31 Venus flyby. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/dK9k1BZ

Even if life never took hold on Ceres, the discovery could help broaden the range of environments that could potentially be habitable. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/sgy4BeN

Hulu's hit animated sci-fi show returns Sept. 15 with a 10-episode binge-worthy barrage. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/IkOuazV

Asteroid Ryugu is proving to be one of the most scientifically valuable time capsules in the solar system. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/sALHvVR

SpaceX scrubbed the planned 10th test flight of its Starship megarocket for the second day in a row today (Aug. 25), this time because of some uncooperative clouds. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/iNHenOk

Lucasfilm unveiled a sneak peek at Volume 3 of "Star Wars: Visions" that hints at something new coming from a galaxy far, far away. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/apiT3qy

The opinion opens a door for future claims by countries seeking reparations for climate-related harm. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/XepdKM6

Scientists using NASA's Juno spacecraft have discovered a new plasma wave in Jupiter's auroras, offering fresh insight into space weather and magnetism. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/6y3ifKm

NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which is headed toward a big and bizarre metal asteroid, has delivered a stunning perspective of our home planet from deep space. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/px6z1Xq

A Rochester team engineered a new type of solar thermoelectric generator that produces 15 times more power than earlier versions. By enhancing heat absorption and dissipation rather than tweaking semiconductor materials, they dramatically improved efficiency and demonstrated practical applications like powering LEDs. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/OhGnA8u

SpaceX scrubbed the planned 10th test flight of its Starship megarocket today (Aug. 24), citing a problem with ground systems at its Starbase site in South Texas. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/zTVGM03

Astronomers have detected the closest and brightest fast radio burst ever recorded, a dazzling signal from a galaxy just 130 million light-years away. The extraordinary flash, nicknamed RBFLOAT, outshone every other radio source in its galaxy for a split second, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study these mysterious cosmic outbursts in unprecedented detail. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/iYrCgMz

Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into everyday foods. Human trials are now underway. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/52DHsEo

Too much salt may inflame the brain, triggering hormones that push blood pressure higher. Scientists found this pathway could explain why many patients resist current hypertension drugs, pointing toward the brain as a new treatment target. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/mtWhUVa

A galaxy in the early universe was rich with oxygen, astronomers have found. The discovery raises questions about how early life could have first appeared in the universe. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/mgt7r8c

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday (Aug. 22), sending 24 of the company's Starlink broadband satellites to orbit. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/pYFvIJW

SpaceX has moved its giant Super Heavy booster to the launch pad ahead of Sunday's (Aug. 24) planned liftoff of the Starship megarocket. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/6NsVF8e

A weird and extremely violent new type of supernova in which a massive star was "stripped to the bone," offers a rare glimpse of the interior of a massive star prior to its death. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/v9GI5ou

Some stars in the universe grow to 300 times larger our own sun. But how do they get so big, and how do they sustain their mass? from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/9GgbtF6

Studying the signals that humanity beams through the solar system has allowed a team of NASA researchers to pinpoint where and when astronomers should hunt for alien technosignatures. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/kYwI7nv

Join us as director Valerie Weiss breaks down this 'Trekiest' episode of the sci-fi series yet. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/nLFsT79

Chappell Roan mentioned Canada's Saskatchewan just days before Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park hosts a "star party" festival in its dark-sky park. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/6hzMaPZ

Battlestar Galactica meets FTL in this just-announced "story-rich tactical roguelite" from the makers of Crying Suns. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/fnJ97wG

A distant galaxy nicknamed "Cosmic Grapes" is bursting with massive star-forming clumps — far more than expected — offering fresh clues about how galaxies grew in the early universe. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/FtdR0yT

Astronomers have learned how to find supernova explosions in their earliest stages, giving us an unprecedented look at how these stars blow up. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/scbGYrQ

We chatted to Moleskine President Ward Simmons about their new NASA-inspired notebook collection. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/4kNVCW8

Portugal's space ambitions grow as Atlantic Spaceport Consortium secures approval to operate the nation's first launch center in the mid-Atlantic from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/0NMcXIx

Two Chinese astronauts spent more than six hours outside the Tiangong space station on Friday (Aug. 15), installing a debris shield on the third spacewalk of the Shenzhou 20 mission. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/XKUP9MY

Mercury is farthest from the sun in Earth's morning sky on Aug. 19. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/fL45RpP

A panel of judges has selected the 25 finalists in NASA and Freelancer's global contest to design a plush "zero-g indicator" to fly to the moon with the agency's Artemis 2 astronauts. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/1PrhoRC

Rising CO₂ levels will make the upper atmosphere colder and thinner, altering how geomagnetic storms impact satellites. Future storms could cause sharper density spikes despite lower overall density, increasing drag-related challenges. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/OWbdv5w

The effects of Earth's changing climate is driving up the number of legal suits related to environmental issues from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/YDJ8fXH

Google and NASA are trialing an AI-powered medical assistant that could help astronauts care for themselves when mission control is out of reach. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/N05suQi

Researchers have unveiled a new quantum material that could make quantum computers much more stable by using magnetism to protect delicate qubits from environmental disturbances. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on rare spin-orbit interactions, this method uses magnetic interactions—common in many materials—to create robust topological excitations. Combined with a new computational tool for finding such materials, this breakthrough could pave the way for practical, disturbance-resistant quantum computers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/bchrzjp

Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket will launch NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission no earlier than (NET) Sep. 29. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/pgfhxye

NASA has awarded $1.4 million to six companies, to further their ideas about how to get vehicles farther into space cheaply and efficiently. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/OW6VYFb

Russia is readying its Bion-M No. 2 biosatellite for a planned Aug. 20 launch. The mission will send 75 mice and other specimens on a monthlong mission to Earth orbit. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/UAILGuP

Unexpected X-ray polarization challenges long-held ideas about how black holes behave. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/RniYEwO

In this quiz, you’ll explore the weird, wonderful, and sometimes surprising world of space cuisine. Can you tell which foods have actually made it to orbit? from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/krjlOtN

Recently, acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy reportedly suggested a U.S. reactor would be operational on the moon by 2030. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/jMg0hYz

The four spacecraft of NASA's PUNCH mission have successfully locked in place in Earth orbit. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/maQn2uq

As another world around TRAPPIST-1 shows no signs of an atmosphere, astronomers urge us not to give up hope for an Earth-like atmosphere on one of the other worlds in the system. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/9c7jO0N

Scientists have developed a lightning-fast AI tool called HEAT-ML that can spot hidden “safe zones” inside a fusion reactor where parts are protected from blistering plasma heat. Finding these areas, known as magnetic shadows, is key to keeping reactors running safely and moving fusion energy closer to reality. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/cbng4UX

A Long March 5B rocket launched the eighth batch of satellites for China's Guowang broadband network on Wednesday (Aug. 13). It was the fourth Guowang launch in less than three weeks. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/HrOLDaC

This quiz tests your knowledge of which female astronauts broke barriers and reached for the stars. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/Z81SCPU

NASA's Orion spacecraft for the crewed Artemis 2 mission to fly astronauts around the moon is all fueled up and going through final preparations to ready the vehicle for stacking with its SLS rocket. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/L8m0pu3

To celebrate Alien: Earth landing on Hulu, we asked a zoologist if any of the Xenomorph's infamous characteristics occur in the natural world from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/yXPITev

The company is also looking at using its mothership aircraft that releases spacecraft at high altitude as a carrier platform for other customers. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/n9tlkZ0

With just one year until the total solar eclipse of 2026, we take a look at everything you need to know for the ultimate eclipse adventure. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/oaVbJRD

Marine protected areas cover more than 8% of the world's oceans today, but they can get a bad rap as being protected on paper only. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/ymo8RLt

Scotland-based Skyrora has received the first U.K.-issued vertical launch license for a homegrown company, enabling rocket launches from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/AzOCP4i

"This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough". from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/unJdQlR

Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered dormant galaxies with a wide range of masses in the first billion years after the Big Bang, moving one step closer to understanding how early galaxies grow. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/WgnxAHw

This chunky star projector is a good choice for kids thanks to its low price and easy-to-use functions. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/uTa3H0K

ETH Zurich researchers levitated a nano glass sphere cluster with record-setting quantum purity at room temperature, avoiding costly cooling. Using optical tweezers, they isolated quantum zero-point motion, paving the way for future quantum sensors in navigation, medicine, and fundamental physics. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/B1VX62C

The rate of human-produced light is increasing in the night sky by as much as 10% per year, making it difficult for astronomers to study the night sky. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/z2hlEZN

Twin orbs of superhot plasma at the Milky Way's center known as the "Fermi bubbles" contain inexplicable clouds of cold hydrogen, new research reveals. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/awtj9Vp

Spot Saturn near the moon on Aug. 11! See them with the naked eye and learn what to expect through a telescope. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/TW0NkhD

Paramount’s hit sci-fi horror franchise returns in 2027 with more ultrasonic alien invaders. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/hrUeWKi

The techniques used to target the asteroids could also be employed in tracking hazardous asteroids and interstellar objects. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/Kh9e6vV

A newfound supermassive black hole from the dawn of the universe challenges how early cosmic giants formed. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/ZphNoDP

A bold new proposal envisions launching laser-propelled nanocraft to a nearby black hole to test Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/eKfShLq

China conducted takeoff and touchdown tests with its "Lanyue" moon lander on Aug. 6, 2025, as it prepares to launch a crewed lunar mission by 2030. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/mC7hs52

No, it's probably not the de-specialized edition, but Disney could surprise the 'Star Wars' faithful when the rerelease drops in theaters in 2027. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/I8Rsci9

Four robots recently took to Mars-like terrain, including a cave system, during an epic experiment involving a NASA astronaut in space. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/c5goqHE

Today's encryption works well, until tomorrow's quantum computers arrive. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/kESN8KH

A picturesque Scottish peninsula immortalized in a hit Paul McCartney song from the 1970s will host a new U.K. rocket development hub. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/enty50c

United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch its first-ever national security mission on Aug. 12, if all goes according to plan. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/QTPtDgz

Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy says his plan to put a nuclear reactor on the moon is part of his plain to "get there first and claim that for America." from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/FxgzP3W

NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $176.7 million contract to deliver a pair of rovers and three scientific instruments to the moon's south pole. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/n0uteRv

NASA is accelerating its plans for a nuclear reactor on the moon, aiming to establish such a power outpost by 2030, according to Politico. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/LxGhnrB

NASA has stopped trying to revive its Lunar Trailblazer moon orbiter, which went dark a day after its Feb. 26 launch. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/opElCZq

The Japanese space-sustainability company Astroscale has unveiled a patent for what it describes as a new method for space debris removal. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/nTQEB7O

NASA is calling on the public to help shape the future of lunar exploration by designing the next generation of wheels capable of navigating the moon's harsh terrain. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/BZrMlt6

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft successfully tested its ice-penetrating radar system during a close flyby of Mars earlier this year. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/GbwQRPk

Space hurricanes can shake Earth's magnetic field and scramble satellites without a solar storm in sight. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/ORFKSd2

Rocket Lab will launch its fifth mission for the Japanese Earth-imaging company iQPS tonight (Aug. 4), and you can watch it live. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/tIYD6Z0

A strange shift in Earth's rotation is making our days milliseconds shorter — and scientists are racing to understand why. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/euspD2M

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 28 Starlink satellites from Florida's Space Coast early Monday morning (Aug. 4), then came back to Earth for a landing on a ship at sea. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/hwCVAQz

From acid-taming ocean tech to coral breeding and seaweed farming, ocean-based climate interventions are ramping up fast. But a new international study warns we’re moving too quickly—and without solid governance, these quick fixes could cause more harm than healing. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Xtq46Af

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will launch Justin Sun, the billionaire founder of the blockchain platform Tron, and five other people to space today. Here's how to watch it live. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/JGiFDSd

Physicists at MIT recreated the double-slit experiment using individual photons and atoms held in laser light, uncovering the true limits of light’s wave–particle duality. Their results proved Einstein’s proposal wrong and confirmed a core prediction of quantum mechanics. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/SbLfz0G

The four astronauts of SpaceX's Crew-11 mission will arrive at the International Space Station around 3 a.m. EDT on Saturday (Aug. 2), and you can watch the action live. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/UGKX9pH

Ax-4 commander Peggy Whitson just extended her American duration record on the International Space Station. She also served as coach to the three rookie astronauts who flew with her. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/1AxE0b2

SpaceX just launched the Crew-11 astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA — along with an interesting bacterial experiment. from Latest from Space.com https://ift.tt/owp19vZ