SPACEWhile tropical rainforests may be vanishing, a new study led by NASA researchers reveals yet another reason why trees in the tropical rainforest may in fact be man’s best friend.
With greenhouse gas emissions on a constant rise since the dawning of the industrial revolution and the subsequent population growth that followed, researchers in recent years have tried to estimate exactly how much carbon dioxide is actually absorbed by plants to better assess a serious global issue. And in a new NASA-led study, researchers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory were able to combine three different divisions of science to reveal that tropical rainforests may be absorbing far more CO2 than many researchers previously thought, in response to rising atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas.
Knowing the waste associated with space exploration, the millions of dollars invested in early flight stages merely shelled off into space, private-sector rocket company SpaceX has decided to rework how the space exploration game is played. Developing reusable pieces, that if brought back with a spacecraft could be used on yet another mission, the company not only intends to change their role in the rocket industry, but the way our tax dollars are spent as well.
Turn your gazes to the sky overnight to catch a glimpse of the Quandrantid meteor shower. The annual meteor shower radiating from the constellation Boötes, may be difficult for some to see due to a very bright moon or cloud cover this year.
While the near full moon will interfere with the sights in the sky tonight, astronomers say that stargazers will still be able to see the first meteor shower of 2015 this weekend, with the arrival of the “Quadrantids".
NASA's Dawn Spacecraft, launched in 2007, is beginning to make its approach to Ceres, a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt. Dawn's mission will make it the first craft to orbit two bodies in the solar system after spending 14 months studying the protoplanet Vesta.
While their families and colleagues must undoubtedly think about them 24 hours a day, it seems that most residents of Earth never find themselves pondering what life must be like for the elite six astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) just outside our atmosphere. Orbiting the Earth in a giant space-bound laboratory, life can get pretty interesting. And something even as innocuous as the ball drop of a new year can turn into something entirely note-worthy.
Ever wonder why they call space the “final frontier”? Well it isn’t because it’s the last place for us to explore or expand. As it so happens, space is often thought of as the final frontier because most of what leaves our Earth in search of exploration never comes back. In fact, it’s the reason why Mars One’s newest plans for colonization on Mars is only planning one-way trips. But what if we could reuse rockets and reclaim the several-million-dollar investments that our space agencies, and our tax dollars, invest each and every year? Perhaps we’d be able to go in search of far more things. And that’s what private-sector rocket company SpaceX hopes to achieve.
In terms of discoveries and technological advancements, 2014 marked an important year for NASA. In fact the US space agency made huge strides towards its goal of sending astronauts to Mars. And these achievements were reached through a combination of front-line testing and scientific findings, while at the same time examining our own planet and the vast universe around it.
It seems Mars enthusiasts have had some extra time over the holidays to painstakingly exam every image taken by NASA's Curiosity Rover. And what they found is causing quite a stir, and a bit of concern over the Rover's spotty memory as of late. The latest discovery by these enthusiasts looks suspiciously like a coffin resting on Mars surface.
It's been over a decade since The Opportunity, NASA's newest Mars Rover, began scurrying across the planet's surface―and it's showing some signs of its aging.
As NASA contemplates sending man to Venus, to live in a floating civilization above the hostile burning surface, new research reveals that while current surface temperatures soar above a bone-ashing 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures may have once supported some sort of liquid on the surface—but you won’t be able to guess what it is.
On December 23, NASA announced new unfunded partnerships with four U.S. firms to help develop the spaceflight industry. Specifically, these firms will assist with developing new space capabilities for both government and non-government customers. That’s right, these partnerships bring us that much closer to public spaceflight opportunities.
The best place to check out Christmas lights this year is up in the sky. Late Friday afternoon an extremely active area of the sun, known as Active Region2242, erupted in a gigantic solar flare.
Christmas is a time of the year when we can all gather around a warm, natural gas fed fire and talk about what we've all been up-to this past year. But, if you're in space, a fire probably isn't a good idea.