Deinococcus radiodurans and the Spaceflight Question Hidden in a Bacterium
A famously tough bacterium points toward the biological imagination needed for surviving radiation beyond Earth.
Space Science
24posts
Between Zero and Infinity: How We Reason About Life in the Universe
The search for alien life is not just an engineering problem; it is also a lesson in reasoning under deep uncertainty.
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: Assembly Complete and Eyes on the Sky
Roman’s completed assembly brings NASA closer to a telescope built to widen our view of planets, galaxies, and dark energy.
Why Do Reflecting Telescopes on Earth Use Lasers?
Those lasers above observatories are not for show; they are tools for correcting the atmosphere’s restless distortion.
The Universe in Silico: Euclid’s Flagship 2 Simulation and the Philosophy of Cosmic Models
Euclid’s massive simulation shows how cosmology increasingly depends on models that are both mathematical instruments and philosophical claims.
Comet 3I/ATLAS: Interstellar Visitor, Not Alien Invader
Comet 3I/ATLAS is exotic enough without aliens, offering a rare glimpse of material from another star system.
Rubin Observatory’s Eye on the Sky: Halos, Spikes, and Asteroid Trails in a Cosmic Light Show
Rubin Observatory’s first views show a sky full of beauty, artifacts, and moving objects waiting to be discovered.
Mission 2024 YR4: Saving Earth (or Just Having a Cosmic Road Trip) with JPL’s Mission Design Tool
A hypothetical asteroid mission turns into a guided tour of how engineers plan planetary defense before panic begins.
The Wolfram Physics Project: Ambition, Innovation, and Questions of Power Dynamics
Stephen Wolfram’s physics project is ambitious and provocative, raising questions about insight, authority, and scientific persuasion.
The Astronomical Adventures of Santa Claus: A Scientific Investigation into Christmas
Santa’s impossible journey becomes a playful excuse to examine astronomy, timing, and the physics of holiday magic.
The Ultimate Guide to Star Naming: From Scientific Catalogs to Space Romance
Star naming sits between romance and reality, where official catalogs and sentimental certificates tell very different stories.
The Critical Fight to Save Hubble and Chandra: Why NASA's Great Observatories Matter More Than Ever
Hubble and Chandra still matter because some observatories become irreplaceable long after their launch dates fade.
The Future of Space Telescopes: Embracing Soft and Liquid Structures
Soft and liquid telescope structures may sound strange, but they could solve problems rigid hardware cannot.
Solar Sailing: Mastering the Cosmic Currents
Solar sailing turns sunlight into propulsion, offering a quiet and elegant way to cross enormous distances.
Determining Distances in Space: A Comprehensive Analysis
Measuring cosmic distances requires a ladder of clever methods, each extending our reach beyond direct intuition.
The Sun: Our Fiery Neighbor and the Quest to Peek Inside Its Blazing Secrets
Studying the Sun means sending machines toward a star that is both familiar, dangerous, and still deeply mysterious.
The Dusty Chronicles: From Stardust to Moon Dust and Martian Mayhem
Dust links comets, moons, Mars, and spacecraft trouble in ways that are messy, beautiful, and surprisingly consequential.
Planet Hunting 101: A Cosmic Game of Hide and Seek (Magratheans Need Not Apply)
Finding planets around other stars is a detective game built from tiny dimmings, wobbles, and patient inference.
Asteroid Mining: The Gold Rush of the Future?
Asteroid mining promises vast resources, but the real challenge is turning celestial abundance into usable economics.
Deciphering Alien Messages: The Interplay of Science, Cinema, and Human Pattern Recognition
Alien messages reveal as much about human pattern-seeking as they do about any imagined intelligence sending them.
The Carrington Event: A Glimpse into a Solar Storm's Impact on Earth
The Carrington Event remains a warning from the Sun about how vulnerable modern technology could be.
Carl Sagan: The Visionary Voice on Climate Change and the Legacy of the "Pale Blue Dot"
Carl Sagan’s climate warnings and cosmic perspective still challenge how we think about Earth’s fragility.
The Subtle Dance with Relativity in Space Travel
Relativity is not just a science-fiction flourish; even practical space travel brushes against its subtle effects.
Radiation Exposure in Space Travel: Risks and Remedies for the Journey to Moon and Mars
Radiation is one of the hardest barriers to deep-space travel, demanding shields, strategy, and biological realism.