From Earthquakes to Orbital Debris Instruments built to detect earthquakes are now helping scientists solve a growing problem far above Earth. Seismometers, normally used to pinpoint tremors deep underground, are being repurposed to track pieces of human made objects that fall from orbit back to the planet. These objects range from small fragments to large spacecraft components, some of which…
Europa’s Promise as a Potential Home for Life Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, has long been considered one of the most promising places beyond Earth to search for extraterrestrial life. Beneath its fractured, icy surface lies a vast ocean of liquid water, believed to contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. This hidden sea, shielded by a…
A Rare Type of Earthquake Emerges in Antarctica Scientists have identified hundreds of previously undetected glacial earthquakes in Antarctica, revealing a hidden source of seismic activity linked to the continent’s most unstable glaciers. Glacial earthquakes are a distinct class of seismic events that occur when massive icebergs break away from the front of a glacier and capsize into the ocean.…
A Full Moon That Stands Out The first full moon of the year arrives with unusual intensity as the wolf supermoon, a lunar event tied to mid winter traditions and named for the historic association with howling wolves across North America. This full moon is also a supermoon, meaning it appears slightly larger and brighter than an average full moon…
Far above Earth, astronauts living aboard the International Space Station are finding creative ways to celebrate the Christmas season despite being separated from home. As the station circles the planet thousands of times each year, crew members have decorated their orbital home with familiar holiday symbols, creating a sense of warmth and togetherness in an environment defined by technology, routine…
A Quiet Finale to the Meteor Calendar The Ursid meteor shower, the last major celestial event of the year, is set to peak during the longest nights of winter, offering sky-watchers in the Northern Hemisphere a subtle but meaningful display. While the Ursids are far less prolific than more famous meteor showers, they hold a special place on the astronomical…
A Fresh Look at Titan’s Hidden Layers Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has long intrigued scientists because of signs pointing to a vast subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. Earlier interpretations of data from NASA’s Cassini mission suggested that Titan’s interior was largely liquid, a conclusion based on how much the moon flexes under Saturn’s gravitational pull. A new scientific analysis…
