Science discoveries, space exploration and research news
Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have discovered what is triggering repeated outbursts from a giant, unstable star located in the galaxy shown in this image released on Nov. 9, 2026. The volatile star, known as AT 2016blu, is in the spiral galaxy NGC 4559, located about 30 million light-years from Earth. Astronomers estimate the…
Astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. orbited Earth from November 11 to 15, 1966, on Gemini XII, the final mission of NASA’s Gemini program. In addition to successfully completing rendezvous maneuvers and spacewalks, procedures vital to sending American astronauts to the Moon, the crew was also spurring the development of…
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Research and Development Office announced today the signing of a final R&D award under the CHIPS and Science Act of up to $100 million to Atom Computing, a neutral-atom quantum computing company.
After decades of decline, this ecologically significant type of forest is making a comeback.
For Katie Spicer, embracing opportunity and challenge has led to giant leaps during her time at NASA. Now as the NASA lander integration lead for Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 lander, one of the commercially provided human landing systems for NASA’s Artemis program, Spicer will have her handprint on history. Spicer works in the…
The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Alyssa Villanueva, Steve Howell, and Samuel LeBlanc. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond. Space Biosciences Star: Alyssa Villanueva Alyssa Villaneuva is an engineer at Blue…
RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey released projections of world production capacity for eight critical minerals for the next five years in the second World Minerals Outlook. This is a forward-looking assessment that is part of a larger effort to provide forecasts and scenarios for global mineral supply chains, as directed by the Energy…
A gallery of gravitational lenses captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope showcases the diversity of this cosmic phenomenon and lays the groundwork for follow-up observations by the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
As a new exhibit opens showcasing NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour, NASA photographers look back at the final mission. These photographers documented the iconic images shared around the world on Sept. 21, 2012, while millions watched space shuttle Endeavour fly on top of the agency’s 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for the last time. Endeavour’s new home…
If your lab is hitting bottlenecks sourcing reliable physical reference materials (SRMs) or navigating consensus standards for critical minerals and materials (CMM), here is your chance to help shape what gets developed next. The National Institute
Blanket bogs in the Scottish Highlands store vast amounts of carbon.
Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 This week Curiosity has been completing its drill campaign at the “Nazca” drill hole. This is an area characterized by bedrock containing disk-shaped (or in a liberal interpretation, potato chip shaped … see linked image) crystal forms. A…