Today, we bring you stories proving that we do understand some things, like black holes, and that we have forgotten other things, like that the Earth’s crust can sag under the weight of ice. It’s all a lot more complicated than we like to think. But it sure is pretty, and when the science makes your head hurt, our What’s Up segment will fill your eyes with some beauty.
A research team studying the Poás volcano in Costa Rica, a potential analog for early Mars conditions, finds microbes surviving in extremely harsh conditions. Plus, table-top matter-antimatter experiments, an exoplanet’s complex atmosphere, and how snails and squirrels can help us understand space.
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the Kingdom of Tonga erupted on January 15, and despite communications being cut off, government officials and scientists have gathered a wealth of information about the event and its outcome so far. Plus, urban heat islands, volcanic lightning, and What’s Up.
A team of scientists collected cores and modeled ice cliff failure and found that Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is melting more quickly than ever and could be at risk of collapse, threatening global coastlines with almost a meter of sea-level rise. Plus, new results from Percy, and this week’s What’s Up.
Using data provided by the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project, volunteers found a possible large planet or brown dwarf orbiting its star at a distance of more than 1,600 astronomical units. Plus, NASA launches the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, and we review Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
After a bit of a scare, the aging Hubble Space Telescope has once again resumed its science operations with the ACS instrument brought back online. Plus, Landsat 9 released its first images and the Crew 2 Dragon splashed down safely. Then we interview Dr. Rosanne Di Stefano from the Center for Astrophysics about the potential discovery of the first extragalactic planet.
Get your daily dose of all that’s new in space and astronomy. The sky is not the limit, as we bring you a fast-paced roundup of launches, landings, and everyday discoveries. The Daily Space is a not-for-profit show supported through the generous donations of people like you. Learn more on our credits and sponsors page.
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