An analysis of the relative movements of 18 tectonic ridges over the past 19 million years finds that the rate of seafloor spreading has dropped by about 40% on average globally. Plus, stars are getting naked, climate change is heating things up, and we review “Impact: How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong” by Greg Brennecka.
China’s Chang’e-5 lunar lander has made the first in situ detection of water on the Moon, using reflectance spectroscopy from the surface of our natural satellite. Plus, all the news from the AAS virtual press conferences, including black holes and galaxies.
Scientists examined over 80,000 images from large telescopes and their sensitive instruments and found over 70 free-floating planets with the possibility for even more. Plus, a red giant supernova, new images of the Flame Nebula, and a review of Netflix’s “Don’t Look Up”.
With the successful launch of the JWST, the focus turns to the complicated process of unfurling the sunshield and unfolding the mirror. We’ll look at just where NASA is in the process and how much farther we have to go before first light. Plus, Earth and supernovae, and in this week’s What’s Up, we look forward to 2022’s astronomy events.
Dr. Pamela and Beth each picked their three favorite stories from 2021, including news from Mars and Pluto and about distant comets and undead white dwarf stars. Plus, we interview Dr. Jackie Faherty from the American Museum of Natural History about citizen science, exoplanets, and JWST.
Astronomers researching the G237 protocluster find 63 galaxies within, all producing stars and more galaxies at a high rate, acting as a “shipyard” for their region of the cosmos. Plus, Juno looks inside Jupiter’s cloud bands and a review of “Invasion” on Apple TV+.
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