Tiny ‘nanocardboard’ flyer weighing less than a fruit fly could help NASA collect samples on Mars

A tiny ‘nanocardboard’ flyers powered by lasers and inspired by corrugated cardboard could help NASA collect evidence of life on Mars. US engineers say a fleet of the miniature aircraft could be launched from ground-based rovers and steered with light to collect chemical samples on the Red Planet. Each nanocardboard device consists of a hollow … Read more

The photographs by Eleonora Costi that show Lanzarote in all its otherworldly beauty

Red dunes, a green lagoon and vineyards in black volcanic soil: The incredible images that show Lanzarote in all its otherworldly beauty Photos showcase the island’s varied topography, from black beaches and azure waters to epic volcanic zones They were taken by photographer Eleonora Costi, who described it as ‘unlike anywhere else on the planet’   … Read more

NASA engineers design a mass-producible ventilator tailored to coronavirus patients

NASA engineers design a mass-producible ventilator tailored to coronavirus patients in just 37 days that uses one-seventh of the parts required for a conventional ventilator Ventilator machines are currently in short supply in hospitals across the globe  The ‘VITAL’ is intended to replace conventional ventilators in less severe cases On Tuesday the device passed a critical … Read more

Scientists create the first geological map of the lunar surface

Rocking all over the Moon: Scientists create the first geological map of the lunar surface showing exactly what our nearest neighbour is made of to help NASA plan future missions The lunar map used data from Apollo missions and recent satellite observations  It shows a mixture of elevation and rock type information for the entire … Read more

Interstellar comet Borisov is surrounded by a poisonous cloud of carbon monoxide

Borisov, a comet from another star system, was surrounded by a cloud of poisonous ice that had to have formed in a region of space colder than anything known to man. Researchers from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center found that it must have formed in the outer edges of its original star system – known … Read more

NASA prepares for Armageddon with a tabletop planetary defence exercise

NASA is conducting planetary defence drills to see what would happen if an apocalyptic space rock was heading straight for Earth. Participants will discuss potential preparations for studying an asteroid or comet, as well as how to deflect it and lessen the damage caused by any impact.  The space agency has been scanning the skies … Read more

Clues to life on Mars have been found in the Chilean desert

The search for life on other planets has captivated mankind for decades. But the reality could be a little less like the Hollywood blockbusters, scientists have revealed. They say if there was life on the red planet, it probably will present itself as fossilized bacteria – and have proposed a new way to look for … Read more

NASA’s Juno spacecraft spots violent plumes on Jupiter’s moon Io 

Giant volcanic eruptions on Jupiter’s moon Io have been spotted by NASA‘s Juno probe. On Dec. 21, during winter solstice, four of Juno’s cameras captured images of the Jovian moon Io, the most volcanic body in our solar system, on the mission’s 17th flyby of the gas giant.  Stunned researchers say they hit the jackpot by … Read more

NASA and SpaceX set May 27 to send astronauts to the ISS on an American rocket since 2011

NASA and SpaceX target May 27 to send astronauts to the ISS aboard an American rocket the first time in nearly a decade NASA and SpaceX will launch two astronauts aboard an American rocket May 27 This will be the first mission to leave from US to the ISS since 2011  The crew will board … Read more

NASA and ESA reveal ambitious plan to bring Martian rock samples back to Earth by 2031

NASA and the European Space Agency are teaming up on a $14 billion project to bring a piece of Mars back to Earth. The agencies outlined the ambitious plan in a virtual meeting this week that involves sending up three different spacecraft – two of which will rendezvous in Mars orbit. The first step in … Read more