Space engineers have long considered lunar soil as locally available material for building outposts on the Moon, and now ESA researchers are considering it as a means to store energy to generate electricity during the 14-day night and protect equipment against freezing.
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When the Apollo 11 astronauts set foot on the Moon, one of their main tasks was to break out a special tool kit that they used for collecting samples of rock and soil for return to Earth. Now Comex is working to create an updated version to be used by the next generation of lunar explorers.
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Fans of a still-surviving megalodon, rejoice – a new species of deep-ocean shark has been identified. At just 5.5 inches long (about 144 mm), however, the American Pocket Shark is a bit smaller than the prehistoric super-predator.
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Although many smokers apparently don't realize it (or just don't care), cigarette butts are very much a form of litter – in fact, they're the world's most common type of litter. And they're not just an eyesore, as new research now indicates that they also dramatically reduce plant growth.
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Statistically it’s pretty much a given that alien life is out there, whether that’s Martian microbes or intelligent life beaming comms through the cosmos. Now, a new telescope array has joined Breakthrough Listen, scanning for flashes of laser light that alien civilizations might be giving off.
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Fifty years ago, two men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the surface of the Moon. That's a very simple sentence to write, but getting to grips with what is almost certainly one of the most momentous events in the whole of human history is far less easy. So what was Apollo 11?
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The FDA has granted accelerated approval to a new cancer drug called selinexor. This pill has been found to be successful in treating multiple myeloma in patients that hadn’t had success with other treatments. But at this very early stage the drug comes with some major caveats.
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The closest thing we have to magnetic liquids are ferrofluids. But now, Berkeley Lab has managed to create the first permanently magnetic liquids, which could open up new avenues for electronics and robotics.
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A study is suggesting a gene variant associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk in late life could affect cognitive health in childhood. The research reveals those carrying the gene score lower on IQ tests in childhood, implying cognitive decline is apparent at a younger age than ever realized.
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The Gateway deep-space station is still years away, but planners are zeroing in on the orbit it will travel in cis-lunar space. Called a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit, it promises both cheaper missions to the Moon and beyond, as well as regular timetables for visiting astronauts.
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