New Atlas

Environment Audio available

Giant cavity found eating away at Antarctic glacier from underneath

Michael Irving January 30, 2019

NASA’s ongoing Operation IceBridge has found a gigantic cavity underneath Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, which shows that the area has suffered even more drastic ice loss in recent years than previously thought – and it’s accelerating.

Energy

Fluoride-based battery challenges lithium for stability and stamina

Michael Irving December 6, 2018

A new study shows how fluoride might be put to work in better batteries. Researchers at Caltech, JPL, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Honda Research Institute have developed fluoride-based batteries that could potentially last much longer than existing lithium-ion-based devices.

A fluoride ion (pink) floating in a liquid BTFE electrolyte

Space

Brightest-known galaxy is cannibalizing its three neighbors

Michael Irving November 15, 2018

The galaxy W2246-0526 sits 12.4 billion light-years from Earth – almost the entire radius of the observable universe – and is the most luminous galaxy ever discovered, with the brightness of 350 trillion Suns. Now, astronomers have found that W2246-0526 is cannibalizing three neighboring galaxies.

An artist's rendition of W2246-0526, the brightest-known galaxy that is cannibalizing three neighboring galaxies

Space Audio available

Mars-bound CubeSats catch first glimpse of the Red Planet

Michael Irving October 22, 2018

Back in May, NASA launched some extra luggage along with the Mars InSight lander – two briefcase-sized CubeSats named MarCO-A and MarCO-B. These two little spacecraft are the first of their kind to venture into deep space, and now they've sent us back their first glimpse of the Red Planet.

An artist's render of the MarCO spacecraft in space

Space Audio available

Voyager 2 shows first signs of entering interstellar space

Michael Irving October 7, 2018

After 40 years of zipping through the solar system, Voyager 2 appears to be close to leaving the neighborhood. The probe’s instruments have begun picking up radiation signals that suggest it is breaking out of the Sun’s protective bubble, and will soon join its sibling in interstellar space.

An artist's rendering of Voyager 1 as it passed into interstellar space – the latest readings ...

Environment

NASA study uncovers three factors responsible for Earth's irregular spin

Michael Irving September 20, 2018

The Earth’s spin naturally drifts on its axis over time, and that’s generally chalked up to the way mass is distributed and redistributed across the planet’s surface. Now, NASA scientists studying data gathered across the entire 20th century have identified three broad processes that play a part.

A NASA study has found three main factors contributed to a shift in the Earth's axis ...

Robotics

JPL releases plans for build-your-own Mars rover

Paul Ridden August 6, 2018

NASA's Curiosity lander touched down on the surface of Mars in August, 2012, and its rover payload rolled out shortly after to begin its meandering mission. Now tinkerers and students can build their very own mini Mars rover for exploring backyard craters and vast garden mountain ranges.

Inspired by the design of the Mars Curiosity Rover, build plans and instructions for this scaled-down ...

Space

Infrared images peek through the clouds of Saturn's mysterious moon Titan

Michael Irving July 19, 2018

Saturn’s moon Titan is one of the most interesting bodies in the solar system – but at a glance it looks like a dull yellow ball, thanks to a soupy atmosphere. Now, using 13 years’ worth of infrared data from Cassini, astronomers have stitched together the clearest images yet of Titan’s surface.

NASA has released six new infrared images of Saturn's moon Titan, which show off some of ...

Environment

Antarctic ice loss and sea level rise rates have tripled since 2012

Michael Irving June 13, 2018

An international team of scientists has completed the most comprehensive assessment of how Antarctica’s ice mass is changing. The study shows that the rate of ice loss – and the resulting sea level rise – has tripled since 2012, compared to a more steady rate over the last 25 years.

Crevasses near Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, which is one of the hardest hit regions

Space

NASA spots clearest signs of water plumes erupting from Europa ... in 1997

Michael Irving May 14, 2018

One of the most promising places in the solar system to search for life is Jupiter’s moon, Europa, an icy world with a slushy, salty, subsurface ocean. Old data has turned up new evidence of water plumes spraying through the icy shell into space.

Old data has turned up new evidence of water plumes on Jupiter's moon, Europa