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Posts Tagged ‘science’

You’ve Reached Artemis, Please Hold…

Posted in Entertainment, Science!, tagged , , , , , , , on February 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Sadly, NASA’s Artemis mission launch has run into some issues (hydrogen leaks bad!) and will be delayed until at least March.

NASA Conducts Artemis II Fuel Test, Eyes March for Launch Opportunity

That said, safer is better, so you do what you need to do, NASA. (Maybe rehiring some of the folks who were let go last year might help? Just saying.)

What do we hope to see when the mission does launch? This site has a nice explainer.

The flight path of Artemis 2, step by step

And for more on the long-term goals, see this in-depth article: How Artemis will land humans on the Moon.

As we wait to hear more from the launchpad, here’s something fun I ran across the other day that may help keep you entertained:

We asked former astronauts about their favorite space movies, and this is what they said

I mean, I’m more The Martian and Galaxy Quest than 2001, but that’s me. So many good movies! 

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Photo by NASA on Unsplash

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If We Look

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged , , , , , , , on February 1, 2026| 8 Comments »

We’ve lived in this house for years but this morning I discovered something new. Some confluence of sun angle, time of day and positioning meant that the lampshade in the kitchen reflected a rainbow-colored series of textured light onto the ceiling. It was both joyful and unexpected, reminding me that there is beauty everywhere. 

If I look.

Speaking of reflected light, there’s a full moon tonight.

Tonight’s moon is known by many names, including the Wolf Moon, Cold Moon, and Snow Moon. We may finally have clear skies tonight, too, and I’m looking forward to looking up. 

Snow Moon: Full Moon in February 2026

February’s Full Snow Moon reaches peak illumination at 5:09 P.M. EST on Sunday, February 1. Step outside after dusk to see the Full Moon in all of its glory!

Since we’re here, I’ll share a link that led to a flurry of conversation in my family. 

1969 Apollo 11 First steps on the Moon (16mm footage)

On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aboard touched down on the surface of the Moon 4 days, 6 hours, and 45 minutes after having launched from Cape Canaveral.  At 02:56:15 GMT, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on another celestial body.

My parents were remembering where they were when it happened (at the next-door neighbor’s in Michigan, because they didn’t have a television), and what it felt like to watch the landing. Uplifting.

And looking ahead, NASA’s first crewed mission around the moon in over half a century will be happening soon.

Something to look forward to!

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Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

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A Hot Second in a Cold Place

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , on January 24, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Like many of you, we caught some of the winter weather that’s making such a splash this weekend. I feel for those who are digging out from the snow and sleet and ice many got, but for us it was a little snow and a lot of cold.

We hit -34C last night, which is (checks notes) really really cold! Which made today the perfect day to post this quick @ScienceandtheCity video on how space would feel, temperature wise.

Would space feel cold without a suit?

Yes. The answer is yes.

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Photo by Foad Roshan on Unsplash

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Brighter Days Ahead

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged , , , , , on December 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

It’s that time again! 

Winter solstice is nearly upon the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s what to know about the shortest day of the year

Yes, the darkest day of the year is here, but that means brighter days are ahead.

Sunday is the shortest day of the year north of the equator, where the solstice marks the start of astronomical winter.

That’s right, if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, today is the shortest day of the year. (And if you’d like a quick reminder of the astronomy of it all, this one’s helpful: December Solstice 2025.)

So light a candle (physical or metaphorical, your choice!), and look ahead to a brighter future.

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Photo by Eugene T on Unsplash

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Baddaboom, Shroom

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , on October 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Ok, this is amazing.

And if you wired other nearby plants and trees, would they all play in synchrony?

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Photo by Vitalii Khodzinskyi on Unsplash

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Curiosity Knows

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , on September 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Some days the day job is a little hectic, and what I’d really like is a moment to get away from it all, you know?

Curiosity knows. The intrepid rover has been on Mars since 2012 and is still very much out of the office. 

In fact, let’s check in. Where is that little bundle of human ingenuity is now?

Curiosity Rover Location Map – NASA Science

And what has it seen? So much!

Photos: 13 Years on Mars

Being away from the rest of us doesn’t mean Curiosity isn’t getting the best dirt. In fact, its latest discovery has the potential to stir up what we know about life on Mars! 

Here’s Neil deGrasse Tyson to break it down for us:

As Neil asks, “Could we have Martian neighbors?” If yes, would they fancy a mid-afternoon coffee break?

I know I could use one.

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Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

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For Thee, If Not For Me

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , on September 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Tonight there will be a total lunar eclipse visible for most of humanity (just not for we Western Hemispherians; here’s a map of viewing locations). The moon has been very bright the past few days, and tonight it will be full. As the Earth’s shadow blocks the sun, the moon will turn red. 

What to expect during the ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7-8 | Space

The Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse will be visible to over 7 billion people in Asia, Australia, Africa and eastern Europe.

Not in a region that will see the full eclipse? Enjoy the power of modern technology and livestream it:

LIVE: Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon) – September 7–8, 2025

Looking forward to it!

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Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash

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Flying in the Face of Science

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , on August 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »

/with apologies to the Lepidoptera experts among us…

Ok, so here’s the thing:

— I like moths and butterflies but there’s a lot about the evolution of the family Lepidoptera that I don’t know;

— the idea that moths evolved from butterflies is, as far as I can tell, bunk;

— also, moths come out during the day, too;

— but sometimes a thought / idea / feeling flutters my way and sticks around long enough to inspire, even when I regretfully inform said idea that it is probably flying in the face of science.

And so, that’s how this most certainly unscientific poem about moths dreaming about sunshine came to be.

Some days you just go with it.

Do moths love the moon

because they remember

being butterflies?

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A Hummingbird Moth. Photo by cecile mousist on Unsplash

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Andromeda Revealed!

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , on August 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes a picture is worth much more than a thousand words:

Andromeda Galaxy Panorama Features Over 200 Million Stars

Stitching together more than 600 overlapping snapshots, the panorama serves as the largest photomosaic ever assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. Across its 2.5 billion pixels are a vast and vibrant assortment of 200 million stars, a mere fraction of Andromeda’s entire population. Taken in its entirety, the panorama is not only a technological or photographic achievement, it’s also a critical glimpse into the Andromeda galaxy itself.

And here’s the video version. 

Andromeda revealed!

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Photo by Kyle Goetsch on Unsplash

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Real Life Dune

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I have a folder of interesting articles, quotes, and ideas. When the cicadas are buzzing and the temperature is too hot to think of anything particularly timely, I search that folder for stories that might interest you.

Today, this treasure trove of ideas wants you to know about a critical space station issue: water.

Water recycling is paramount for space stations and long-duration missions − an environmental engineer explains how the ISS does it

When you’re on a camping trip, you might have to pack your own food and maybe something to filter or treat water that you find. But imagine your campsite is in space, where there’s no water, and packing jugs of water would take up room when every inch of cargo space counts. That’s a key challenge engineers faced when designing the International Space Station.

Real life Dune! Ok, not really, but kind of! And this is exactly the sort of technology that can benefit the Earth-bound among us too.

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Photo by Jônatas Tinoco on Unsplash

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