Thursday, February 28, 2019

The International Space Station passed overhead

From March 01, 2019 at 03:11AM, until March 01, 2019 at 03:21AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 618 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

A Charioteer s Comet


Still racing across planet Earth's night skies, Comet Iwamoto (C/2018 Y1) shares this pretty telescopic field of view with stars and nebulae of northern constellation Auriga, the Charioteer. Captured on February 27, Iwamoto's greenish coma and faint tail appear between a complex of reddish emission nebulae and open star cluster M36 (bottom right). The reddish emission is light from hydrogen gas ionized by ultraviolet radiation from hot stars near the region's giant molecular cloud some 6,000 light-years distant. The greenish glow from the comet, less than 5 light-minutes away, is predominantly emission from diatomic carbon molecules fluorescing in sunlight. M36, one of Auriga's more familiar star clusters, is also a background object far beyond the Solar System, about 4,000 light-years away. Comet Iwamoto passed closest to Earth on February 12 and is outward bound in a highly elliptical orbit that will carry it beyond the Kuiper belt. With an estimated orbital period of 1,317 years it should return to the inner Solar System in 3390 AD. via NASA https://ift.tt/2IJyruy

NPR News: Scientists Shocked By Rare, Giant Sunfish Washed Up On California Beach

Scientists Shocked By Rare, Giant Sunfish Washed Up On California Beach
They initially thought it was a type of fish known to swim near Santa Barbara. But by collaborating with Australian scientists, they found it was a species never before documented in North America.

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NPR News: Why Snowpack Forecasts Are Important In California

Why Snowpack Forecasts Are Important In California
Huge snowstorms hit the West in February and in places like the Sierra Nevada, the snowpack is well above average. Reservoir operators and farmers are watching the new snowpack forecast data closely.

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NPR News: Sweden Arrests Suspected Russian Spy

Sweden Arrests Suspected Russian Spy
The suspect was allegedly recruited by a Russian intelligence officer and engaged in criminal activity since 2017, the Swedish Security Service says.

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NPR News: SpaceX Readies For Key Test Of Capsule Built To Carry Astronauts Into Space

SpaceX Readies For Key Test Of Capsule Built To Carry Astronauts Into Space
For years, NASA has had to rely on Russian vehicles to get astronauts to the International Space Station. That could soon change if the flight test of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule succeeds.

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NASA Secures First International Partnership for Moon to Mars Lunar Gateway

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on the announcement Thursday by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about Canada’s support for the Gateway lunar outpost and deep space exploration:

February 28, 2019
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NASA Awards Contract for Construction Services

NASA has awarded a contract to 13 U.S. companies for building construction services at several California facilities.

February 28, 2019
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NASA Awards Contract for Protective Services at Houston Facilities

NASA has awarded a contract to Praetorian Standard Inc., of Fayetteville, North Carolina, a service disabled veteran-owned small business, to provide comprehensive security services at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, as well as facilities managed by Johnson.

February 28, 2019
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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 12:08PM, until February 28, 2019 at 12:17PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 525 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 10:31AM, until February 28, 2019 at 10:41AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 644 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 08:54AM, until February 28, 2019 at 09:04AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 579 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 07:17AM, until February 28, 2019 at 07:26AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 533 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: How Eating Disorders Can Affect Anyone

How Eating Disorders Can Affect Anyone
One organization is trying to get the word out that anyone can get an eating disorder, regardless of a person's race, ethnicity or gender.

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NPR News: What Happened In The Second Nuclear Summit

What Happened In The Second Nuclear Summit
We look at we learned after the second summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un ended without a deal on denuclearization.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 05:39AM, until February 28, 2019 at 05:49AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 600 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 04:02AM, until February 28, 2019 at 04:12AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 639 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 28, 2019 at 02:28AM, until February 28, 2019 at 02:35AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 421 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Sharpest Ultima Thule


On January 1, New Horizons swooped to within 3,500 kilometers of the Kuiper Belt world known as Ultima Thule. That's about 3 times closer than its July 2015 closest approach to Pluto. The spacecraft's unprecedented feat of navigational precision, supported by data from ground and space-based observing campaigns, was accomplished 6.6 billion kilometers (over 6 light-hours) from planet Earth. Six and a half minutes before closest approach to Ultima Thule it captured the nine frames used in this composite image. The most detailed picture possible of the farthest object ever explored, the image has a resolution of about 33 meters per pixel, revealing intriguing bright surface features and dark shadows near the terminator. A primitive Solar System object, Ultima Thule's two lobes combine to span just 30 kilometers. The larger lobe, referred to as Ultima, is recently understood to be flattened like a fluffy pancake, while the smaller, Thule, has a shape that resembles a dented walnut. via NASA https://ift.tt/2UjlMQ4

NPR News: Apps Give Private Data To Facebook Without User's Knowledge or Permission

Apps Give Private Data To Facebook Without User's Knowledge or Permission
NPR's Mary Louise speaks with The Wall Street Journal's Sam Schechner about how several apps they tested sent sensitive personal data to Facebook without users' permission or knowledge.

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NPR News: Kremlin Says U.S. Cyberattacks On Russia Are 'The Reality We Live In'

Kremlin Says U.S. Cyberattacks On Russia Are 'The Reality We Live In'
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov links the attacks to Russia's need for its own Internet. It is a "geopolitical angle to try to defend their own steps," says Internet freedom expert Sanja Kelly.

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NPR News: Storing Health Records On Your Phone: Can Apple Live Up To Its Privacy Values?

Storing Health Records On Your Phone: Can Apple Live Up To Its Privacy Values?
As its iPhone sales growth slows, Apple has been expanding its presence in health care, where privacy matters. Apple's privacy values could give it an edge, if the company lives up to them.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 12:59PM, until February 27, 2019 at 01:06PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 401 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 11:22AM, until February 27, 2019 at 11:32AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 639 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 09:45AM, until February 27, 2019 at 09:55AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 604 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 08:08AM, until February 27, 2019 at 08:17AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 534 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 06:30AM, until February 27, 2019 at 06:40AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 575 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 27, 2019 at 04:53AM, until February 27, 2019 at 05:03AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 642 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

NPR News: In Florida And Georgia, Still Waiting For Hurricane Aid

In Florida And Georgia, Still Waiting For Hurricane Aid
Elected officials in Florida and Georgia are upset that in its recent budget deal, Congress didn't include money for long-term assistance for communities hit by Hurricane Michael.

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NPR News: Will An Appeals Court Make The EPA Ban A Pesticide Linked To Serious Health Risks?

Will An Appeals Court Make The EPA Ban A Pesticide Linked To Serious Health Risks?
Chlorpyrifos has been linked to developmental delays in kids and other side effects. The EPA is fighting a lower court's ruling that it must ban the pesticide, which farmers say they need.

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NPR News: Will An Appeals Court Make The EPA Ban A Pesticide Linked To Serious Health Risks?

Will An Appeals Court Make The EPA Ban A Pesticide Linked To Serious Health Risks?
Chlorpyrifos has been linked to developmental delays in kids and other side effects. The EPA is fighting a lower court's ruling that it must ban the pesticide, which farmers say they need.

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NPR News: Double-Booked Surgeons: Study Raises Safety Questions For High-Risk Patients

Double-Booked Surgeons: Study Raises Safety Questions For High-Risk Patients
Most patients do fine, research suggests, when the lead surgeon steps away to begin another procedure. But patients who are older or have underlying medical conditions sometimes fare worse.

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NPR News: Double-Booked Surgeons: Study Raises Safety Questions For High-Risk Patients

Double-Booked Surgeons: Study Raises Safety Questions For High-Risk Patients
Most patients do fine, research suggests, when the lead surgeon steps away to begin another procedure. But patients who are older or have underlying medical conditions sometimes fare worse.

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NPR News: Tell Us: Has A Social Media Post Cost You A Job?

Tell Us: Has A Social Media Post Cost You A Job?
NPR wants to speak with employers and job seekers who have experienced or seen the negative effects of social media on job searches.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 12:12PM, until February 26, 2019 at 12:23PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 613 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 10:36AM, until February 26, 2019 at 10:46AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 623 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Anger Can Be Contagious — Here's How To Stop The Spread

Anger Can Be Contagious — Here's How To Stop The Spread
Emotions circulate through social networks — the good, bad and ugly. And these days, the feeling that seems most viral is anger. Sometimes it takes just one act of kindness to stop the vicious cycle.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 08:59AM, until February 26, 2019 at 09:08AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 543 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 07:21AM, until February 26, 2019 at 07:31AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 549 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Trump Administration Warns Chinese Tech Giant Is A Security Threat

Trump Administration Warns Chinese Tech Giant Is A Security Threat
The U.S. is pressuring allies to bar Huawei equipment from telecom networks, saying the company has strong ties to China's government. Some are pushing back, and say they can mitigate security risks.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 05:43AM, until February 26, 2019 at 05:54AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 629 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 26, 2019 at 04:07AM, until February 26, 2019 at 04:17AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 596 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Monday, February 25, 2019

Simulation TNG50: A Galaxy Cluster Forms


How do clusters of galaxies form? Since our universe moves too slowly to watch, faster-moving computer simulations are created to help find out. A recent effort is TNG50 from IllustrisTNG, an upgrade of the famous Illustris Simulation. The first part of the featured video tracks cosmic gas (mostly hydrogen) as it evolves into galaxies and galaxy clusters from the early universe to today, with brighter colors marking faster moving gas. As the universe matures, gas falls into gravitational wells, galaxies forms, galaxies spin, galaxies collide and merge, all while black holes form in galaxy centers and expel surrounding gas at high speeds. The second half of the video switches to tracking stars, showing a galaxy cluster coming together complete with tidal tails and stellar streams. The outflow from black holes in TNG50 is surprisingly complex and details are being compared with our real universe. Studying how gas coalesced in the early universe helps humanity better understand how our Earth, Sun, and Solar System originally formed. via NASA https://ift.tt/2XxA5CW

NPR News: The Daring Rescue Of A Rare, Elusive Bat

The Daring Rescue Of A Rare, Elusive Bat
Hosts Mary Louise Kelly and Ari Shapiro tell the story of a rare bat found trapped in the Museum of English Rural Life, and its rehabilitation by a bat-loving museum volunteer.

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NASA Selects Mission to Study Space Weather from Space Station

NASA has selected a new mission that will help scientists understand and, ultimately, forecast the vast space weather system around our planet.

February 25, 2019
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NPR News: Etiquette In A Cashless World

Etiquette In A Cashless World
Host Mary Louise Kelly talks to Amy Dickinson, the syndicated advice columnist of Ask Amy, about etiquette when using Venmo.

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NPR News: As Payments Go Social With Venmo, They're Changing Personal Relationships

As Payments Go Social With Venmo, They're Changing Personal Relationships
More people are using mobile money apps to pay each other without cash. With Venmo, its social network is a key part of the payment process, and it's changing people's behavior in unexpected ways.

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NPR News: Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood

Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood
Research suggests the more of your childhood that is spent surrounded by green spaces, the lower your risk of developing mental illness in adulthood, whether in the city or the country.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 01:04PM, until February 25, 2019 at 01:13PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 562 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: On Eve Of 2nd Trump-Kim Summit, Is North Korean Reactor Producing Plutonium?

On Eve Of 2nd Trump-Kim Summit, Is North Korean Reactor Producing Plutonium?
Days before President Trump and Kim Jong Un are to meet in Vietnam, satellite images show no river ice downstream from the key North Korean facility at Yongbyon — a sign the reactor may be running.

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New ‘NASA Science Live’ Program Premieres This Week

NASA invites you to take a behind-the-scenes look at how the agency explores Earth and outer space with a new monthly television series that premieres this week.

February 25, 2019
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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 11:27AM, until February 25, 2019 at 11:38AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 638 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 09:51AM, until February 25, 2019 at 10:00AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 564 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 08:13AM, until February 25, 2019 at 08:22AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 534 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: How Climate Change Is Affecting Alaska's Military Radar Stations

How Climate Change Is Affecting Alaska's Military Radar Stations
At the farthest edge of North America, across the Bering Strait from Russia, U.S. military radar stations are threatened by the consequences of climate change.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 06:35AM, until February 25, 2019 at 06:45AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 609 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 25, 2019 at 04:58AM, until February 25, 2019 at 05:09AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 629 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Sunday, February 24, 2019

NPR News: Life Lessons From Grandma: Eat Last, Ignore Naysayers, Stop Texting!

Life Lessons From Grandma: Eat Last, Ignore Naysayers, Stop Texting!
In our recent story on the evolutionary benefits of grandmothers, we asked our audience: How did you and your grandma help your family survive and thrive? Readers share their stories.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 01:56PM, until February 24, 2019 at 02:04PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 469 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 12:19PM, until February 24, 2019 at 12:29PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 641 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 10:42AM, until February 24, 2019 at 10:52AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 590 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 09:05AM, until February 24, 2019 at 09:14AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 529 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Author Bob Berman On 'Hazards To Life In Our Universe'

Author Bob Berman On 'Hazards To Life In Our Universe'
It's scary out there: violent supernovas, biological mayhem and nuclear meltdowns. Lulu Garcia-Navarro with author Bob Berman about hazards to life in the universe and his book, Earth-Shattering.

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NPR News: Saving The Gulf Of Mexico's Oysters

Saving The Gulf Of Mexico's Oysters
Oysters in the Gulf of Mexico are not doing well. Millions have died off and efforts to bring them back in some areas haven't worked so far. So biologists in Alabama are trying something different.

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NPR News: Twitter Trolls And 2020

Twitter Trolls And 2020
The 2020 campaign may just be starting, but digital disinformation efforts are well underway. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Natasha Korecki of Politico.

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NPR News: 'Cultured': A Look At How Foods Can Help The Microbes Inside Us Thrive

'Cultured': A Look At How Foods Can Help The Microbes Inside Us Thrive
The foods we put in our bodies affect the kinds of bacteria that live and flourish there. A new book explores this collaboration — and the cultures whose dishes maximize the relationship.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 07:27AM, until February 24, 2019 at 07:37AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 584 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 24, 2019 at 05:50AM, until February 24, 2019 at 06:00AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 640 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Saturday, February 23, 2019

The Expanding Echoes of Supernova 1987A


Can you find supernova 1987A? It isn't hard -- it occurred at the center of the expanding bullseye pattern. Although this stellar detonation was first seen in 1987, light from SN 1987A continued to bounce off clumps of interstellar dust and be reflected to us even many years later. Light echoes recorded between 1988 and 1992 by the Anglo Australian Telescope (AAT) in Australia are shown moving out from the position of the supernova in the featured time-lapse sequence. These images were composed by subtracting an LMC image taken before the supernova light arrived from later LMC images that included the supernova echo. Other prominent light echo sequences include those taken by the EROS2 and SuperMACHO sky monitoring projects. Studies of expanding light echo rings around other supernovas have enabled more accurate determinations of the location, date, and symmetry of these tremendous stellar explosions. Yesterday marked the 32nd anniversary of SN 1987A: the last recoded supernova in or around our Milky Way Galaxy, and the last to be visible to the unaided eye. via NASA https://ift.tt/2VhAEPi

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 02:49PM, until February 23, 2019 at 02:53PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 283 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 01:10PM, until February 23, 2019 at 01:21PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 627 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 11:34AM, until February 23, 2019 at 11:44AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 614 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 09:57AM, until February 23, 2019 at 10:06AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 536 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 08:19AM, until February 23, 2019 at 08:28AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 559 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 06:41AM, until February 23, 2019 at 06:52AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 635 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 23, 2019 at 05:05AM, until February 23, 2019 at 05:15AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 571 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Friday, February 22, 2019

The Stars of the Triangulum Galaxy


Like grains of sand on a cosmic beach, stars of the Triangulum Galaxy are resolved in this sharp mosaic from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The inner region of the galaxy spanning over 17,000 light-years is covered at extreme resolution, the second largest image ever released by Hubble. At its center is the bright, densely packed galactic core surrounded by a loose array of dark dust lanes mixed with the stars in the galactic plane. Also known as M33, the face-on spiral galaxy lies 3 million light-years away in the small northern constellation Triangulum. Over 50,000 light-years in diameter, the Triangulum Galaxy is the third largest in the Local Group of galaxies after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), and our own Milky Way. Of course, to fully appreciate the Triangulum's stars, star clusters, and bright nebulae captured in this Hubble mosaic, you'll need to use a zoom tool. via NASA https://ift.tt/2NnzwGV

NPR News: Microsoft Workers Protest Army Contract With Tech 'Designed To Help People Kill'

Microsoft Workers Protest Army Contract With Tech 'Designed To Help People Kill'
They say Microsoft's contract "crosses the line" into weapons development for the first time and that the company is failing to inform its engineers "on the intent of the software they are building."

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NPR News: How Pinterest Jumped Into The Fight Against Health Misinformation

How Pinterest Jumped Into The Fight Against Health Misinformation
Since 2017, the social media website Pinterest has limited search results for false cures and anti-vaccine advice. NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Pinterest's Ifeoma Ozoma about the policy.

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NASA Awards Support Services Contract for Exploration Ground Systems Program

NASA has selected LJT & Associates, Incorporated of Columbia, Maryland, to provide support services to the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

February 22, 2019
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NPR News: Do You Post About Your Kids Online — And Talk With Them About It? Tell Us Your Story

Do You Post About Your Kids Online — And Talk With Them About It? Tell Us Your Story
We want to hear from any parents who have posted about their children online and have had a conversation about that practice with their kids.

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NPR News: Ever Regretted Your Online Behavior? We Want To Hear From You

Ever Regretted Your Online Behavior? We Want To Hear From You
We're working on a series of stories about civility and online behavior, and we want to hear from you!

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 02:02PM, until February 22, 2019 at 02:12PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 590 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NASA Renames Facility in Honor of ‘Hidden Figure’ Katherine Johnson

NASA has redesignated its Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, as the Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility, in honor of the West Virginia native and NASA "hidden figure."

February 22, 2019
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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 12:25PM, until February 22, 2019 at 12:36PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 633 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 10:48AM, until February 22, 2019 at 10:58AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 554 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Advertisers Abandon YouTube Over Concerns That Pedophiles Lurk In Comments Section

Advertisers Abandon YouTube Over Concerns That Pedophiles Lurk In Comments Section
Hasbro, Disney, Nestle and others have suspended their ads on the online video site. YouTube has responded by disabling comments on millions of videos.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 09:11AM, until February 22, 2019 at 09:20AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 540 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 07:33AM, until February 22, 2019 at 07:43AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 619 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 22, 2019 at 05:56AM, until February 22, 2019 at 06:07AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 617 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

Thursday, February 21, 2019

NPR News: NOAA Researcher's Ashes Were Dropped Into the Eye Of Hurricane Michael

NOAA Researcher's Ashes Were Dropped Into the Eye Of Hurricane Michael
NOAA researcher Michael Black pioneered the use of dropwindsondes — small measuring devices dropped into hurricanes to gather data. That data has dramatically improved hurricane forecasting.

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NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge


Magnificent spiral galaxy NGC 4565 is viewed edge-on from planet Earth. Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky, in the faint but well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices. This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy's bulging central core cut by obscuring dust lanes that lace NGC 4565's thin galactic plane. An assortment of other background galaxies is included in the pretty field of view, with neighboring galaxy NGC 4562 at the upper right. NGC 4565 itself lies about 40 million light-years distant and spans some 100,000 light-years. Easily spotted with small telescopes, sky enthusiasts consider NGC 4565 to be a prominent celestial masterpiece Messier missed. via NASA https://ift.tt/2It0o9C

NASA Administrator Statement on Israeli Moon Mission

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Thursday’s launch of Israel’s first mission beyond Earth’s orbit. SpaceIL’s lander blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and now is on its way to becoming the first commercial lander to reach the Moon’s surface.

February 22, 2019
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@CleanStreamsDE: Save the Date! Great Schools, Clean Streams 2019 Begins on Monday March 25th!

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NASA Selects Experiments for Possible Lunar Flights in 2019

NASA has selected 12 science and technology demonstration payloads to fly to the Moon as early as the end of this year, dependent upon the availability of commercial landers.

February 21, 2019
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NASA-Funded Research Creates DNA-like Molecule to Aid Search for Alien Life

In a research breakthrough funded by NASA, scientists have synthesized a molecular system that, like DNA, can store and transmit information. This unprecedented feat suggests there could be an alternative to DNA-based life, as we know it on Earth – a genetic system for life that may be possible on other worlds.

February 21, 2019
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NPR News: Apple And Goldman Sachs Will Reportedly Launch An iPhone-Connected Credit Card

Apple And Goldman Sachs Will Reportedly Launch An iPhone-Connected Credit Card
The credit card would represent a foray into new businesses for both companies. With a card, Apple may be able to take a larger cut from purchases made than it does now through Apple Pay.

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NPR News: World's Largest Bee Is Spotted For First Time In Decades

World's Largest Bee Is Spotted For First Time In Decades
The bee towers over its apian cousins. Females have been recorded as being at least an inch and a half long. Add to that a pair of gigantic mandibles, and it's a bee like no other.

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NPR News: World's Largest Bee Is Spotted For First Time In Decades

World's Largest Bee Is Spotted For First Time In Decades
The bee towers over its apian cousins. Females have been recorded as being at least an inch and a half long. Add to that a pair of gigantic mandibles, and it's a bee like no other.

Read more on NPR

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 21, 2019 at 02:54PM, until February 21, 2019 at 03:02PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 519 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 21, 2019 at 01:16PM, until February 21, 2019 at 01:27PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 642 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 21, 2019 at 11:40AM, until February 21, 2019 at 11:50AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 579 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Advocates Ask FTC To Investigate Facebook Deception Over Kids' In-Game Purchases

Advocates Ask FTC To Investigate Facebook Deception Over Kids' In-Game Purchases
Children's rights groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission to open an investigation into Facebook practices that let children make in-game purchases without their parents' permission.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 21, 2019 at 10:03AM, until February 21, 2019 at 10:12AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 530 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Ohio Grassroots Group Wants A Great Lake To Have Its Own Bill Of Rights

Ohio Grassroots Group Wants A Great Lake To Have Its Own Bill Of Rights
Voters in Toledo, Ohio, will decide if Lake Erie has legal rights. It's an attempt to amend the city's charter after efforts failed to address toxic algal blooms that affect water supplies.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 21, 2019 at 06:48AM, until February 21, 2019 at 06:58AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 638 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Critics Say Border Wall Could Harm Wildlife Corridors And Sensitive Desert Terrain

Critics Say Border Wall Could Harm Wildlife Corridors And Sensitive Desert Terrain
The wall along the U.S.-Mexico border cuts across sensitive desert and mountainous terrain. But environmental regulations are waived for wall construction, raising concerns about longterm damage.

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NPR News: How Do You Preserve History On The Moon?

How Do You Preserve History On The Moon?
As the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing nears, some say the site of the first footprints on the moon should be protected. But historic preservation off our planet is unprecedented.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Reflections on vdB 9


Centered in a well-composed celestial still life, pretty, blue vdB 9 is the 9th object in Sidney van den Bergh's 1966 catalog of reflection nebulae. It shares this telescopic field of view, about twice the size of a full moon on the sky, with stars and dark, obscuring dust clouds in the northerly constellation Cassiopeia. Cosmic dust is preferentially reflecting blue starlight from embedded, hot star SU Cassiopeiae, giving vdB 9 the characteristic bluish tint associated with a classical reflection nebula. SU Cas is a Cepheid variable star, though even at its brightest it is just too faint to be seen with the unaided eye. Still Cepheids play an important role in determining distances in our galaxy and beyond. At the star's well-known distance of 1,540 light-years, this cosmic canvas would be about 24 light-years across. via NASA https://ift.tt/2TajiGo

NPR News: The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger

The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger
Martin Luther King Jr. dealt with anger in both his personal life and life's work. He often tried to turn his anger into constructive action, but he did occasionally struggle with that balance.

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NASA to Provide Coverage of SpaceX Commercial Crew Flight Test

NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the SpaceX Demo-1 flight test to the International Space Station for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, which is working with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil for the first time since 2011.

February 20, 2019
from NASA https://ift.tt/2IAgWwO
via IFTTT

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 03:46PM, until February 20, 2019 at 03:52PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 386 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Ready (To Make Money) Player One: The Business Of Esports

Ready (To Make Money) Player One: The Business Of Esports
Could Fornite and Overwatch overtake the NFL and the NBA? Or have they already?

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NPR News: Amazon Changed How We Shop. Will It Change How We Eat?

Amazon Changed How We Shop. Will It Change How We Eat?
100% Grade A Prime

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NPR News: A Bug’s Death

A Bug’s Death
Insects are dying. And that’s terrible news for humans.

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NPR News: Southwest Grounds Planes, Blames Labor Dispute With The Union

Southwest Grounds Planes, Blames Labor Dispute With The Union
The carrier says the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association "has a history of work disruptions." The union says the airline is "scapegoating" its technicians.

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New NASA Book Shares Beauty of Earth from Space

Swirling white clouds, deep blue oceans and multicolored landscapes bring to life the pages of NASA’s new 168-page book “Earth,” a collection of dramatic images captured by Earth-observing satellites. The book is available now in hardcover and ebook, and online with interactive features.

February 20, 2019
from NASA https://ift.tt/2GUm3Fo
via IFTTT

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 02:08PM, until February 20, 2019 at 02:18PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 637 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 12:31PM, until February 20, 2019 at 12:41PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 604 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 10:54AM, until February 20, 2019 at 11:03AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 532 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 09:17AM, until February 20, 2019 at 09:26AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 571 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 07:39AM, until February 20, 2019 at 07:50AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 640 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 20, 2019 at 06:04AM, until February 20, 2019 at 06:13AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 539 seconds. https://ift.tt/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab

Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab
The insects were created, using CRISPR, to carry a powerful "gene drive." The mosquitoes could provide a potent weapon against malaria, but they raise fears about unpredictable environmental effects.

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NPR News: Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab

Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab
The insects were created, using CRISPR, to carry a powerful "gene drive." The mosquitoes could provide a potent weapon against malaria, but they raise fears about unpredictable environmental effects.

Read more on NPR

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Doomed Star Eta Carinae


Eta Carinae may be about to explode. But no one knows when - it may be next year, it may be one million years from now. Eta Carinae's mass - about 100 times greater than our Sun - makes it an excellent candidate for a full blown supernova. Historical records do show that about 170 years ago Eta Carinae underwent an unusual outburst that made it one of the brightest stars in the southern sky. Eta Carinae, in the Keyhole Nebula, is the only star currently thought to emit natural LASER light. This featured image brings out details in the unusual nebula that surrounds this rogue star. Diffraction spikes, caused by the telescope, are visible as bright multi-colored streaks emanating from Eta Carinae's center. Two distinct lobes of the Homunculus Nebula encompass the hot central region, while some strange radial streaks are visible in red extending toward the image right. The lobes are filled with lanes of gas and dust which absorb the blue and ultraviolet light emitted near the center. The streaks, however, remain unexplained. via NASA https://ift.tt/2T0OfNw

NASA Tests Urban Drone Traffic Management in Nevada, Texas

NASA has selected two organizations to host the final phase of its four-year series of increasingly complicated technical demonstrations involving small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones.

February 19, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2IlHPUZ
via IFTTT

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 02:59PM, until February 19, 2019 at 03:10PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 611 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 01:23PM, until February 19, 2019 at 01:33PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 627 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 11:46AM, until February 19, 2019 at 11:55AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 546 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 10:08AM, until February 19, 2019 at 10:18AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 549 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 08:31AM, until February 19, 2019 at 08:41AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 628 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 19, 2019 at 06:54AM, until February 19, 2019 at 07:04AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 600 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: 'Uninhabitable Earth' Spotlights 3 Climate Change Misunderstandings

'Uninhabitable Earth' Spotlights 3 Climate Change Misunderstandings
Rachel Martin talks to David Wallace-Wells, author of The Uninhabitable Earth, who outlines the current misunderstandings and upcoming impacts of climate change.

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Monday, February 18, 2019

NPR News: 'Grandfather Of Climate Science' Wallace Broecker Dies At 87

'Grandfather Of Climate Science' Wallace Broecker Dies At 87
Broecker was an early advocate for reducing fossil fuels to avoid the disruptive effects of climate change and brought the term "global warming" into the mainstream.

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Comet Iwamoto Before Spiral Galaxy NGC 2903


It isn't every night that a comet passes a galaxy. Last Thursday, though, binocular comet C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto) moved nearly in front of a spiral galaxy of approximately the same brightness: NGC 2903. Comet Iwamoto was discovered late last year and orbits the Sun in a long ellipse. It last visited the inner Solar System during the Middle Ages, around the year 648. The comet reached its closest point to the Sun -- between Earth and Mars -- on February 6, and its closest point to Earth a few days ago, on February 13. The featured time-lapse video condenses almost three hours into about ten seconds, and was captured last week from Switzerland. At that time Comet Iwamoto, sporting a green coma, was about 10 light minutes distant, while spiral galaxy NGC 2903 remained about 30 million light years away. Two satellites zip diagonally through the field about a third of the way through the video. Typically, a few comets each year become as bright as Comet Iwamoto. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2Egfnjp

NPR News: Facebook Has Been Behaving Like 'Digital Gangsters,' U.K. Parliament Report Says

Facebook Has Been Behaving Like 'Digital Gangsters,' U.K. Parliament Report Says
"The age of inadequate self-regulation must come to an end," says Damian Collins, chair of the committee behind the report, which is often scathing on Facebook's practices and corporate conduct.

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NPR News: The Pros And Cons Of Moving Toward A Cashless Society

The Pros And Cons Of Moving Toward A Cashless Society
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with economist Kenneth Rogoff about what would happen if the U.S. were to get rid of a lot of its paper currency, particularly larger bills, as he advocates.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 03:51PM, until February 18, 2019 at 04:00PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 557 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 02:14PM, until February 18, 2019 at 02:25PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 641 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 12:38PM, until February 18, 2019 at 12:47PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 568 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 11:00AM, until February 18, 2019 at 11:09AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 534 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 09:22AM, until February 18, 2019 at 09:32AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 607 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 18, 2019 at 07:45AM, until February 18, 2019 at 07:56AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 631 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer

Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer
Remarkably little is known about the fundamentals of how a woman carries a baby inside her. Two Columbia University researchers aim to change that, to reduce the number of kids born too soon.

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NPR News: Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer

Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer
Remarkably little is known about the fundamentals of how a woman carries a baby inside her. Two Columbia University researchers aim to change that, to reduce the number of kids born too soon.

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NPR News: There's A Gap Between Perception And Reality When It Comes To Learning

There's A Gap Between Perception And Reality When It Comes To Learning
Increasingly, people feel they can master tasks simply by watching instructional videos like the kind you find on YouTube. But sometimes the gap between perception and reality can be deep and wide.

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NPR News: Israel Heads To The Moon

Israel Heads To The Moon
A spacecraft named Beresheet is set to be Israel's first spacecraft to land on the moon. It came about because Israeli scientists lost a contest — but continued with the work anyway.

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Sunday, February 17, 2019

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 04:43PM, until February 17, 2019 at 04:51PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 458 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 03:06PM, until February 17, 2019 at 03:16PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 642 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 01:29PM, until February 17, 2019 at 01:39PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 594 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 11:52AM, until February 17, 2019 at 12:01PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 530 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 10:14AM, until February 17, 2019 at 10:24AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 583 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Volunteers Fight Bad Science

Volunteers Fight Bad Science
James Heathers is a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University, who looks for mistakes for fun. He speaks to NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks about errors published in scientific papers.

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NPR News: Volunteers Fight Bad Science

Volunteers Fight Bad Science
James Heathers is a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University, who looks for mistakes for fun. He speaks to NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks about errors published in scientific papers.

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NPR News: 'Every Day Is A Good Day When You're Floating': Anne McClain Talks Life In Space

'Every Day Is A Good Day When You're Floating': Anne McClain Talks Life In Space
Kindergartners help NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro to ask questions to astronaut Anne McClain, who is serving on the International Space Station. She says every day is a good day when you're floating.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 08:37AM, until February 17, 2019 at 08:47AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 641 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 17, 2019 at 07:02AM, until February 17, 2019 at 07:10AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 497 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Shadow of a Martian Robot


What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently exploring Mars. Opportunity explored the red planet from 2004 to 2018, finding evidence of ancient water, and sending breathtaking images across the inner Solar System. Pictured here in 2004, Opportunity looks opposite the Sun into Endurance Crater and sees its own shadow. Two wheels are visible on the lower left and right, while the floor and walls of the unusual crater are visible in the background. Caught in a dust storm in 2018, last week NASA stopped try contact Opportunity and declare the ground-breaking mission, originally planned for only 92 days, complete. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2NaXmWp

NPR News: Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count

Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Bird lovers around the world are counting birds this weekend for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which provides valuable data for avian research.

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NPR News: Remembering Mars Rover, 'Opportunity'

Remembering Mars Rover, 'Opportunity'
Space scientists pay tribute to the Mars rover, Opportunity, which died this week after 14 years sending data back to Earth. The rover was expected to last only three months.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 05:36PM, until February 16, 2019 at 05:40PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 255 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 03:57PM, until February 16, 2019 at 04:08PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 626 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 02:21PM, until February 16, 2019 at 02:31PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 618 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 12:44PM, until February 16, 2019 at 12:53PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 539 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 11:06AM, until February 16, 2019 at 11:15AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 558 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 09:28AM, until February 16, 2019 at 09:39AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 635 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Opinion: Good Night Oppy, A Farewell To NASA's Mars Rover

Opinion: Good Night Oppy, A Farewell To NASA's Mars Rover
NASA's admission this week that the agency has lost contact with a Mars rover brings an end to a compelling story of usefulness and resilience.

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NPR News: Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count

Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count
For years, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Great Backyard Bird Count have provided valuable data for avian research. Ray Brown from the Talkin' Birds podcast talks with Scott Simon about it.

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NPR News: Ph.D. Student Breaks Down Electron Physics Into A Swinging Musical

Ph.D. Student Breaks Down Electron Physics Into A Swinging Musical
John Bohannon, founder of Science magazine's "Dance Your Ph.D." contest, presents the 2018 winner, Pramodh Senarath Yapa. He won over judges with his choreographic rendition of some chaotic electrons.

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NPR News: Opinion: Good Night Oppy, A Farewell To NASA's Mars Rover

Opinion: Good Night Oppy, A Farewell To NASA's Mars Rover
NASA's admission this week that the agency has lost contact with a Mars rover brings an end to a compelling story of usefulness and resilience.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 16, 2019 at 07:52AM, until February 16, 2019 at 08:02AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 577 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: As More Electric Cars Arrive, What's The Future For Gas-Powered Engines?

As More Electric Cars Arrive, What's The Future For Gas-Powered Engines?
The vast majority of American cars run on gasoline. But analysts say that's poised to change as electric vehicles take over the market — albeit not as quickly as environmental activists might like.

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NPR News: Sky Islands And Starry-Eyed Frogs: Breathtaking Photos Of Remote Ecosystems

Sky Islands And Starry-Eyed Frogs: Breathtaking Photos Of Remote Ecosystems
Prasenjeet Yadav wants his photos to make people care about the environment — whether it's grasslands vanishing in southwest India or windmills taking over a lizard's habitat.

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Friday, February 15, 2019

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 04:49PM, until February 15, 2019 at 04:58PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 586 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Social Spelunking With Will Hunt

Social Spelunking With Will Hunt
What's really under our feet? According to author Will Hunt, there are whole worlds.

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NPR News: Social Spelunking With Will Hunt

Social Spelunking With Will Hunt
What's really under our feet? According to author Will Hunt, there are whole worlds.

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NPR News: This City Told Amazon And Google: No Incentives For You

This City Told Amazon And Google: No Incentives For You
Amazon canceled plans for a New York City HQ after meeting stiff opposition over big tax breaks and other incentives. A California mayor refused to offer similar incentives but landed Google anyway.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 03:12PM, until February 15, 2019 at 03:23PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 636 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Is Venmo Changing Your Money Habits? Tell Us About It

Is Venmo Changing Your Money Habits? Tell Us About It
Has Venmo changed the way you talk to your friends? And do you have questions about how to use it?

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 01:35PM, until February 15, 2019 at 01:45PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 558 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 11:58AM, until February 15, 2019 at 12:07PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 540 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

Florida Students to Speak with NASA Astronaut Aboard International Space Station

University and high school students from Florida will have an opportunity to talk with a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station next week.

February 15, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2BCL1po
via IFTTT

NPR News: Andreas Ekström: Can We Solve For Bias In Tech?

Andreas Ekström: Can We Solve For Bias In Tech?
We think of search engines as unbiased sources of information. But they're not — and they can be manipulated. Andreas Ekström asks: who should hold the burden of addressing bias in search engines?

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NPR News: J. Marshall Shepherd: How Does Bias Shape Our Perceptions About Science?

J. Marshall Shepherd: How Does Bias Shape Our Perceptions About Science?
Why do many people dismiss issues like climate change, despite strong scientific evidence? Climatologist J. Marshall Shepherd examines how different forms of bias shape how we perceive science.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 10:20AM, until February 15, 2019 at 10:30AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 618 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: J. Marshall Shepherd: How Does Bias Shape Our Perceptions About Science?

J. Marshall Shepherd: How Does Bias Shape Our Perceptions About Science?
Why do many people dismiss issues like climate change, despite strong scientific evidence? Climatologist J. Marshall Shepherd examines how different forms of bias shape how we perceive science.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Andreas Ekström: Can We Solve For Bias In Tech?

Andreas Ekström: Can We Solve For Bias In Tech?
We think of search engines as unbiased sources of information. But they're not — and they can be manipulated. Andreas Ekström asks: who should hold the burden of addressing bias in search engines?

Read more on NPR

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 15, 2019 at 08:43AM, until February 15, 2019 at 08:54AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 620 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Opportunity at Perseverance Valley


Opportunity had already reached Perseverance Valley by June of 2018. Its view is reconstructed in a colorized mosaic of images taken by the Mars Exploration Rover's Navcam. In fact, Perseverance Valley is an appropriate name for the destination. Designed for a 90 day mission, Opportunity had traveled across Mars for over 5,000 sols (martian solar days) following a January 2004 landing in Eagle crater. Covering a total distance of over 45 kilometers (28 miles), its intrepid journey of exploration across the Martian landscape has come to a close here. On June 10, 2018, the last transmission from the solar-powered rover was received as a dust storm engulfed the Red Planet. Though the storm has subsided, eight months of attempts to contact Opportunity have not been successful and its trailblazing mission ended after almost 15 years of exploring the surface of Mars. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2SXYB0E

NPR News: Racial Disparities In Cancer Incidence And Survival Rates Are Narrowing

Racial Disparities In Cancer Incidence And Survival Rates Are Narrowing
African-Americans still have the highest death rate and the lowest survival rate of any U.S. racial or ethnic group for most cancers. But the "cancer gap" between blacks and whites is shrinking.

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NPR News: Racial Disparities In Cancer Incidence And Survival Rates Are Narrowing

Racial Disparities In Cancer Incidence And Survival Rates Are Narrowing
African-Americans still have the highest death rate and the lowest survival rate of any U.S. racial or ethnic group for most cancers. But the "cancer gap" between blacks and whites is shrinking.

Read more on NPR

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 05:41PM, until February 14, 2019 at 05:49PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 511 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Massive Public Lands Package

Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Massive Public Lands Package
The Senate overwhelmingly passed a sweeping public lands bill that protects millions of acres of land and reauthorizes a major conservation program. Supporters say conservation is a unifier.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 04:03PM, until February 14, 2019 at 04:14PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 644 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: EPA Says It Will Regulate Toxic PFAS Chemicals, But Not Soon Enough For Critics

EPA Says It Will Regulate Toxic PFAS Chemicals, But Not Soon Enough For Critics
The chemicals, which are linked to health problems, have contaminated drinking water and soil in many parts of the United States. Critics say the EPA is not acting fast enough to limit them.

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NPR News: After 16 Months Of Dead Fish, Manatees And Dolphins, Florida's Red Tide Ebbs

After 16 Months Of Dead Fish, Manatees And Dolphins, Florida's Red Tide Ebbs
The red tide algae bloom that has plagued coastal communities in Florida since 2017 is starting to dissipate, much to the relief of local communities and tourism officials.

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NPR News: After 16 Months Of Dead Fish, Manatees And Dolphins, Florida's Red Tide Ebbs

After 16 Months Of Dead Fish, Manatees And Dolphins, Florida's Red Tide Ebbs
The red tide algae bloom that has plagued coastal communities in Florida since 2017 is starting to dissipate, much to the relief of local communities and tourism officials.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: World Health Organization Forms Committee To Guide Editing Of Human Genes

World Health Organization Forms Committee To Guide Editing Of Human Genes
WHO acted in reaction to a Chinese scientist's announcement in 2018 that he had created the world's first gene-edited babies, a step that highlighted the need for uniform gene-editing guidelines.

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NPR News: World Health Organization Forms Committee To Guide Editing Of Human Genes

World Health Organization Forms Committee To Guide Editing Of Human Genes
WHO acted in reaction to a Chinese scientist's announcement in 2018 that he had created the world's first gene-edited babies, a step that highlighted the need for uniform gene-editing guidelines.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Trump Tweet Fails To Save Kentucky Coal-Fired Power Plant

Trump Tweet Fails To Save Kentucky Coal-Fired Power Plant
Despite pressure from President Trump and other Republicans, the Tennessee Valley Authority voted Thursday to close a coal plant in Kentucky. A major Trump backer supplies the plant with coal.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 02:27PM, until February 14, 2019 at 02:37PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 583 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 12:50PM, until February 14, 2019 at 12:59PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 531 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 11:12AM, until February 14, 2019 at 11:22AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 595 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Texas Man With 3D-Printed Gun And 'Hit List' Of Lawmakers Sentenced To 8 Years

Texas Man With 3D-Printed Gun And 'Hit List' Of Lawmakers Sentenced To 8 Years
The man printed the gun after a background check stopped him from purchasing a firearm legally. His sentencing comes as lawmakers around the country are trying to expand background check requirements.

Read more on NPR

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 09:35AM, until February 14, 2019 at 09:45AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 639 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 14, 2019 at 08:00AM, until February 14, 2019 at 08:08AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 441 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: When Your Shared Netflix Account Outlasts The Relationship

When Your Shared Netflix Account Outlasts The Relationship
Sharing of online streaming video and music passwords among sweethearts is a territorial marker, like wearing a boyfriend's sweater. But what happens to custody of the accounts when the love is gone?

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NPR News: You May Be Surprised To Learn Which Two Countries Are Making The Globe A Lot Greener

You May Be Surprised To Learn Which Two Countries Are Making The Globe A Lot Greener
Satellite images show the amount of green vegetation on Earth increasing, despite deforestation. But some of the added greenery has a down side.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Solar System Family Portrait


On Valentine's Day in 1990, cruising four billion miles from the Sun, the Voyager 1 spacecraft looked back one last time to make this first ever Solar System family portrait. The complete portrait is a 60 frame mosaic made from a vantage point 32 degrees above the ecliptic plane. In it, Voyager's wide angle camera frames sweep through the inner Solar System at the left, linking up with gas giant Neptune, the Solar System's outermost planet, at the far right. Positions for Venus, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are indicated by letters, while the Sun is the bright spot near the center of the circle of frames. The inset frames for each of the planets are from Voyager's narrow field camera. Unseen in the portrait are Mercury, too close to the Sun to be detected, and Mars, unfortunately hidden by sunlight scattered in the camera's optical system. Closer to the Sun than Neptune at the time, small, faint Pluto's position was not covered. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2GFYEY9

NPR News: When Teens Threaten Violence, A Community Responds With Compassion

When Teens Threaten Violence, A Community Responds With Compassion
After years of being beaten up, this teen decided to take justice into his own hands. A school district in Oregon showed him a better way to solve his problems.

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NPR News: When Teens Threaten Violence, A Community Responds With Compassion

When Teens Threaten Violence, A Community Responds With Compassion
After years of being beaten up, this teen decided to take justice into his own hands. A school district in Oregon showed him a better way to solve his problems.

Read more on NPR

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 06:33PM, until February 13, 2019 at 06:39PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 370 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 04:55PM, until February 13, 2019 at 05:05PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 637 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NASA Selects New Mission to Explore Origins of Universe

NASA has selected a new space mission that will help astronomers understand both how our universe evolved and how common are the ingredients for life in our galaxy’s planetary systems.

February 13, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2UXvtUi
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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 03:18PM, until February 13, 2019 at 03:28PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 608 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity Is Officially Declared Dead

NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity Is Officially Declared Dead
NASA's six-wheeled rover landed on the red planet in January 2004 for what billed as a 90-day mission. The plucky robot was still going until a dust storm on Mars last summer killed it.

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NPR News: Ex-Apple Exec Who Oversaw Insider Trading Policy Profited On Inside Info, SEC Says

Ex-Apple Exec Who Oversaw Insider Trading Policy Profited On Inside Info, SEC Says
The agency says Gene Levoff used prior knowledge of earnings to buy and sell millions of dollars in Apple stock, even as he was responsible for overseeing compliance with rules on insider trading.

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NASA's Record-Setting Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End

One of the most successful and enduring feats of interplanetary exploration, NASA's Opportunity rover mission is at an end after almost 15 years exploring the surface of Mars and helping lay the groundwork for NASA’s return to the Red Planet.

February 13, 2019
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NASA Astronauts Available for Interviews Before Space Station Mission

NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch will be available for live satellite interviews Friday, Feb. 22, as they undergo final training before their launch to the International Space Station, scheduled for March 14.

February 13, 2019
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NPR News: Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In The Forest

Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In The Forest
Sound travels differently through open fields than the woods. When deer eat up bushes, small trees and other forest plants, it affects the transmission of bird calls and other natural sounds.

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NPR News: Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In The Forest

Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In The Forest
Sound travels differently through open fields than the woods. When deer eat up bushes, small trees and other forest plants, it affects the transmission of bird calls and other natural sounds.

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NPR News: Harley-Davidson Embraces A New Sound As It Enters The Electric Era

Harley-Davidson Embraces A New Sound As It Enters The Electric Era
The LiveWire, Harley's first electric bike, was first announced more than four years ago. It's finally hitting the streets this summer — for a hefty price. But will Harley fans be along for the ride?

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 01:41PM, until February 13, 2019 at 01:50PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 535 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Harley-Davidson Embraces A New Sound As It Enters The Electric Era

Harley-Davidson Embraces A New Sound As It Enters The Electric Era
The LiveWire, Harley's first electric bike, was first announced more than four years ago. It's finally hitting the streets this summer — for a hefty price. But will Harley fans be along for the ride?

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Bugs Vs. Superbugs: Insects Offer Promise In Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

Bugs Vs. Superbugs: Insects Offer Promise In Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance
With the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections, scientists are exploring nature to find new disease-fighting compounds. They're finding them in surprising new places: the microbiomes of insects.

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NPR News: Bugs Vs. Superbugs: Insects Offer Promise In Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

Bugs Vs. Superbugs: Insects Offer Promise In Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance
With the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections, scientists are exploring nature to find new disease-fighting compounds. They're finding them in surprising new places: the microbiomes of insects.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 12:04PM, until February 13, 2019 at 12:13PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 570 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 10:26AM, until February 13, 2019 at 10:37AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 639 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 13, 2019 at 08:51AM, until February 13, 2019 at 09:00AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 547 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Butterflies V. Border Wall: National Butterfly Center Seeks Restraining Order

Butterflies V. Border Wall: National Butterfly Center Seeks Restraining Order
The Center says government officials have already cut down trees on its private property in anticipation of a border wall. The planned wall would split its property in two.

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NPR News: Americans Lost $143 Million In Online Relationship Scams Last Year

Americans Lost $143 Million In Online Relationship Scams Last Year
The Federal Trade Commission says Americans who fell for online romance scams reported losing a median $2,600 each — far more than other types of scams.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The Helix Nebula in Hydrogen and Oxygen


Is the Helix Nebula looking at you? No, not in any biological sense, but it does look quite like an eye. The Helix Nebula is so named because it also appears that you are looking down the axis of a helix. In actuality, it is now understood to have a surprisingly complex geometry, including radial filaments and extended outer loops. The Helix Nebula (aka NGC 7293) is one of brightest and closest examples of a planetary nebula, a gas cloud created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star. The remnant central stellar core, destined to become a white dwarf star, glows in light so energetic it causes the previously expelled gas to fluoresce. The featured picture, taken in the light emitted by oxygen (shown in blue) and hydrogen (shown in red), was created from 74 hours of exposure over three months from a small telescope in a backyard of suburban Melbourne, Australia. A close-up of the inner edge of the Helix Nebula shows complex gas knots of unknown origin. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2tiiwZz

NPR News: Apple, Google Criticized For Carrying App That Lets Saudi Men Track Their Wives

Apple, Google Criticized For Carrying App That Lets Saudi Men Track Their Wives
An app that allows men to track the whereabouts of their wives or daughters is available in both the Apple and Google stores in Saudi Arabia. The firms are getting blowback for carrying the app.

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NPR News: McConnell Plans To Bring Green New Deal To Senate Vote

McConnell Plans To Bring Green New Deal To Senate Vote
The Senate majority leader wants to put the massive progressive climate change framework to a vote. Its Democratic sponsor is not pleased by the move from the top Senate Republican.

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NASA to Share Results of Effort to Recover Mars Opportunity Rover

NASA will discuss the status of its Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity in a media briefing at 2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. PST) Wednesday, Feb. 13, from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. The briefing will air live on NASA Television, the agency's website and YouTube.

February 12, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2TPUDEw
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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 05:46PM, until February 12, 2019 at 05:56PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 608 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: President Trump And Allies Push To Save A Very Specific Coal Plant

President Trump And Allies Push To Save A Very Specific Coal Plant
President Trump and other Republicans are pressuring the Tennessee Valley Authority not to close a coal plant in Kentucky. A major Trump backer supplies the plant with most of its coal.

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NPR News: NASA Says Ultima Thule Actually Looks Like A Pancake And A Walnut

NASA Says Ultima Thule Actually Looks Like A Pancake And A Walnut
They had initially thought the object four billion miles from Earth looked like a snowman. The New Horizons spacecraft flew by it on New Year's Day and new images give scientists a clearer picture.

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NPR News: NASA Says Ultima Thule Actually Looks Like A Pancake And A Walnut

NASA Says Ultima Thule Actually Looks Like A Pancake And A Walnut
They had initially thought the object four billion miles from Earth looked like a snowman. The New Horizons spacecraft flew by it on New Year's Day and new images give scientists a clearer picture.

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NPR News: NASA Will Make A Last Attempt To Contact Mars Rover Opportunity

NASA Will Make A Last Attempt To Contact Mars Rover Opportunity
Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., announced Tuesday that they will make one last attempt to reach the Mars rover Opportunity though they are not expecting a response.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 04:10PM, until February 12, 2019 at 04:20PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 630 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Wreckage Of WWII Aircraft Carrier Found In The South Pacific Ocean

Wreckage Of WWII Aircraft Carrier Found In The South Pacific Ocean
The Hornet played a role in several key events in the war – including the Doolittle Raid on Japan and the Battle of Midway. Researches have located it 3 miles below the surface.

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NPR News: Wreckage Of WWII Aircraft Carrier Found In The South Pacific Ocean

Wreckage Of WWII Aircraft Carrier Found In The South Pacific Ocean
The Hornet played a role in several key events in the war – including the Doolittle Raid on Japan and the Battle of Midway. Researches have located it three miles below the surface.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 02:33PM, until February 12, 2019 at 02:42PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 549 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 12:55PM, until February 12, 2019 at 01:05PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 548 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Storm Clouds And Sunshine: How Florida Prepares For Climate Change

Storm Clouds And Sunshine: How Florida Prepares For Climate Change
The state and its key industries are among the most at-risk of being decimated by our changing climate.

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NPR News: Burning Pants And Bottomless Pinocchios: Fact-Checking In 2019

Burning Pants And Bottomless Pinocchios: Fact-Checking In 2019
Parsing through political rhetoric only seems to have gotten harder.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 11:18AM, until February 12, 2019 at 11:28AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 627 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 12, 2019 at 09:41AM, until February 12, 2019 at 09:51AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 605 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

Monday, February 11, 2019

NPR News: Apple CEO Tim Cook Optimistic About U.S.-China Trade Talks

Apple CEO Tim Cook Optimistic About U.S.-China Trade Talks
"Both sides are talking and I always think that is always the essential thing to reaching an agreement," Cook tells NPR. The U.S. has set a March 1 deadline for the talks, which resume this week.

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Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon


No, this is not a good way to get to the Moon. What is pictured is a chance superposition of an airplane and the Moon. The contrail would normally appear white, but the large volume of air toward the setting Sun preferentially knocks away blue light, giving the reflected trail a bright red hue. Far in the distance, well behind the plane, is a crescent Moon, also slightly reddened. Captured a month ago above Valais, Switzerland, the featured image was taken so soon after sunset that planes in the sky were still in sunlight, as were their contrails. Within minutes, unfortunately, the impromptu sky show ended. The plane crossed the Moon and moved out of sight. The Moon set. The contrail became unilluminated and then dispersed. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2tqTvM1

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 06:38PM, until February 11, 2019 at 06:47PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 551 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Russia Is Considering An Experiment To Disconnect From The Internet

Russia Is Considering An Experiment To Disconnect From The Internet
Authorities recommended conducting the test so that the country can assess its cyber defenses in case of aggression, Russian media reports.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 05:01PM, until February 11, 2019 at 05:12PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 643 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Sweden's Cashless Experiment: Is It Too Much Too Fast?

Sweden's Cashless Experiment: Is It Too Much Too Fast?
In Sweden, few people use cash anymore. Most people pay by card, online or with digital apps, and that trend is spurring a new debate on whether going cashless is fair for everyone.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 03:25PM, until February 11, 2019 at 03:34PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 572 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 01:47PM, until February 11, 2019 at 01:56PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 534 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 12:09PM, until February 11, 2019 at 12:19PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 606 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 10:32AM, until February 11, 2019 at 10:43AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 633 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 11, 2019 at 08:59AM, until February 11, 2019 at 09:05AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 365 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Giving Medicine To Young Children? Getting The Dose Right Is Tricky

Giving Medicine To Young Children? Getting The Dose Right Is Tricky
In a recent survey, 1 in 5 parents said they thought using a household spoon was OK for measuring their child's medicine. It's not. Here's how to help little kids without overdosing them.

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Sunday, February 10, 2019

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 07:30PM, until February 10, 2019 at 07:37PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 447 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 05:52PM, until February 10, 2019 at 06:03PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 643 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Troll Watch: Targeting 2020 Presidential Candidates

Troll Watch: Targeting 2020 Presidential Candidates
Trolls are already going after candidates for the 2020 presidential election. NPR's Michel Martin talks to Kelly Jones, who keeps an eye on suspicious social media activity for Storyful.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 04:16PM, until February 10, 2019 at 04:26PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 597 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 02:39PM, until February 10, 2019 at 02:48PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 532 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 01:01PM, until February 10, 2019 at 01:11PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 581 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 11:24AM, until February 10, 2019 at 11:34AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 641 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 10, 2019 at 09:49AM, until February 10, 2019 at 09:57AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 507 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Why We Can't Break Up With Big Tech

Why We Can't Break Up With Big Tech
Gizmodo's Kashmir Hill spent six weeks trying to cut Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple out of her life completely. "Spoiler," she says. "It's not possible."

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NPR News: How To Get Meat Eaters To Eat More Plant-Based Foods? Make Their Mouths Water

How To Get Meat Eaters To Eat More Plant-Based Foods? Make Their Mouths Water
Vegetable-based dishes may be better for the Earth but don't always sound seductive on menus. Marketers, researchers and food chains think they know how to get meat lovers to make the swap more often.

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Saturday, February 9, 2019

Venus Unveiled


What does Venus look like beneath its thick clouds? These clouds keep the planet's surface hidden from even the powerful telescopic eyes of Earth-bound astronomers. In the early 1990s, though, using imaging radar, NASA's Venus-orbiting Magellan spacecraft was able to lift the veil from the face of Venus and produced spectacular high resolution images of the planet's surface. Colors used in this computer generated picture of Magellan radar data are based on color images from the surface of Venus transmitted by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 landers. The bright area running roughly across the middle represents the largest highland region of Venus known as Aphrodite Terra. Venus, on the left, is about the same size as our Earth, shown to the right for comparison. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2tglHku

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 08:23PM, until February 09, 2019 at 08:27PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 226 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 06:44PM, until February 09, 2019 at 06:54PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 625 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 05:07PM, until February 09, 2019 at 05:18PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 621 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 03:31PM, until February 09, 2019 at 03:40PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 542 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Seattle's Unusually Frigid Temperatures And Heavy Snowfall Stretch Into Next Week

Seattle's Unusually Frigid Temperatures And Heavy Snowfall Stretch Into Next Week
A rare winter storm in the State of Washington prompted its governor to declare a state of emergency. More than 200 flights were cancelled on Friday and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 01:53PM, until February 09, 2019 at 02:02PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 558 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 12:15PM, until February 09, 2019 at 12:26PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 634 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 09, 2019 at 10:39AM, until February 09, 2019 at 10:49AM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 583 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

Friday, February 8, 2019

Comet Iwamoto and the Sombrero Galaxy


Comet Iwamoto (C/2018 Y1), shows off a pretty, greenish coma at the upper left in this telescopic field of view. Taken on February 4 from the Mount John Observatory, University of Canterbury, the 30 minute long total exposure time shows the comet sweeping quickly across a background of stars and distant galaxies in the constellation Virgo. The long exposure and Iwamoto's rapid motion relative to the stars and galaxies results in the noticeable blurred streak tracing the the comet's bright inner coma. In fact, the streaked coma gives the comet a remarkably similar appearance to Messier 104 at lower right, popularly known as the Sombrero Galaxy. The comet, a visitor to the inner Solar System, is a mere 4 light-minutes away though, while majestic Messier 104, a spiral galaxy posing edge-on, is 30 million light-years distant. The first binocular comet of 2019, Iwamoto will pass closest to Earth on February 12. This comet's highly elliptical orbit around the Sun stretches beyond the Kuiper belt with an estimated 1,371 year orbital period. That should bring it back to the inner Solar System in 3390 AD. via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2GiHxfU

Media Invited to Talk Tech with NASA Administrator at World Ag Expo

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will speak to, and take questions from, media about how technologies originally developed for space exploration now are used to cultivate farms, predict crop yields, manage water resources, and more, during his Tuesday, Feb. 12, visit to World Ag Expo in Tulare, California.

February 08, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2tccRnF
via IFTTT

The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 08, 2019 at 07:36PM, until February 08, 2019 at 07:45PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 582 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases 2018 Annual Report

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2018 annual report Friday examining the agency’s safety performance over the past year and highlighting accomplishments, issues and concerns.

February 08, 2019
from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2I0Qk7z
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NPR News: What Bezos' Allegations Could Mean For American Media's Immunity Deal

What Bezos' Allegations Could Mean For American Media's Immunity Deal
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with CNN legal analyst and New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin about his perspective on the dust-up between Jeff Bezos and National Enquirer publisher American Media, Inc.

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NPR News: The Big Bezos Question: Will Investigators Take A New Look At American Media?

The Big Bezos Question: Will Investigators Take A New Look At American Media?
Jeff Bezos' Medium post accusing the National Enquirer's publisher of extortion continues. Bezos said American Media Inc. demanded Bezos drop a private investigation, or deal with embarrassing photos.

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 08, 2019 at 05:59PM, until February 08, 2019 at 06:09PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 639 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2

NPR News: Are You Frustrated With TV Subscription Services? Tell Us About It

Are You Frustrated With TV Subscription Services? Tell Us About It
As the number of streaming TV services grows, are you getting frustrated trying to find that one show you want? Are the costs of subscription services adding up?

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The International Space Station passed overhead

From February 08, 2019 at 04:22PM, until February 08, 2019 at 04:32PM, the International Space Station passed over overhead for 562 seconds. http://bit.ly/2bPSXp2