Friday, May 31, 2024

Parachute Engineer Anh Nguyen

“[My proudest moment] was deciding post-college what to do [in my life] and not asking for advice anymore. It’s one of those things where I love asking for advice but sometimes almost too much where I feel like it over influences what I want to do. And in my career, it was the same way. […]

May 31, 2024
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NASA’s Europa Clipper Unpacks in Florida

Crews rotated to vertical then lifted NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft from its protective shipping container after it arrived at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 28. The spacecraft, which will collect data to help scientists determine if Jupiter’s icy moon Europa could support life, arrived […]

May 31, 2024
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NASA Mission Flies Over Arctic to Study Sea Ice Melt Causes

It’s not just rising air and water temperatures influencing the decades-long decline of Arctic sea ice. Clouds, aerosols, even the bumps and dips on the ice itself can play a role. To explore how these factors interact and impact sea ice melting, NASA is flying two aircraft equipped with scientific instruments over the Arctic Ocean […]

May 31, 2024
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NPR News: Trump repeats claims -- without evidence -- that his trial was rigged

Trump repeats claims -- without evidence -- that his trial was rigged
Former President Donald Trump reiterated many of claims – without evidence -- that his criminal trial was rigged, a day after a New York jury found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.

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Space Station Research Advances NASA’s Plans to Explore the Moon, Mars

Space, the saying goes, is hard. And the farther humans go, the harder it can get. Some of the challenges on missions to explore the Moon and Mars include preventing microbial contamination of these destinations, navigating there safely, protecting crew members and hardware from radiation, and maintaining and repairing equipment. Research on the International Space […]

May 31, 2024
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June’s Night Sky Notes: Constant Companions: Circumpolar Constellations, Part III

In the final Circumpolar Constellations installment, learn about objects in Cepheus, Draco, and Ursa Major, and how to find them in June’s Night Sky Notes!

May 31, 2024
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NPR News: 'Chimney caps, vent pipes, gutters': Why some woodpeckers are major metal heads

'Chimney caps, vent pipes, gutters': Why some woodpeckers are major metal heads
When an NPR reporter heard a startling loud metallic noise in her house, she was about to get an interesting lesson in animal behavior.

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NPR News: A silky shark named Genie swam 17,000 miles, a record-breaking migration

A silky shark named Genie swam 17,000 miles, a record-breaking migration
A silky shark named Genie traveled from the Galapagos Islands out to the open ocean and back – over 17,000 miles – over the course of a year and a half. That's an average of 31 miles per day, making Genie's journey the longest recorded migration for a silky shark. Marine scientist Pelayo Salinas de León and his team named Genie in honor of the late marine biologist Eugenie Clark – also known as "The Shark Lady." She devoted her life to the study of sharks and to improving their reputation. Have another story you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Thursday, May 30, 2024

NPR News: He frolicked in forests as a kid. Now he's saving them from a coal mine plan

He frolicked in forests as a kid. Now he's saving them from a coal mine plan
Alok Shukla is one of the winners of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize. He's cited for a campaign to keep a company from felling a forest in India to excavate the coal that lies beneath.

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NASA Updates Coverage for Boeing’s Starliner Launch, Docking

NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, which will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station. Launch of the ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket and Boeing Starliner spacecraft is targeted for 12:25 p.m. EDT Saturday, […]

May 30, 2024
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The Moon and Amaey Shah

Sometimes a story about a NASA volunteer just grabs your heart and won’t let go. NASA Scientist Dr. Brian Day shared with us the incredible story of what first ignited his passion for involving the public in his scientific research. It’s a story about a boy named Amaey Shah. “Through the NASA Speakers Bureau, I was paired […]

May 30, 2024
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Webb Spots a Starburst

The James Webb Space Telescope observed “starburst” galaxy NGC 4449, seen in this image released on May 29, 2024. Starbursts are intense periods of star formation usually concentrated at a galaxy’s core, but NGC 4449’s activity is much more widespread — likely due to past interactions with its galactic neighbors. Astronomers can study this galaxy […]

May 30, 2024
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Twin NASA Satellites Ready to Help Gauge Earth’s Energy Balance

Information from the PREFIRE mission will illuminate how clouds and water vapor in the Arctic and Antarctic influence the amount of heat the poles radiate into space. A pair of new shoebox-size NASA satellites will help unravel an atmospheric mystery that’s bedeviled scientists for years: how the behavior of clouds and water vapor at Earth’s […]

May 30, 2024
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Summary of the 2023 GRACE Follow-On Science Team Meeting

Felix Landerer, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, felix.w.landerer@jpl.nasa.gov Introduction In October 2023, the annual gathering of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On [G-FO] Science Team took place in Boulder, CO, hosted at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research’s (UCAR) Center Green campus. The event had 70 in-person participant and an additional 52 online participants […]

May 30, 2024
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Travel Through Data From Space in New 3D Instagram Experiences

A new project provides special 3D “experiences” on Instagram using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes through augmented reality (AR), allowing users to travel virtually through objects in space. These new experiences of astronomical objects – including the debris fields of exploded stars – are being released to help celebrate the 25th […]

May 29, 2024
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In Memoriam: Dr. Richard S. Stolarski [1941–2024]

Renowned ozone scientist Dr. Richard “Rich” Stolarski died on February 22, 2024, at age 82 from the complications of prostate cancer. Rich was born at Fort Lewis, WA on November 22, 1941. After short stays in Kansas and Hawaii, Rich’s family settled in Tacoma, WA. He attended Stadium High School for three years and Wilson […]

May 29, 2024
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Summary of the Fifty-Second U.S.–Japan ASTER Science Team Meeting

Michael Abrams, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, mjabrams@jpl.nasa.gov Yasushi Yamaguchi, Nagoya University/Japan Science and Technology Agency, yasushi@nagoya-u.jp Introduction The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Science Team (ST) organized a three-day workshop that took place September 11–13, 2023, at the offices of Japan Space Systems (JSS) in Tokyo. Over 40 people from […]

May 29, 2024
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Sols 4199-4201: Driving Through a Puzzle

Earth planning date: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 For the last several months, Curiosity has been steadily climbing through the bedrock layers of the upper sulfate unit. While each stop had its own collection of bedrock blocks tilting one way or another, you could imagine putting each scene back together into one coherent package of layers, […]

May 29, 2024
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NASA Stennis Helps Family Build a Generational Legacy

For Lee English Jr., the sound of a ringing phone probably sounds a lot like the roar of a rocket engine test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. During the 1970s, when 9-year-old English Jr. picked up the ringing phone, someone from the south Mississippi test site might say, “Tell your […]

May 29, 2024
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Tech Today: Measuring the Buzz, Hum, and Rattle

NASA-supported wireless microphone array quickly, cheaply, and accurately maps noise from aircraft, animals, and more.

May 29, 2024
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NASA to Measure Moonquakes With Help From InSight Mars Mission

The technology behind the two seismometers that make up NASA’s Farside Seismic Suite was used to detect more than a thousand Red Planet quakes. The most sensitive instrument ever built to measure quakes and meteor strikes on other worlds is getting closer to its journey to the mysterious far side of the Moon. It’s one […]

May 29, 2024
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NPR News: A microbiome transplant could help people with bacterial vaginosis

A microbiome transplant could help people with bacterial vaginosis
Humans rely on our symbiotic relationship with good microbes—in the gut, the skin and ... the vagina. Fatima Aysha Hussain studies what makes a healthy vaginal microbiome. She talks to host Emily Kwong about her long-term transplant study that asks the question: Can one vagina help another through a microbe donation? Have a human body question? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Tuesday, May 28, 2024

NPR News: Teaching girls (and boys) about menstruation takes moxie

Teaching girls (and boys) about menstruation takes moxie
A pioneering program in Ethiopia teaches all students about this "taboo" topic. A new UNICEF report, released on “World Menstrual Hygiene Day," assesses how countries respond to menstrual issues.

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NASA to Provide Coverage of Progress 88 Launch, Space Station Docking

NASA will provide live launch and docking coverage of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft carrying about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the Expedition 71 crew aboard the International Space Station. The unpiloted Progress 88 spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 5:43 a.m. EDT (2:43 p.m. Baikonur time) Thursday, May 30, on a Soyuz […]

May 28, 2024
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NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX Unscathed After Searing Pass of Sun

Mission engineers were confident NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification – Apophis Explorer) spacecraft could weather its closest ever pass of the Sun on Jan. 2, 2024. Their models had predicted that, despite traveling 25 million miles closer to the heat of the Sun than it was originally designed to, OSIRIS-APEX and its components […]

May 28, 2024
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Sols 4195-4198: Feels Like Summer

Earth planning date: Friday, May 24, 2024 The first sol of this weekend includes an extremely long, 6-hour DAN activity to measure the amount of hydrogen near the surface, in parallel with a standard midday remote science block including: ChemCam LIBS on a smooth, dark rock named “Shadow Lake,” an RMI 7-frame mosaic of the […]

May 28, 2024
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15 Years Ago: First Time all Partners Represented aboard the International Space Station

From May 29 to July 17, 2009, for the first time in its history, each of the five partner agencies participating in the International Space Station Program had a crew member living and working aboard the orbiting facility at the same time. The period also marked the beginning of six-person crew habitation, greatly increasing the […]

May 28, 2024
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A Mental Health Awareness Month Message from Your MAF EAP office: “Suicide and Crises Lifeline”

While NASA promotes the availability of EAP counselors at each Center, there may be reasons when, during a mental health crisis, employees do not think about EAP or cannot remember how to access. Now, the Suicide and Crises Lifeline (https://ift.tt/PRpWXaK) is available to anyone, anytime nationwide by calling or texting three numbers from your cell […]

May 28, 2024
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Monday, May 27, 2024

Johnson Celebrates AA and NHPI Heritage Month: Britney Tang

When you think about personal property, your home, clothes, and electronic devices probably come to mind. For NASA, personal property comprises government-owned government-held assets ranging from laptops to spacecraft and space station components. Managing the financial records for these assets is the responsibility of the Property Accounting Team, which includes Personal Property Accountant Britney Tang. […]

May 28, 2024
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Ongoing Venus Volcanic Activity Discovered With NASA’s Magellan Data

An analysis of data from Magellan’s radar finds two volcanoes erupted in the early 1990s. This adds to the 2023 discovery of a different active volcano in Magellan data. Direct geological evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus has been observed for a second time. Scientists in Italy analyzed archival data from NASA’s Magellan mission […]

May 27, 2024
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NPR News: This Memorial Day, here's a smarter way to use sunscreen

This Memorial Day, here's a smarter way to use sunscreen
Each year 84,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with melanoma. About 90% of these skin cancers are linked to the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Sunscreen does protect the skin, but dermatologists have found six very common mistakes people make when it comes to using it. NPR science correspondent Allison Aubrey talks to host Regina G. Barber about the science behind sunscreen and how to avoid making these mistakes this summer. They also get into which sunscreens may be better than others. Have other science stories you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Sunday, May 26, 2024

NPR News: Witnessing the spectacle of synchronous fireflies is ‘like magic’

Witnessing the spectacle of synchronous fireflies is ‘like magic’
For a few weeks in late spring, thousands of fireflies emerge at the Congaree National Park in South Carolina to blink in synchrony. Scientists are trying to learn their secrets and to protect them.

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Saturday, May 25, 2024

NPR News: BLACK FORAGER

BLACK FORAGER


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NASA Launches Small Climate Satellite to Study Earth’s Poles

The first of a pair of climate satellites designed to study heat emissions at Earth’s poles for NASA is in orbit after lifting off atop Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand at 7:41 p.m. NZST (3:41 a.m. EDT) on Saturday. The agency’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the […]

May 25, 2024
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Friday, May 24, 2024

NASA TACP Team Visits with UCF Students, Faculty

Representatives of NASA’s Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program (TACP) recently shared information about their work to develop innovation and advance aviation and space exploration with students at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Here are some images of the event showing NASA team members interacting with students and faculty during the April Town Hall. TACP […]

May 25, 2024
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HiCAM 2024 Spring Review

NASA and its partners in the Advanced Composites Consortium gathered at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, May 7-9. Team members from 20 organizations across the country recently discussed progress on all technology development tasks underway in NASA’s Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project. The project is competing manufacturing approaches that reduce labor, […]

May 24, 2024
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NASA Engages in Artemis Accords Workshop to Advance Exploration

NASA participated in the second international face-to-face workshop this week among Artemis Accords signatories, which featured space officials from two dozen nations focused on advancing the principles for the safe, peaceful, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond. This year’s workshop was hosted by CSA (Canadian Space Agency) at their headquarters in Montreal […]

May 24, 2024
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Jennifer Scott Williams: Leading the Next Giant Leap in Space Exploration and Championing STEM Advocacy

Jennifer Scott Williams embodies leadership, innovation, and excitement for life. Her career has been a testament to her unwavering passion and versatility, navigating through various roles and significantly contributing to the agency’s milestones and evolution. In her 23 years at NASA, she has combined engineering, business, science communications, and leadership all into one.     […]

May 24, 2024
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Thursday, May 23, 2024

What is 3D-MAT?

A thermal protection material for the Artemis Generation The 3-Dimensional Multifunctional Ablative Thermal Protection System (3D-MAT) is a thermal protection material developed as a critical component of Orion, NASA’s newest spacecraft built for human deep space missions. It is able to maintain a high level of strength while enduring extreme temperatures during re-entry into Earth’s […]

May 23, 2024
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Galaxies Actively Forming in Early Universe Caught Feeding on Cold Gas

Researchers analyzing data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have pinpointed three galaxies that may be actively forming when the universe was only 400 to 600 million years old. Webb’s data shows these galaxies are surrounded by gas that the researchers suspect to be almost purely hydrogen and helium, the earliest elements to exist in […]

May 23, 2024
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NPR News: The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be 'extraordinary,' forecasters warn

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be 'extraordinary,' forecasters warn
Forecasters are predicting the largest number of storms ever for the Atlantic hurricane season, putting tens of millions of Americans at risk.

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A Moonlit Moonwalk

NASA astronauts Kate Rubins, foreground, and Andre Douglas execute a nighttime simulated moonwalk in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona on May 16, 2024, as part of the Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team Field Test 5 (JETT5). The test consisted of four simulated moonwalks that followed operations planned for […]

May 23, 2024
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40 Years Ago: NASA Selects its 10th Group of Astronauts

On May 23, 1984, NASA announced the selection of its 10th group of astronauts. Chosen from nearly 5,000 applicants, the group comprised 17 astronaut candidates – seven pilots and 10 mission specialists – and included three women and one Hispanic American. They reported for duty on July 2 to begin their year-long training period to […]

May 23, 2024
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NASA, Mission Partners to Discuss Starliner Crew Flight Test Progress

As NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) continue to evaluate a path toward launching the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, they will host a joint media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT Friday, May 24. The agency is working toward a launch at 12:25 p.m., Saturday, June 1, for the first crewed flight of Boeing’s […]

May 23, 2024
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Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Sols 4193-4194: Stay Overnight? No, Touch-and-Go!

Earth planning date: Wednesday, May 22, 2024 One of the biggest challenges that comes with operating a rover on another planet is that we don’t always know exactly what we’re going to have in front of us when we park after driving. The science teams and our rover planners (who actually plan out the drives) […]

May 22, 2024
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The Marshall Star for May 22, 2024

Making Connections: Marshall Hosts Annual Jamboree, Poster Expo By Celine Smith Engineers, researchers, and scientists at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center had the opportunity to showcase their vast range of projects and learn about others at Marshall’s annual Science, Technology, and Engineering Jamboree and Poster Expo. The jamboree took place May 16 in Activities Building […]

May 22, 2024
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NASA, IBM Research Release New AI Model for Weather, Climate

By Jessica Barnett Working together, NASA and IBM Research have developed a new artificial intelligence model to support a variety of weather and climate applications. The new model – known as the Privthi-weather-climate foundational model – uses artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that could vastly improve the resolution we’ll be able to get, opening the […]

May 22, 2024
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Spotted: ‘Death Star’ Black Holes in Action

A team of astronomers have studied 16 supermassive black holes that are firing powerful beams into space, to track where these beams, or jets, are pointing now and where they were aimed in the past, as reported in our latest press release. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Radio Astronomical Observatory’s (NRAO) Very […]

May 22, 2024
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Sols 4191-4192: Communication

Earth planning date: Monday, May 20, 2024 A number of national holidays are taking place around the world this week and next, unofficially marking the start of summer for residents of the northern hemisphere. Holidays and extended weekends are seen as a time to catch up with family and friends, often centered around food and […]

May 22, 2024
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NASA’s Psyche Fires Up Its Sci-Fi-Worthy Thrusters

The spacecraft already is beyond the distance of Mars and is using ion propulsion to accelerate toward a metal-rich asteroid, where it will orbit and collect science data. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft passed its six-month checkup with a clean bill of health, and there’s no holding back now. Navigators are firing its futuristic-looking electric thrusters, which […]

May 22, 2024
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Tuesday, May 21, 2024

NASA Glenn Kicks Off Ohio Space Forum

NASA’s Glenn Research Center kicked off the Ohio Space Forum with a tour of several research facilities at its Cleveland location on April 29. The annual two-day forum brings together federal, military, industry, and academic leaders in space research, operations, intelligence, exploration, and defense. It enables attendees to gather among nationally recognized leaders and benefit […]

May 21, 2024
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NASA Tool Gets Ready to Image Faraway Planets

A technology demo on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will help increase the variety of distant planets scientists can directly image. The Roman Coronagraph Instrument on NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will help pave the way in the search for habitable worlds outside our solar system by testing new tools that block starlight, […]

May 21, 2024
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NASA Employs Innovative Approach for Key Test Infrastructure Upgrade

Crews are using an innovative engineering approach to implement an infrastructure upgrade to the test complex water system to help ensure the future of large propulsion testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

May 21, 2024
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Welcome Back to Planet Earth, Expedition 70 Crew! 

On May 16, 2024, a crowd of more than 500 people gathered at Space Center Houston’s IMAX theater for the Expedition 70 crew debrief and awards ceremony. Crew members from NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 and Soyuz MS-24 missions shared reflections from their voyage aboard the International Space Station and bestowed well-deserved recognition upon Johnson Space Center employees and partners […]

May 21, 2024
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NASA Leaders to Host Agency Town Hall on Artificial Intelligence

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy are hosting an employee town hall at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 22, to discuss how the agency is using and developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to advance missions and research. The event will steam live on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website. The town […]

May 21, 2024
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NASA “Wildfire Digital Twin” Pioneers New AI Models and Streaming Data Techniques for Forecasting Fire and Smoke

NASA’s “Wildfire Digital Twin” project will equip firefighters and wildfire managers with a superior tool for monitoring wildfires and predicting harmful air pollution events and help researchers observe global wildfire trends more precisely.

May 21, 2024
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Monday, May 20, 2024

Sols 4188-4190: Aurora Watch on Mars

Earth planning date: Friday, May 17, 2024 During the night of May 10, Earth experienced a fantastic display of aurorae (Northern and Southern Lights) which extended all the way to tropical latitudes, courtesy of the strongest geomagnetic storm since 2003. The enormous solar active region 3664, which produced the X-class flares and powerful coronal mass […]

May 20, 2024
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NASA, Sierra Space Deliver Dream Chaser to Florida for Launch Preparation

As part of NASA’s efforts to expand commercial resupply in low Earth orbit, Sierra Space’s uncrewed spaceplane arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its first flight to the International Space Station.  The Dream Chaser spaceplane, named Tenacity, arrived at Kennedy on May 18 inside a climate-controlled transportation container from NASA’s Neil Armstrong […]

May 20, 2024
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Astronaut Exercise

Science in Space: May 2024 Future missions to the Moon and Mars must address many challenges, including preventing loss of bone and muscle tissue in astronauts. Research on the International Space Station is helping to address this challenge. Without Earth’s gravity, both bone and muscle atrophy, or become smaller and weaker. Early on, scientists realized […]

May 20, 2024
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Johnson Celebrates AA and NHPI Heritage Month: Anima Patil-Sabale

Anima Patil-Sabale has been shooting for the stars since she was a little girl growing up in India. Inspired by books about the Apollo-era space program, Patil-Sabale decided she would be an astronaut one day. For the first step on her journey to space, Patil-Sabale hoped to become a fighter pilot, but India did not […]

May 20, 2024
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Tech Today: From Spacesuits to Racing Suits

For spacewalks to even be possible, spacesuits need insulation and temperature controls to withstand temperature swings between 250 and minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit. This extreme environment made NASA innovators look beyond everyday materials to find something unique to keep explorers comfortable and safe.  In the 1980s, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston entered into a […]

May 20, 2024
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NASA Study Provides New Look at Orbital Debris, Potential Solutions 

New data analysis indicates that NASA and its partners could have more cost-effective methods for dealing with the growing issue of orbital debris than previously thought.  A new report from NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy provides agency leadership with new insight about how to measure the risks presented by orbital debris.   “Growing activity […]

May 20, 2024
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Webb Cracks Case of Inflated Exoplanet

Why is the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107 b so puffy? Two independent teams of researchers have an answer. Data collected using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, combined with prior observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, show surprisingly little methane (CH4) in the planet’s atmosphere, indicating that the interior of WASP-107 b must be significantly hotter […]

May 20, 2024
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NPR News: Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying

Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying
Scientists are testing the limits of artificial intelligence when it comes to language learning. One recent challenge? Learning ... whale! Researchers are using machine learning to analyze and decode whale sounds — and it's just as complicated as it seems. Curious about other mysteries of nature? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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NPR News: Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying

Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying
Scientists are testing the limits of artificial intelligence when it comes to language learning. One recent challenge? Learning ... whale! Researchers are using machine learning to analyze and decode whale sounds — and it's just as complicated as it seems. Curious about other mysteries of nature? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Sunday, May 19, 2024

NPR News: New images show a black hole collision

New images show a black hole collision
NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan about the James Webb Space Telescope's recent discovery of two distant black holes colliding.

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NPR News: Understanding elephant communication

Understanding elephant communication
NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with biologist Vesta Eleuteri regarding a study she authored about elephant communication.

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NPR News: At age 90, America's first Black astronaut candidate has finally made it to space

At age 90, America's first Black astronaut candidate has finally made it to space
Ed Dwight, a former Air Force test pilot who was passed over to become an astronaut in the 1960s, described his flight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard "life changing."

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NPR News: On a trail in the Adirondack Mountains, runners appreciate the spring season

On a trail in the Adirondack Mountains, runners appreciate the spring season
Spring brings lots to look at in the Adirondack Mountains and the concentration required for trail running means runners can't help but appreciate Spring's beauty.

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Saturday, May 18, 2024

NPR News: Beethoven may have had lead poisoning

Beethoven may have had lead poisoning
Samples of Beethoven's hair reveal he may have suffered from lead poisoning, which could explain some of the difficult physical maladies the composer suffered in his life.

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NASA to Start Designing More Sustainable Jet Engine Core

NASA, alongside industry, will soon begin designing a new jet engine concept for the next generation of ultra-efficient airliners — officially graduating to the project’s next phase. As part of NASA’s goal to make the aviation industry more sustainable, the agency is developing a small core for a hybrid-electric turbofan jet engine that could reduce fuel […]

May 18, 2024
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Friday, May 17, 2024

NASA Awards Contracts for Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition Services

NASA has selected four companies to provide spacecraft and related services, including acquiring spacecraft components and equipment, in support of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The multiple awards, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity base contracts, are firm-fixed-price with a total combined value of $6 billion. These multi-agency contracts may support other NASA centers and federal agencies. […]

May 17, 2024
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Dr. Lori Glaze to begin six-month Detail as Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for ESDMD

I am pleased to share some exciting news regarding senior executive detail backfills to provide broadening opportunities for some of our leadership team. Agency leadership has chosen Dr. Lori Glaze to begin a six-month detail as the Acting Deputy AA for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) due to the transition of Kelvin Manning […]

May 17, 2024
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NASA Around the World: Interns Teach Virtual Lessons in Kenya

Video Credit: NASA/Dennis Brown, TechLit Africa When it comes to inspiring the next generation, NASA interns know no bounds. Interns at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland taught students 7,600 miles away in Mogotio, Kenya, but thanks to technology, they didn’t travel a single mile. Collaborating with TechLit Africa — a non-profit organization that teaches […]

May 17, 2024
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Sols 4186-4188: Almost there…

Earth planning day: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 The rover planning engineers yet again did a great job navigating through the large bedrock blocks that litter the terrain in front of us. We are getting ever closer to being able to cross the Gediz Vallis channel and associated deposits, a feature we identified long before landing […]

May 17, 2024
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Hubble Views Cosmic Dust Lanes

Featured in this new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is a nearly edge-on view of the lenticular galaxy NGC 4753. Lenticular galaxies have an elliptical shape and ill-defined spiral arms. This image is the object’s sharpest view to date, showcasing Hubble’s incredible resolving power and ability to reveal complex dust structures. NGC 4753 […]

May 17, 2024
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Aviary: A New NASA Software Platform for Aircraft Modelling

NASA has created a new digital modelling tool for aeronautical engineers to innovate new aircraft designs, building on decades of experience using highly advanced computer code for aviation. Using this tool, researchers can create simulations of conceptual aircraft featuring never-flown technology and receive detailed data about how it would work. Named “Aviary” for enclosures where […]

May 17, 2024
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NPR News: Scientists reveal mysterious origin of Baobab trees, Rafiki's home in 'The Lion King'

Scientists reveal mysterious origin of Baobab trees, Rafiki's home in 'The Lion King'
Baobabs are sometimes called the "tree of life" with their thick trunks, crown of branches and flowers that only open at twilight. But theories about their geographic origin was divided among three places: the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, the Kimberley region of western Australia and the dry forests of the island nation of Madagascar. To solve this mystery, a global research team led by scientists at the Wuhan Botanical Garden at the Chinese Academy of Sciences examined high-quality genomic data from all eight baobab species. Have another origin story you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Thursday, May 16, 2024

FY2024 TEAM II NOFO Announcement

Next Gen STEM’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) program is pleased to announce an upcoming FY2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will expand the current program from a two-tier to a three-tier system by adding a mid-level funding tier. The NOFO is expected to be released in the third quarter […]

May 16, 2024
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NASA Recognizes 5 Early Career Planetary Scientists

NASA has selected five early-career scientists for its 2023 Planetary Science Early Career Award (ECA) based on their demonstrated leadership, involvement in the planetary science community, and potential for future impact. The ECA program supports exceptional early-career scientists who play a meaningful role in the planetary science community to pursue professional development in areas relevant […]

May 16, 2024
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Students Across US to Hear from NASA Astronaut Aboard Space Station

Students of a volunteer service organization will have the opportunity next week to hear from NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will stream live at 11:40 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 21, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP […]

May 16, 2024
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Accounts Payable

Vendor Payment NASA is committed to expedient and accurate payment of invoices.  Any questions or inquiries should be addressed to the Contracting Officer designated on your award or to the NSSC Customer Contact Center. NSSC Customer Contact Center telephone: 1-877-677-2123 (1-877-NSSC123) Fax: 1-866-779-6772 (1-866-779-NSSC) Vouchers and invoices are to be submitted in the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform […]

May 16, 2024
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NPR News: Taylor Swift joked that 'jet lag is a choice.' A sleep expert has thoughts about that

Taylor Swift joked that 'jet lag is a choice.' A sleep expert has thoughts about that
Plus, six tips on how to stay alert and minimize sluggishness when traveling rapidly across multiple time zones.

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NPR News: Private mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope raises concerns, NASA emails show

Private mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope raises concerns, NASA emails show
When a private space traveler said he wanted to take a SpaceX capsule on a mission to improve the aging Hubble telescope, NASA studied the options. Internal emails show concern about the risk.

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Wednesday, May 15, 2024

NPR News: What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization?

What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization?
Scientists are looking at the ways humans change the planet-- and the impact that has on the spread of infectious disease. You might be surprised at some of their conclusions.

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NPR News: What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization?

What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization?
Scientists are looking at the ways humans change the planet-- and the impact that has on the spread of infectious disease. You might be surprised at some of their conclusions.

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Good Night, Moon

The waning gibbous moon stands out against the dark backdrop of space in this April 26, 2024, image from the International Space Station. Waning gibbous is one of eight moon phases, occurring after the full moon. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we can […]

May 15, 2024
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Space Physics and Space Weather Scientist Dr. Yihua (Eva) Zheng

“I grew up in China. In China, everybody talks about what they want to be [when they grow up]. Many want to grow up to be a scientist or engineer. So I aspired to be a scientist from an early age. “… For the girls or women in science — or in any profession or […]

May 15, 2024
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Binoculars: A Great First Telescope

Do you want to peer deeper into the night sky? Are you feeling the urge to buy a telescope? There are so many options for budding astronomers that choosing one can be overwhelming. A first telescope should be easy to use and provide good quality views while being affordable. As it turns out, those requirements […]

May 15, 2024
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NPR News: Lots of drug companies talk about putting patients first — but this one actually did

Lots of drug companies talk about putting patients first — but this one actually did
When Amylyx Pharmaceuticals found out its ALS drug Relyvrio didn't work, the company took the unusual step of voluntarily pulling it off the market.

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NPR News: Why a changing climate might mean less chocolate in the future

Why a changing climate might mean less chocolate in the future
Chocolate may never be the same. The majority of chocolate is made in just two countries and erratic weather from climate change is decreasing cocoa production. A handful of extreme weather events—from drought to heavy rainfall—could have lasting effects on the chocolate industry. Yasmin Tayag, a food, health and science writer at The Atlantic, talks to host Emily Kwong about the cocoa shortage: What's causing it, how it's linked to poor farming conditions and potential solutions. Plus, they enjoy a chocolate alternative taste test. Read Yasmin's full article. Have a food science story you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Tuesday, May 14, 2024

How ‘Glowing’ Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought

An unusual boost in plant productivity can foreshadow severe soil water loss. NASA satellites are following the clues. Flaring up rapidly and with little warning, the drought that gripped much of the United States in the summer of 2012 was one of the most extensive the country had seen since the yearslong Dust Bowl of […]

May 14, 2024
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NPR News: More than 200 million seniors face extreme heat risks in coming decades, study finds

More than 200 million seniors face extreme heat risks in coming decades, study finds
A new study warns that millions of people around the world who are 69 years or older will be at risk of dying in heat waves by 2050.

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NPR News: More than 200 million seniors face extreme heat risks in coming decades, study finds

More than 200 million seniors face extreme heat risks in coming decades, study finds
A new study warns that millions of people around the world who are 69 years or older will be at risk of dying in heat waves by 2050.

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NASA Teammates Recall Favorite Memories Aboard Flying Laboratory

After flying more than three decades and 158 science campaigns, just one flight remains. NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory will make its final flight May 15 to Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, where it will be used to train future aircraft technicians by providing real-world experience in the college’s Aircraft Maintenance Technology Program. Before […]

May 14, 2024
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NASA Names Deputy Station Manager, Operations Integration Manager

NASA selected Dina Contella as the deputy program manager and Bill Spetch as the operations integration manager for the agency’s International Space Station Program, effective Sunday, June 2. “Dina’s depth of experience with the complex and dynamic aspects of the space station mission will be instrumental for leading through future challenges,” said Dana Weigel, program […]

May 14, 2024
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NPR News: Bringing the wild things back to campus

Bringing the wild things back to campus
The College of New Jersey is making room for native plants, and students are digging it.

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NPR News: He invented a successful medical device as a student. Here's his advice for new grads

He invented a successful medical device as a student. Here's his advice for new grads
When Thorsten Siess was in graduate school, he came up with the idea for a heart device that's now been used in hundreds of thousands of patients around the world.

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Monday, May 13, 2024

What Is… Earth’s Atmosphere?

When we talk about the Earth’s Atmosphere, what do we mean? Imagine a layer cake, wrapping around the Earth. That is essentially what the Earth’s atmosphere is like: layers upon layers of gas surrounding the Earth, working to protect the planet. We asked Rei Ueyama, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, to explain […]

May 14, 2024
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NASA’s Juno Mission Spots Jupiter’s Tiny Moon Amalthea

NASA’s Juno mission captured these views of Jupiter during its 59th close flyby of the giant planet on March 7, 2024. They provide a good look at Jupiter’s colorful belts and swirling storms, including the Great Red Spot. Close examination reveals something more: two glimpses of the tiny moon Amalthea (see Figure B below). Figure […]

May 13, 2024
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15 Years Ago: STS-125, the Final Hubble Servicing Mission

 “Trying to do stellar observations from Earth is like trying to do birdwatching from the bottom of a lake.” James B. Odom, Hubble Program Manager 1983-1990. The fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, placed in orbit in 1990, took place during the STS-125 mission in May 2009. During the 13-day flight, […]

May 13, 2024
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NPR News: My Octopus Teacher's Craig Foster dives into the ocean again in 'Amphibious Soul'

My Octopus Teacher's Craig Foster dives into the ocean again in 'Amphibious Soul'
Nature's healing power is an immensely personal focus for Foster. He made his film after being burned out from long, grinding hours at work. After the release of the film, he suffered from insomnia.

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NPR News: The USDA's gardening zones shifted. This map shows you what's changed in vivid detail

The USDA's gardening zones shifted. This map shows you what's changed in vivid detail
There's a good chance your zone shifted when the USDA updated its plant hardiness map in 2023. Zoom in on what that means for your garden.

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NPR News: On this unassuming trail near LA, bird watchers see something spectacular

On this unassuming trail near LA, bird watchers see something spectacular
At Bear Divide, just outside Los Angeles, you can see a rare spectacle of nature. This is one of the only places in the western United States where you can see bird migration during daylight hours.

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NPR News: AI gets scientists one step closer to mapping the organized chaos in our cells

AI gets scientists one step closer to mapping the organized chaos in our cells
As artificial intelligence seeps into some realms of society, it rushes into others. One area it's making a big difference is protein science — as in the "building blocks of life," proteins! Producer Berly McCoy talks to host Emily Kwong about the newest advance in protein science: AlphaFold3, an AI program from Google DeepMind. Plus, they talk about the wider field of AI protein science and why researchers hope it will solve a range of problems, from disease to the climate. Have other aspects of AI you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Sunday, May 12, 2024

NPR News: The first person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died

The first person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died
Richard Slayman died almost two months after the historic procedure, the Boston hospital where he had the transplant said Saturday. At 62, he had the transplant to treat his end-stage kidney disease.

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NPR News: A car-free town in the Amazon serves lessons for pedaling to net zero emissions

A car-free town in the Amazon serves lessons for pedaling to net zero emissions
Afuá, a remote town in the Brazilian Amazon, banned motor vehicles over 20 years ago. Writer Mac Margolis and photographer Stefan Kolumban paid the town a visit to see what life is like.

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Saturday, May 11, 2024

NPR News: Solar storm disrupts communications

Solar storm disrupts communications
People as far south as Florida were treated to a celestial light show Friday night as a geomagnetic storm set off an aurora, and caused some disruption to satellites.

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NPR News: We've been trying to save the wrong bees

We've been trying to save the wrong bees
Popular slogans and ad campaigns have urged the public to save honeybees. But reports suggest those efforts were directed at saving the wrong bees.

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Friday, May 10, 2024

NPR News: NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed a cluster of sunspots on the surface of the sun this week. With them came solar flares that kicked off a severe geomagnetic storm. That storm is expected to last throughout the weekend as at least five coronal mass ejections — chunks of the sun — are flung out into space, towards Earth! NOAA uses a five point scale to rate these storms, and this weekend's storm is a G4. It's expected to produce auroras as far south as Alabama. To contextualize this storm, we are looking back at he largest solar storm on record: the Carrington Event. Want us to cover more about the sun? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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NPR News: NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed a cluster of sunspots on the surface of the sun this week. With them came solar flares that kicked off a severe geomagnetic storm. That storm is expected to last throughout the weekend as at least five coronal mass ejections — chunks of the sun — are flung out into space, towards Earth! NOAA uses a five point scale to rate these storms, and this weekend's storm is a G4. It's expected to produce auroras as far south as Alabama. To contextualize this storm, we are looking back at he largest solar storm on record: the Carrington Event. Want us to cover more about the sun? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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That’s Refreshing

An American flamingo takes a moment to drink water in the Indian River at Haulover Canal on Merritt Island on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. American Flamingos are more common in Mexico and Cuba but the winds from Hurricane Idalia relocated them to Florida in September 2023. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is northwest of […]

May 10, 2024
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NPR News: A huge solar storm is hurtling toward the Earth. Scientists say you should look up

A huge solar storm is hurtling toward the Earth. Scientists say you should look up
An aurora could be visible as far south as Northern California. Experts say the storm could disrupt some communications and navigation systems like GPS.

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NASA Invites Media to Annual Lunabotics Competition

NASA’s 2024 Lunabotics Challenge offers more than 40 college teams from across the country the chance to design, build, and operate their own lunar robots, with the top 10 teams advancing to the final demonstrations phase. Media are invited to attend the finals on May 16-17 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. […]

May 10, 2024
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NASA’s New Mobile Launcher Stacks Up for Future Artemis Missions 

The foundation is set at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launching crewed missions aboard the agency’s larger and more powerful SLS (Space Launch System) Block 1B rocket in support of Artemis IV and future missions. On May 9, 2024, teams with NASA’s EGS (Exploration Ground Systems) Program and contractor Bechtel National Inc. transferred […]

May 10, 2024
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NPR News: In Kenya's flooded slums, people mourn their losses and slam their leaders

In Kenya's flooded slums, people mourn their losses and slam their leaders
The government has declared May 10 a day of mourning to mark the deaths from disastrous floods and pledged to help. But some say the authorities aren't doing enough. And the rains keep falling.

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Hubble Celebrates the 15th Anniversary of Servicing Mission 4

Fifteen years ago, human hands touched NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope for the last time. As astronauts performed finishing tasks on the telescope during its final servicing mission in May 2009, they knew they had successfully concluded one of the most challenging and ambitious series of spacewalks ever conducted. But they couldn’t have known at the […]

May 10, 2024
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Thursday, May 9, 2024

NPR News: RFK Jr. is not alone. More than a billion people have parasitic worms

RFK Jr. is not alone. More than a billion people have parasitic worms
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke about a time when, as he put it, "A worm ... got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died." Here's a global perspective on these worms.

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Spitzer Space Telescope Captures Galactic Snack

This image, released on May 9, 2024, from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope shows streams of dust flowing toward the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Andromeda Galaxy. These dust streams can help explain how black holes billions of times the mass of our Sun can satiate their big appetites but remain “quiet” […]

May 09, 2024
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Arizona, New York Students to Hear from NASA Astronauts Aboard Station

Students from Arizona and New York will have separate opportunities next week to hear from astronauts aboard the International Space Station. At 12:10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 14, NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Tracy C. Dyson will answer prerecorded student questions from Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona, in partnership with the TRiO […]

May 09, 2024
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NASA Invites Media to Arizona Simulated Artemis Moonwalking Site  

Media are invited to interact with the NASA team members practicing Artemis moonwalking operations Saturday, May 18, in the San Francisco Volcanic Fields near Flagstaff, Arizona. NASA’s in-person only event includes an opportunity to speak with subject matter experts and view various hardware stations. The activities are the fifth in a series since April 2022 […]

May 09, 2024
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NPR News: Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won't have another.

Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won't have another.
Millions of new parents in the U.S. are swamped by medical debt during and after pregnancy, forcing many to cut back on food, clothing, and other essentials.

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NASA Images Help Explain Eating Habits of Massive Black Hole

Data from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope has given scientists new insights into why some supermassive black holes shine differently than others. In images from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope, streams of dust thousands of light-years long flow toward the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Andromeda galaxy. It turns out these streams […]

May 09, 2024
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MAF EAP – Trauma-Informed Workplace

Trauma-Informed Workplace Organized by Health 4 Life. In today’s dynamic professional landscape, understanding and addressing the impacts of trauma is essential for fostering a supportive and inclusive work culture. Join us as we explore the principles of trauma-informed care and their practical applications within organizational settings. We will share strategies for recognizing signs of trauma, […]

May 09, 2024
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Wednesday, May 8, 2024

NPR News: Oil industry could help the Biden administration tap "invisible" green energy

Oil industry could help the Biden administration tap "invisible" green energy
The White House wants a twenty-fold increase in geothermal energy production to fight climate change and it's counting on the oil and gas industry for help.

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The Marshall Star for May 8, 2024

New Flag is in the Stars for Marshall’s Huntsville Operations Support Center By Wayne Smith A new flag is flying closer to the stars outside the Huntsville Operations Support Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center following a May 2 ceremony. The white flag features a blue logo of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and marks contributions […]

May 08, 2024
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Sulaiman Mountain Haze

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this Dec. 17, 2023, photograph of the Sulaiman Mountains in central Pakistan. The Sulaiman Mountains form a natural barrier between the plateaus to the west and the Indus River Valley to the east. Winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and Indus floodplain carry moisture and particulates inland, causing a […]

May 08, 2024
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NASA’s Webb Hints at Possible Atmosphere Surrounding Rocky Exoplanet

Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope may have detected atmospheric gases surrounding 55 Cancri e, a hot rocky exoplanet 41 light-years from Earth. This is the best evidence to date for the existence of any rocky planet atmosphere outside our solar system.  Renyu Hu from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is […]

May 08, 2024
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NPR News: In a decade of drug overdoses, more than 320,000 American children lost a parent

In a decade of drug overdoses, more than 320,000 American children lost a parent
New research documents how many children lost a parent to an opioid or other overdose in the period from 2011 to 2021. Bereaved children face elevated risks to their physical and emotional health.

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NPR News: In a decade of drug overdoses, more than 320,000 American children lost a parent

In a decade of drug overdoses, more than 320,000 American children lost a parent
New research documents how many children lost a parent to an opioid or other overdose in the period from 2011 to 2021. Bereaved children face elevated risks to their physical and emotional health.

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Johnson Celebrates AA and NHPI Heritage Month: Kimia Seyedmadani

A quest for innovative ideas and development processes led biomedical engineer Kimia Seyedmadani to NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) in 2018. After working for several years to design and develop cutting-edge medical devices, Seyedmadani became frustrated with resistance to innovative ideas and  the regulatory processes with respect to a treatment for pancreatic cancer. “I got […]

May 08, 2024
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NASA, JAXA XRISM Spots Iron Fingerprints in Nearby Active Galaxy

After starting science operations in February, Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) studied the monster black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4151. “XRISM’s Resolve instrument captured a detailed spectrum of the area around the black hole,” said Brian Williams, NASA’s project scientist for the mission at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center […]

May 08, 2024
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Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

This April 1, 2018, enhanced-color image of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The image is a combination of three separate images taken as Juno performed its 12th close flyby of the planet. The Great Red Spot, a swirling oval of clouds twice as wide as Earth, has been observed on […]

May 07, 2024
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International SWOT Mission Can Improve Flood Prediction

A partnership between NASA and the French space agency, the satellite is poised to help improve forecasts of where and when flooding will occur in Earth’s rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are like our planet’s arteries, carrying life-sustaining water in interconnected networks. When Earth’s water cycle runs too fast, flooding can result, […]

May 07, 2024
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White Sands Propulsion Team Tests 3D-Printed Orion Engine Component

When the Orion spacecraft carries the first Artemis crews to the Moon and back, it will rely on the European Service Module contributed by ESA (European Space Agency) to make the journey. The service module provides electrical power generation, propulsion, temperature control, and consumable storage for Orion, up to the moment it separates from the […]

May 07, 2024
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Ken Carpenter: Ensuring Top-Tier Science from Moon to Stars

Today, Ken Carpenter is a scientist for NASA’s Hubble and Roman space telescopes, but in 1967 he was just a teenager at his local library out to fact-check a “Star Trek” episode. Name: Kenneth G. CarpenterTitle: Operations Project Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope; Ground System Scientist for Roman Space Telescope; and a NASA Innovative Advanced […]

May 07, 2024
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Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches

When imaging faint objects such as distant stars or exoplanets, capturing every last bit of light is crucial to get the most out of a scientific mission. These cameras must be extremely low-noise, and be able to detect the smallest quantities of light—single photons.  Superconducting cameras excel in both of these criteria, but have historically […]

May 07, 2024
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How NASA’s Roman Mission Will Hunt for Primordial Black Holes

Astronomers have discovered black holes ranging from a few times the Sun’s mass to tens of billions. Now a group of scientists has predicted that NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could find a class of “featherweight” black holes that has so far eluded detection. Today, black holes form either when a massive star collapses […]

May 07, 2024
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Monday, May 6, 2024

NPR News: Scientists study the mysteries of bird migration in the mountains of Los Angeles

Scientists study the mysteries of bird migration in the mountains of Los Angeles
Every spring, a remarkable sight unfolds in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, as thousands of songbirds fly north.

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New NASA Black Hole Visualization Takes Viewers Beyond the Brink

Ever wonder what happens when you fall into a black hole? Now, thanks to a new, immersive visualization produced on a NASA supercomputer, viewers can plunge into the event horizon, a black hole’s point of no return. “People often ask about this, and simulating these difficult-to-imagine processes helps me connect the mathematics of relativity to […]

May 06, 2024
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A Different Perspective – Remembering James Dean, Founder of the NASA Art Program

In March 1962, NASA Administrator James Webb addressed a two-paragraph memorandum to NASA Public Affairs Director Hiden T. Cox about the possibility of bringing in artists to highlight the agency’s achievements in a new way. In it, he wrote, “We should consider in a deliberate way just what NASA should do in the field of […]

May 06, 2024
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Tech Today: NASA’s Ion Thruster Knowhow Keeps Satellites Flying

In low Earth orbit, satellites face a constant challenge – a tiny amount of atmospheric drag that, over time, causes them to slow down and decay their orbit. To combat this, spacecraft rely on in-space thrusters to adjust positioning and boost orbits. However, most of these thrusters use heavy, expensive chemical propellants. This is where […]

May 06, 2024
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Sols 4175-4177: Don’t Blink We’re Taking a Picture

Curiosity loves to drive so it’s pretty rare we stay at a location longer than one planning cycle without the intention of drilling.

May 06, 2024
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NASA Invites Media to Attend Louisiana Space Day 2024

NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, several aerospace companies, and GNO Inc. will host Louisiana Space Day 2024 at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, May 8. Media are invited to attend and should contact Craig Betbeze at craig.c.betbeze@nasa.gov or 504-419-5333 by 2 p.m. […]

May 06, 2024
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Hubble Views a Galaxy with a Voracious Black Hole

Bright, starry spiral arms surround an active galactic center in this new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the galaxy NGC 4951. Located in the Virgo constellation, NGC 4951 is located roughly 50 million light-years away from Earth. It’s classified as a Seyfert galaxy, which means that it’s an extremely energetic type of galaxy with […]

May 06, 2024
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NPR News: Boeing prepares for Starliner's first crewed launch into space after several setbacks

Boeing prepares for Starliner's first crewed launch into space after several setbacks
The latest test flight comes after multiple delays in the Starliner program and increased scrutiny of Boeing for safety lapses in the production of its commercial aircraft.

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NPR News: Largest-ever marine reptile found with help from an 11-year-old girl

Largest-ever marine reptile found with help from an 11-year-old girl
A father and daughter discovered fossil remnants of a giant ichthyosaur that scientists say may have been the largest-known marine reptile to ever swim the seas.

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NPR News: 'Stealing the past': A spat between twins leads to a theory of disputed memories

'Stealing the past': A spat between twins leads to a theory of disputed memories
It's not unusual for siblings to quibble over ownership of something — a cherished toy, a coveted seat in the car — or whose fault something is. If you're Mercedes Sheen, you not only spent your childhood squabbling with your sister over your memories, you then turn it into your research career. Mercedes studies disputed memories, where it's unclear who an event happened to. It turns out these memories can tell us a lot about people — they tend to be self-aggrandizing — and how the human brain remembers things. Check out more of NPR's series on the Science of Siblings. Curious about more science about memories? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Saturday, May 4, 2024

NPR News: When PTO stands for 'pretend time off': Doctors struggle to take real breaks

When PTO stands for 'pretend time off': Doctors struggle to take real breaks
What's a typical vacation activity for doctors? Work. A new study finds that most physicians do work on a typical day off. In this essay, a family doctor considers why that is and why it matters.

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Friday, May 3, 2024

NPR News: A trek in the mountain forests of the Azores islands

A trek in the mountain forests of the Azores islands
Far out in the Atlantic Ocean is a chain of volcanic islands — a province of Portugal. We escape tor a mountain trek among the dairy cows and waterfalls of Sao Miguel island in the Azores.

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ARMD Solicitations

This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page. University Leadership InitiativeKey date: May […]

May 03, 2024
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NPR News: Scientists welcome new rules on marijuana, but research will still face obstacles

Scientists welcome new rules on marijuana, but research will still face obstacles
When marijuana becomes a Schedule III instead of a Schedule I substance under federal rules, researchers will face fewer barriers to studying it. But there will still be some roadblocks for science.

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Former NASA Center Director, Scientist to Receive Presidential Medals

President Joe Biden will present Dr. Ellen Ochoa, former center director and astronaut at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Dr. Jane Rigby, senior project scientist for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, each with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Friday in a ceremony at the White House in Washington. The Presidential Medal of […]

May 03, 2024
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NPR News: Orangutan in the wild applied medicinal plant to heal its own injury, biologists say

Orangutan in the wild applied medicinal plant to heal its own injury, biologists say
It is "the first known case of active wound treatment in a wild animal with a medical plant," biologist Isabelle Laumer told NPR. She says the orangutan, called Rakus, is now thriving.

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A Moonlit Trio

The Moon (left), Saturn, and Jupiter (lower right; Saturn is above and to the left of Jupiter) were seen in the sky above the Washington Memorial on Dec. 17, 2020. At the time, Saturn and Jupiter were nearing each other in the sky, culminating in a “great conjunction” on Dec. 21, where they appeared a […]

May 03, 2024
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NPR News: Launching an effective bird flu vaccine quickly could be tough, scientists warn

Launching an effective bird flu vaccine quickly could be tough, scientists warn
Federal health officials say the U.S. has the building blocks to make a vaccine to protect humans from bird flu, if needed. But experts warn we're nowhere near prepared for another pandemic.

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NPR News: Bridge projects across U.S. offer clues to what may replace Baltimore's fallen span

Bridge projects across U.S. offer clues to what may replace Baltimore's fallen span
What a new bridge over Baltimore's Patapsco River will look like is still very much a matter of speculation. But one design stands out.

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NPR News: Deer are expanding north. That could hurt some species like boreal caribou

Deer are expanding north. That could hurt some species like boreal caribou
Wildlife ecologists have seen white-tailed deer expanding their range in North America over many decades. And since the early-2000s these deer have moved north into the boreal forests of western Canada. These forests are full of spruce and pine trees, sandy soil and freezing winters with lots of snow. They can be a harsh winter wonderland. And ecologists haven't known whether a warmer climate in these forests or human land development might be driving the deer north. A recent study tries to disentangle these factors – and finds that a warming climate seems to play the most significant role in the movement of deer. Read more in the journal Global Change Biology. Curious about more wildlife news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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NPR News: Deer are expanding north. That could hurt some species like boreal caribou

Deer are expanding north. That could hurt some species like boreal caribou
Wildlife ecologists have seen white-tailed deer expanding their range in North America over many decades. And since the early-2000s these deer have moved north into the boreal forests of western Canada. These forests are full of spruce and pine trees, sandy soil and freezing winters with lots of snow. They can be a harsh winter wonderland. And ecologists haven't known whether a warmer climate in these forests or human land development might be driving the deer north. A recent study tries to disentangle these factors – and finds that a warming climate seems to play the most significant role in the movement of deer. Read more in the journal Global Change Biology. Curious about more wildlife news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Thursday, May 2, 2024

NPR News: 10 years after Flint, the fight to replace lead pipes across the U.S. continues

10 years after Flint, the fight to replace lead pipes across the U.S. continues
Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today. Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule. Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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NPR News: How the new Catan board game can spark conversations on climate change

How the new Catan board game can spark conversations on climate change
Today, we're going full nerd to talk about a new board game — Catan: New Energies. The game's goal is simple: Build and develop a modern-day island without catastrophically polluting it. Although the concept mirrors the effects of climate change, those words don't actually appear in the game. NPR correspondent Nate Rott talks to Emily about the thinking behind the new game and how the developers hope it can start conversations around energy use and pollution. Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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35 Years Ago: STS-30 Launches Magellan to Venus

On May 4, 1989, space shuttle Atlantis took off on its third flight, STS-30, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Its five-person crew of Commander David M. Walker, Pilot Ronald J. Grabe, and Mission Specialists Mark C. Lee, Norman E. Thagard, and Mary L. Cleave flew a four-day mission that deployed the Magellan […]

May 02, 2024
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X-ray Satellite XMM-Newton Sees ‘Space Clover’ in a New Light

Astronomers have discovered enormous circular radio features of unknown origin around some galaxies. Now, new observations of one dubbed the Cloverleaf suggest it was created by clashing groups of galaxies. Studying these structures, collectively called ORCs (odd radio circles), in a different kind of light offered scientists a chance to probe everything from supersonic shock […]

May 02, 2024
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Wednesday, May 1, 2024

By Their Powers Combined

This April 20, 2024, image shows a first: all six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft at the same time. Combining the antennas’ receiving power, or arraying, lets the DSN collect […]

May 01, 2024
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Headquarters and Centers Ethic Contacts

Ames Research CenterFemy McGrath*650-604-5116femy.d.mcgrath@nasa.gov Armstrong Flight Research CenterAlex Ray661-276-3162alex.m.ray@nasa.gov Glenn Research CenterLinda Hastings216-433-2315linda.m.hastings@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight CenterRoberta Williams*301-286-9181roberta.m.williams@nasa.gov or gsfc-legal@mail.nasa.gov HeadquartersVictor Robinson*202-358-0550victor.t.robinson@nasa.gov or hq-ethicsteam@nasa.gov Johnson Space CenterJae Choi281-483-6727jaewon.choi-1@nasa.gov or JSCLegal@nasa.gov Kennedy Space CenterRoberto Sepulveda*321-867-0272roberto.a.sepulveda@nasa.gov Langley Research Center757-864-3221LaRC-DL-Ethics@mail.nasa.gov Marshall Space Flight CenterPam Bourque256-544-0024pam.bourque@nasa.gov NASA Management Office at Jet Propulsion LaboratoryHema Sresty818-354-2562hema.j.sresty@nasa.gov NASA Shared Services CenterJennifer Rawls228-813-6840jennifer.l.rawls@nasa.gov Stennis Space […]

May 01, 2024
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NASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science

Nine companies have been selected to conduct early-stage studies of concepts for commercial services to support lower-cost, higher-frequency missions to the Red Planet. NASA has identified nine U.S. companies to perform a total of 12 concept studies of how commercial services can be applied to enable science missions to Mars. Each awardee will receive between […]

May 01, 2024
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Sols 4168-4170 Reaching the “Pinnacle” of Gediz Vallis Ridge (Pinnacle Ridge)

Earth planning date: Friday, April 26, 2024 Today we had a typically challenging Friday for planning. We are parked at the base of Pinnacle Ridge, with an interesting dark block named “Bilko Pinnacle” in our workspace (shown in the image).  This is the first block that is part of the Pinnacle Ridge part of the […]

May 01, 2024
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Big Science Drives Wallops’ Upgrades for NASA Suborbital Missions

Large amounts of data collected by today’s sensitive science instruments present a data-handling challenge to small rocket and balloon suborbital mission computing and avionics systems.

May 01, 2024
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Asian-American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month

In honor of Asian-American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we recognize astronauts with Asian roots who have flown to the International Space Station and contributed to its assembly, operations and research activities. Other pioneers preceded them into space. The first person of Asian origin to reach space, Phạm Tuân of Vietnam spent eight […]

May 01, 2024
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