Tuesday, February 4, 2025

En Route to Jupiter, NASA’s Europa Clipper Captures Images of Stars

The spacecraft’s star trackers help engineers orient the orbiter throughout its long journey to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. Three months after its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency’s Europa Clipper has another 1.6 billion miles (2.6 billion kilometers) to go before it reaches Jupiter’s orbit in 2030 to take close-up images […]

February 04, 2025
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In the Starlight: Anika Isaac’s Mission to Counsel NASA’s Workforce

An interesting fact about Johnson Space Center’s Anika Isaac, MS, LPC, LMFT, LCDC, CEAP, NCC, is that there are more letters following her name than there are in it. A licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, and chemical dependency counselor with several other certifications, Isaac has been a fixture of Johnson’s Employee Assistance Program […]

February 04, 2025
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NASA’s Cloud-based Confluence Software Helps Hydrologists Study Rivers on a Global Scale

Rivers shape ecosystems and economies, yet hydrologists have limited tools to study them. Enter Confluence—a groundbreaking, open-source framework leveraging NASA’s SWOT mission and HLS data to estimate river discharge and sediment levels worldwide. Hosted by PO.DAAC, Confluence delivers rapid, global insights, revolutionizing hydrology with cloud-based efficiency. A game changer for river monitoring.

February 04, 2025
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NPR News: The moon's grand canyons were carved in the blink of an eye

The moon's grand canyons were carved in the blink of an eye
The Earth's Grand Canyon took millions of years to carve, but the moon's grand canyons took about ten minutes.

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Straight Shot: Hubble Investigates Galaxy with Nine Rings

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a cosmic bullseye! The gargantuan galaxy LEDA 1313424 is rippling with nine star-filled rings after an “arrow” — a far smaller blue dwarf galaxy — shot through its heart. Astronomers using Hubble identified eight visible rings, more than previously detected by any telescope in any galaxy, and confirmed a […]

February 04, 2025
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Persevering Through Science

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover continues to live up to its name, pushing forward in search of ancient Martian secrets. Following a brief period of system verification and remote testing, our operations team is back at full strength, and Perseverance has been hard at work uncovering new geological insights. We began our latest campaign at […]

February 04, 2025
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Monday, February 3, 2025

Sols 4441-4442: Winter is Coming

Earth planning date: Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 Here in Earth’s northern hemisphere, the days are slowly getting longer, bringing with them the promise of an end to winter. While we are anticipating the return of warmer temperatures, just over 100 million kilometers (more than 62 million miles) away, Curiosity is starting to feel the bite […]

February 04, 2025
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NASA Awards Contract for Airborne Science Flight Services Support

NASA has awarded Dynamic Aviation Group Inc. of Bridgewater, Virginia, the Commercial Aviation Services contract to support the agency’s Airborne Science Program. The program provides aircraft and technology to further science and advance the use of Earth observing satellite data, making NASA data about our home planet and innovations accessible to all. This is an […]

February 03, 2025
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How Does the Sun Behave? (Grades K-4)

This article is for students grades K-4. The Sun is a star. It is the biggest object in our solar system. The Sun is about 93 million miles away from Earth and about 4.5 billion years old. The Sun affects Earth’s weather, seasons, climate, and more. Let’s learn about how the Sun behaves. Why is […]

February 03, 2025
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NPR News: National Science Foundation says it will unfreeze grant money after court order

National Science Foundation says it will unfreeze grant money after court order
While NSF is still reviewing how its grants comply with Trump executive orders, it says it will continue to paying existing grants

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30 Years Ago: STS-63, First Shuttle and Mir Rendezvous Mission 

The first shuttle mission of 1995, STS-63 included several historic firsts. As part of Phase 1 of the International Space Station program, space shuttle Discovery’s 20th flight conducted the first shuttle rendezvous with the Mir space station, in preparation for future dockings. The six-person crew included Commander James Wetherbee, Pilot Eileen Collins – the first […]

February 03, 2025
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The Drive for Better Fuels NASA Employee

Two words come to Tim Stiglets’ mind when he thinks about NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi – growth and opportunity. The Waveland, Mississippi, resident has experienced both in his career at the south Mississippi NASA center. He started as a summer intern onsite with Lockheed Martin in 2002. When The University […]

February 03, 2025
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Station Nation: Meet Tandra Gill Spain, Computer Resources Senior Project Manager in the Avionics and Software Office 

For astronauts aboard the International Space Station, staying connected to loved ones and maintaining a sense of normalcy is critical. That is where Tandra Gill Spain, a computer resources senior project manager in NASA’s Avionics and Software Office, comes in. Spain leads the integration of applications on Apple devices and the hardware integration on the […]

February 03, 2025
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NPR News: Vagus nerve stimulation may tame autoimmune diseases

Vagus nerve stimulation may tame autoimmune diseases
The next big advance in treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis could be tiny pulses of electricity delivered to the vagus nerve.

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NPR News: After land abandonment, should we tend nature or set it free?

After land abandonment, should we tend nature or set it free?
Ecologist Gergana Daskalova moved back to the small Bulgarian town of her childhood. It's a place many people have abandoned — and that's the very reason she returned. At the same time as land is being cleared around the world to make room for agriculture, elsewhere farmland is being abandoned for nature to reclaim. But what happens when people let the land return to nature? This episode, science reporter Dan Charles explains why abandoned land has conservationists and researchers asking: If we love nature, do we tend it or set it free? Read more of Dan's reporting for Science Magazine and NPR. Want us to cover other about ecology, biodiversity or land science stories? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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NPR News: After land abandonment, should we tend nature or set it free?

After land abandonment, should we tend nature or set it free?
Ecologist Gergana Daskalova moved back to the small Bulgarian town of her childhood. It's a place many people have abandoned — and that's the very reason she returned. At the same time as land is being cleared around the world to make room for agriculture, elsewhere farmland is being abandoned for nature to reclaim. But what happens when people let the land return to nature? This episode, science reporter Dan Charles explains why abandoned land has conservationists and researchers asking: If we love nature, do we tend it or set it free? Read more of Dan's reporting for Science Magazine and NPR. Want us to cover other about ecology, biodiversity or land science stories? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Sunday, February 2, 2025

NPR News: Your ears can't prick up, but your ear muscles sure try

Your ears can't prick up, but your ear muscles sure try
Humans actually have vestigial muscles that activate when listening closely to something, even though people lost the ability to really move their ears about 25 million years ago.

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NPR News: What counts as a good night's sleep, according to science

What counts as a good night's sleep, according to science
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Professor Nicole Tang about sleep quality and why it's difficult to define and measure.

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NPR News: Inside a top-secret US nuclear facility in the Nevada desert

Inside a top-secret US nuclear facility in the Nevada desert
A group of journalists were allowed to tour a weapons laboratory deep underground in Frenchman Flat, Nevada. NPR's science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel was among them.

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NPR News: What counts as a good night's sleep, according to science

What counts as a good night's sleep, according to science
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Professor Nicole Tang about sleep quality and why it's difficult to define and measure.

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NPR News: Astronomers are tracking an asteroid that could hit Earth in 2032

Astronomers are tracking an asteroid that could hit Earth in 2032
The odds are about 1% that the football field-sized object could hit the Earth, but that makes it the closest call in more than 20 years.

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Saturday, February 1, 2025

NPR News: Understanding the science of daily stress

Understanding the science of daily stress
In this excerpt from KCUR's podcast "Seeking A Scientist," host Kate the Chemist set out to understand the science behind everyday stress and some helpful ways to cope.

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NPR News: Not too hard, not too soft, rotting fruit is just right - for fruit fly maggots

Not too hard, not too soft, rotting fruit is just right - for fruit fly maggots
It turns out, a maggot's preference for rotting fruit has as much to do with texture as taste. Researchers are looking into figuring out why and what neurons are responsible.

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Friday, January 31, 2025

NASA to Talk Science, Tech Aboard Next Intuitive Machines Moon Flight

NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 7, to discuss the agency’s science and technology flying aboard Intuitive Machines’ second flight to the Moon. The mission is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence.  Audio of the call will […]

January 31, 2025
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NPR News: A muscle that 'perks' the ear could hold clues to make better hearing aids

A muscle that 'perks' the ear could hold clues to make better hearing aids
Vestigial human ear muscles react to sounds even if the external ear does not move. This could be used to build better earing aids.

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NPR News: 3 undergraduate students have taken the first photograph of the Mount Lyell shrew

3 undergraduate students have taken the first photograph of the Mount Lyell shrew
For more than 100 years, scientists have known about a shrew living in the mountains around Yosemite National Park. California designated it a "species of special concern," but nobody had seen it.

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What’s Up: February 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA

A Month of Bright Planets Venus blazes at its brightest for the year after sunset, then Mars and Jupiter to rule the night amid the menagerie of bright winter stars. Skywatching Highlights All Month – Planet Visibility: Daily Highlights: February 1 – Venus & Moon: The crescent Moon cozies up to brilliant Venus tonight in […]

January 31, 2025
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Building an Antenna

A crane lowers the 112-foot-wide (34-meter-wide) steel framework for the Deep Space Station 23 (DSS-23) reflector dish into position on Dec. 18, 2024, at the Deep Space Network’s (DSN) Goldstone Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California. Once online in 2026, DSS-23 will be the fifth of six new beam waveguide antennas to be added to […]

January 31, 2025
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6 Things to Know About SPHEREx, NASA’s Newest Space Telescope

Shaped like a megaphone, the upcoming mission will map the entire sky in infrared light to answer big questions about the universe. Expected to launch no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 27, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, NASA’s SPHEREx space observatory will provide astronomers with a big-picture view of the cosmos like none before. […]

January 31, 2025
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NPR News: Generative AI and other innovations topping MIT Technology Review's 2025 list

Generative AI and other innovations topping MIT Technology Review's 2025 list
In a world brimming with innovation and limited time, it can be hard to tell what technology has the potential to really shift life. Yet, every year, MIT Technology Review undertakes this very task and puts out an annual list to magazine readers of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. Today, host Regina G. Barber hops through highlights from the list with Amy Nordrum, an executive editor at the publication. Check out the full list here. Another tech topic on your mind that you want us to discuss on an upcoming episode? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

NPR News: Study finds India doubled its tiger population in a decade

Study finds India doubled its tiger population in a decade
The study found that some local communities near tiger habitats have also benefited from the increase in tigers because of the foot traffic and revenues brought in by ecotourism.

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NPR News: A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori

A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori
The recognition acknowledges the mountain's theft from the Māori after New Zealand was colonized. It fulfills an agreement from the country's government to Indigenous people.

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NPR News: A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori

A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori
The recognition acknowledges the mountain's theft from the Māori after New Zealand was colonized. It fulfills an agreement from the country's government to Indigenous people.

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NPR News: For 2 years, eggs on an eagle nest cam haven't hatched. Will this year be different?

For 2 years, eggs on an eagle nest cam haven't hatched. Will this year be different?
Jackie and Shadow are a mating pair of bald eagles in southern California, who have riveted thousands of viewers with the live cam of their eggs. The past two years, none of them hatched.

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NPR News: Scientists scramble to understand Trump administration actions

Scientists scramble to understand Trump administration actions
President Trump's executive orders and actions, as well as the temporary funding freeze, have sewn confusion with many scientists who receive federal funding.

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SPHEREx’s Concentric Cones

NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory rests horizontally in this April 2024 image taken at BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado. This orientation shows the observatory’s three layers of photon shields – the metallic concentric cones. Over a two-year planned mission, the SPHEREx Observatory will collect […]

January 30, 2025
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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

NASA Invites Media to Discuss PUNCH Mission to Study Solar Wind

NASA will hold a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 4, to share information about the agency’s upcoming PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, which is targeted to launch no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 27. The agency’s PUNCH mission is a constellation of four small satellites. When they arrive […]

January 29, 2025
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NASA, Partners to Welcome Fourth Axiom Space Mission to Space Station

NASA and its international partners have approved the crew for Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, launching from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than spring 2025. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO […]

January 29, 2025
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6 NASA Experiments on Materials, Benefitting Space and Earth

Did you know that NASA conducts ground-breaking research in space on materials like metals, foams, and crystals? This research could lead to next-generation technology that both enables deep-space exploration and benefits humanity.   Here are six studies scientists have conducted on the International Space Station that could have profound implications for future space travel and also […]

January 29, 2025
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Glenn Construction Safety

Occupational Health and Safety information for construction activities at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field and Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. Points of Contact Educational Material Forms To access a form, go to the NASA Electronic Forms site and search for the form number listed below.  You will have to download the form to […]

January 28, 2025
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Muestra de la NASA del asteroide Bennu revela un ‘caldo’ con los ingredientes de la vida

Read this release in English here. Los estudios de las rocas y el polvo del asteroide Bennu que fueron traídos a la Tierra por la nave espacial de la misión Orígenes, Interpretación Espectral, Identificación de Recursos y Seguridad – Explorador de Regolito (OSIRIS-REx, por sus siglas en inglés) de la NASA han revelado moléculas que, en […]

January 29, 2025
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NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Sample Reveals Mix of Life’s Ingredients

Lee esta nota de prensa en español aquí. Studies of rock and dust from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security–Regolith Explorer) spacecraft have revealed molecules that, on our planet, are key to life, as well as a history of saltwater that could have served as the […]

January 29, 2025
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NPR News: Here's how climate change fueled the Los Angeles fires

Here's how climate change fueled the Los Angeles fires
Extreme conditions helped fuel the fast-moving fires that destroyed thousands of homes. Scientists are working to figure out how climate change played a role in the disaster.

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NPR News: Could your smelly farts help science?

Could your smelly farts help science?
Farts are funny and sometimes smelly. But are they a legitimate topic of research? More than 40% of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from some kind of functional gut disorder — from acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to inflammatory bowel disease. So, yes, freelance science writer Claire Ainsworth thinks so. Claire speaks with Emily about two teams of scientists studying intestinal gases, who she profiled in a recent New Scientist article — and why understanding people's gut microbiome through a fart-shaped window may help treat these conditions at the source. Read more of Claire's reporting for New Scientist. Have another bodily function you want us to explore or just want to report to us about a funny time you passed gas? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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NPR News: Could your smelly farts help science?

Could your smelly farts help science?
Farts are funny and sometimes smelly. But are they a legitimate topic of research? More than 40% of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from some kind of functional gut disorder — from acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to inflammatory bowel disease. So, yes, freelance science writer Claire Ainsworth thinks so. Claire speaks with Emily about two teams of scientists studying intestinal gases, who she profiled in a recent New Scientist article — and why understanding people's gut microbiome through a fart-shaped window may help treat these conditions at the source. Read more of Claire's reporting for New Scientist. Have another bodily function you want us to explore or just want to report to us about a funny time you passed gas? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

NPR News: Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go

Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
Acting EPA Administrator James Payne sent an email to members of the agency's Science Advisory Board and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee informing them that both are being "reset."

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NPR News: Trump asks SpaceX to "go get" two stranded ISS astronauts. They're not stranded.

Trump asks SpaceX to "go get" two stranded ISS astronauts. They're not stranded.
Two NASA astronauts flew to the International Space Station in June on Boeing's Starliner capsule. The test flight was planned for eight days but technical troubles forced the capsule to return empty.

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Wolf Moon in Washington

A NASA photographer captured the full “wolf” moon rising over the Lincoln Memorial and Memorial Bridge on Jan. 13, 2025. The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s. Over time, these names have become widely known and used. According to this almanac, the full moon in January is […]

January 28, 2025
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NASA Juno Mission Spots Most Powerful Volcanic Activity on Io to Date

Even by the standards of Io, the most volcanic celestial body in the solar system, recent events observed on the Jovian moon are extreme. Scientists with NASA’s Juno mission have discovered a volcanic hot spot in the southern hemisphere of Jupiter’s moon Io. The hot spot is not only larger than Earth’s Lake Superior, but […]

January 28, 2025
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Monday, January 27, 2025

NPR News: National Science Foundation freezes grant review in response to Trump executive orders

National Science Foundation freezes grant review in response to Trump executive orders
The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.

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NASA to Preview Sky-Mapping Space Telescope Ahead of Launch

NASA will host a news conference at 12 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 31, to discuss a new telescope that will improve our understanding of how the universe evolved and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy. Agency experts will preview NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and […]

January 27, 2025
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NPR News: The last of the escaped South Carolina lab monkeys have been recovered

The last of the escaped South Carolina lab monkeys have been recovered
The female rhesus macaques staged an escape from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in South Carolina last year.

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Station Science Top News: Jan. 24, 2025

Reducing reliance on resupply missions Resupply of life support elements such as air, water, food, clothing, and hygiene items will be impractical on missions to the Moon and beyond. This research assessed current use and resupply of these elements on the International Space Station and outlines technologies needed for sustained human presence in space, such […]

January 27, 2025
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Black Holes Can Cook for Themselves, Chandra Study Shows

Astronomers have taken a crucial step in showing that the most massive black holes in the universe can create their own meals. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) provide new evidence that outbursts from black holes can help cool down gas to feed themselves. This study was based on […]

January 27, 2025
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NASA Invites Media to Pre-Super Bowl Tours at New Orleans Facility

Media are invited to visit NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans between Tuesday, Feb. 4, and Thursday, Feb. 6, ahead of Super Bowl LIX for an inside look America’s rocket factory, as well as interview agency experts. During this behind-the-scenes visit, media will tour NASA’s location for the manufacturing and production of large-scale space […]

January 27, 2025
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COMING SOON: 2024 Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station

The 2024 Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station is coming soon. This new edition contains updated bibliometric analyses, a list of all the publications documented in fiscal year 2024, and synopses of the most recent and recognized scientific findings from investigations conducted on the space station. These investigations are sponsored by NASA and all […]

January 27, 2025
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NPR News: Giant iceberg is on a collision course with island home to seals and penguins

Giant iceberg is on a collision course with island home to seals and penguins
The world's biggest iceberg, known A23a, is on a collision course with a tiny island in the South Atlantic, which is home to millions of seals and nearly half the world's population of king penguins.

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NPR News: Moths, owls and a fungi with over 20,000 sexes...oh my!

Moths, owls and a fungi with over 20,000 sexes...oh my!
Put on your headphones. In today's episode, host Emily Kwong leads us on a night hike in Patuxent River State Park in Maryland. Alongside a group of naturalists led by Serenella Linares, we'll meet a variety of species with unique survival quirks and wintertime adaptations. We'll search out lichen that change color under UV light and flip over a wet log to track a salamander keeping warm under wet leaves. Emily may even meet the bioluminescent mushrooms of her dreams. Plus, we talk about community events to get outside, such as the City Nature Challenge and Great American Campout. Do you have a question about changes in your local environment? Email a recording of your question to shortwave@npr.org — we may investigate it as part of an upcoming Short Wave segment! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Sunday, January 26, 2025

NPR News: How did the newt cross the road? With the help of the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade!

How did the newt cross the road? With the help of the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade!
In northern California, a group of volunteers spend every night from late fall through winter as crossing guards–escorting migrating salamanders across a rural road. 

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Friday, January 24, 2025

NASA Invites Media to Expedition 71 Crew Visit at Marshall

NASA will host four astronauts at 9 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Jan. 29, for a media opportunity at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA astronauts Matt Dominick, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson served as part of Expedition 71 and will discuss their recent missions to the International Space Station. […]

January 24, 2025
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NPR News: Fossil find suggests young pterosaurs may have been hunted by crocodile ancestors

Fossil find suggests young pterosaurs may have been hunted by crocodile ancestors
A rare fossil find suggests that young pterosaurs may have been hunted by the ancestors of crocodiles.

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NPR News: Giant pandas are returning to the National Zoo after a 15-month absence

Giant pandas are returning to the National Zoo after a 15-month absence
After a 15-month absence, giant pandas will be back on public display this morning at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

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NPR News: A new study finds peeing is contagious among chimpanzees

A new study finds peeing is contagious among chimpanzees
At least, it's contagious among a group of captive chimpanzees at the Kumamoto Sanctuary. How do researchers know? A very dedicated grad student at Kyoto University. In the quest for scientific knowledge, Ena Onishi logged over 600 hours in the field! This episode, host Regina G. Barber and special guests Jonathan Lambert and Ari Shapiro get into the nitty gritty of the research and their hypotheses for why this is happening in this episode. Read Jonathan's full reporting about contagious peeing in chimps. Delighted by other scientific discoveries you think we should share with the whole class (the rest of our audience)? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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NPR News: A new study finds peeing is contagious among chimpanzees

A new study finds peeing is contagious among chimpanzees
At least, it's contagious among a group of captive chimpanzees at the Kumamoto Sanctuary. How do researchers know? A very dedicated grad student at Kyoto University. In the quest for scientific knowledge, Ena Onishi logged over 600 hours in the field! This episode, host Regina G. Barber and special guests Jonathan Lambert and Ari Shapiro get into the nitty gritty of the research and their hypotheses for why this is happening in this episode. Read Jonathan's full reporting about contagious peeing in chimps. Delighted by other scientific discoveries you think we should share with the whole class (the rest of our audience)? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

NPR News: Meet the crossing guards who help tiny salamanders travel safely at night

Meet the crossing guards who help tiny salamanders travel safely at night
A group of volunteers spends every night for a few months acting as crossing guards for tiny amphibians: migrating salamanders.

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NPR News: The stars of this unusual wrestling show? Puppets

The stars of this unusual wrestling show? Puppets
Dr. Kiss, a three-foot-tall wooden puppet, can handle his business in the wrestling ring. He's the star of a traveling show, reveling in the art and artifice of pro wrestling.

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NASA Tests Air Traffic Surveillance Technology Using Its Pilatus PC-12 Aircraft

As air taxis, drones, and other innovative aircraft enter U.S. airspace, systems that communicate an aircraft’s location will be critical to ensure air traffic safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aircraft to communicate their locations to other aircraft and air traffic control in real time using an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. NASA is […]

January 23, 2025
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NPR News: Blasts from military weapons may injure the brain through its blood vessels

Blasts from military weapons may injure the brain through its blood vessels
When military personnel fire certain powerful weapons, they may be exposed to blast waves that damage blood vessels in the brain.

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NPR News: This scientist studies climate change. Then the Los Angeles fire destroyed his home

This scientist studies climate change. Then the Los Angeles fire destroyed his home
Climate scientist Ben Hamlington works on understanding the impacts of climate change. Losing his house in the Eaton Fire has given that work new meaning.

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NPR News: This economist survived a wildfire. Now she's taking on California's insurance crisis

This economist survived a wildfire. Now she's taking on California's insurance crisis
An economist's harrowing escape from fire, and her big ideas to rescue California from its insurance doom spiral.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Artist’s Concept of Gemini Spacecraft

Two astronauts are seated inside the Gemini spacecraft in this artist’s concept made in January 1965. The Gemini program was an early NASA human spaceflight program designed to bridge the Mercury and Apollo programs. Its main goal was to test equipment and mission procedures in Earth orbit and to train astronauts and ground crew for […]

January 22, 2025
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NASA Awards Logistics, Metrology Support Services Contract

NASA has awarded a small business set-aside contract to Apache Innovations JV of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to provide logistics, and related support services to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The Glenn Logistics and Metrology (GLAM) contract is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a maximum potential value of approximately $72.3 million. The contract phase-in begins Monday, […]

January 22, 2025
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I am Artemis: Jon Carabello

Jon Carabello did not begin his career journey with an eye on space, but when NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign came calling, he was all in. Born, raised, and college-educated in New Hampshire, Carabello has spent his entire professional career at TURBOCAM – a turbomachinery development and manufacturing company – in the southeast corner of […]

January 22, 2025
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NASA Glenn Helps Bring Joy to Children in Need

NASA’s Glenn Research Center continued a decades-long tradition of participating in the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program during the 2024 holiday season. On Dec. 9, members of the Marine Corps Reserve (3rd Battalion, 25th Marines) picked up 11 boxes of toys donated by employees from NASA Glenn’s facilities in Cleveland and Sandusky, Ohio.  The […]

January 22, 2025
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NPR News: Why some astronomers are excited about the search for alien life

Why some astronomers are excited about the search for alien life
Around the turn of the century, 3.8 million people banded together in a real-time search for aliens — with screensavers. It was a big moment in a century-long concerted search for extraterrestrial intelligence. So far, alien life hasn't been found. But for people like astronomer James Davenport, that doesn't mean the hunt is worthless — or should be given up. No, according to James, the search is only getting more exciting as new technology opens up a whole new landscape of possibilities. So today on the show: The evolving hunt for alien life. Want more space content? Let your opinion be heard by dropping us a line at shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025

NPR News: FDA allows standalone use of nasal spray antidepressant Spravato (esketamine)

FDA allows standalone use of nasal spray antidepressant Spravato (esketamine)
The FDA says esketamine, an antidepressant derived from the anesthetic and party drug ketamine, can now be prescribed on its own. It was approved in 2019 to treat severe depression.

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NPR News: LA fires inside the evacuation zone

LA fires inside the evacuation zone
Some people who didn't evacuate are now hunkering down in their houses. The National guard and police warn that no one comes in and anyone choosing to leave won't be allowed back. Neighbors inside are making the best of the situation.

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NPR News: LA fires inside the evacuation zone

LA fires inside the evacuation zone
Some people who didn't evacuate are now hunkering down in their houses. The National guard and police warn that no one comes in and anyone choosing to leave won't be allowed back. Neighbors inside are making the best of the situation.

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NASA Marshall Invites Media to Local Day of Remembrance Event

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, invites media to attend its observance of the agency’s Day of Remembrance at 9:30 a.m. CST Thursday, Jan. 23, in the lobby of Building 4221. Day of Remembrance honors the members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery.  […]

January 21, 2025
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Astronauts Set to Swab the Exterior of Station for Microbial Life

Astronauts are scheduled to venture outside the International Space Station to collect microbiological samples during crew spacewalks for the ISS External Microorganisms experiment. This investigation focuses on sampling at sites near life support system vents to examine whether the spacecraft releases microorganisms, how many, and how far they may travel. This experiment could help researchers […]

January 21, 2025
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NPR News: Saber teeth in predators evolved many times. Did it lead to their extinction?

Saber teeth in predators evolved many times. Did it lead to their extinction?
A new analysis suggests saber teeth were highly specialized for puncturing prey, ultimately at the cost of durability.

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NASA Sets Sights on Mars Terrain with Revolutionary Tire Tech

The mystique of Mars has been studied for centuries. The fourth planet from the Sun is reminiscent of a rich, red desert and features a rugged surface challenging to traverse. While several robotic missions have landed on Mars, NASA has only explored 1% of its surface. Ahead of future human and robotic missions to the […]

January 21, 2025
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NPR News: How to keep your pets safe from bird flu

How to keep your pets safe from bird flu
A few cats have died from bird flu, and there have been a handful of recalls of raw pet food. Here's what pet owners should know about the risks, and how to keep pets safe.

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Monday, January 20, 2025

NPR News: Advocates worry about North Carolina's old growth forests, damaged by Hurricane Helene

Advocates worry about North Carolina's old growth forests, damaged by Hurricane Helene
The old growth forests of Western North Carolina took a beating from Hurricane Helene. Now they've lost a bid for federal protection. This worries advocates that the forests could soon vanish.

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NPR News: Advocates worry about North Carolina's old growth forests, damaged by Hurricane Helene

Advocates worry about North Carolina's old growth forests, damaged by Hurricane Helene
The old growth forests of Western North Carolina took a beating from Hurricane Helene. Now they've lost a bid for federal protection. This worries advocates that the forests could soon vanish.

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NPR News: It's America's 'Manifest Destiny' to plant a flag on Mars, Trump says

It's America's 'Manifest Destiny' to plant a flag on Mars, Trump says
Trump says Americans should look to the stars, by sending astronauts to Mars.

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NPR News: Trump promises new names: 'Gulf of America' and 'Mount McKinley'

Trump promises new names: 'Gulf of America' and 'Mount McKinley'
President Trump pledged to change the name of two natural landmarks in his second inaugural address. Can he do that?

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NPR News: The science behind the FDA ban on food dye Red No. 3

The science behind the FDA ban on food dye Red No. 3
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced it is banning the dye called Red No. 3, a food dye additive in many processed foods, like sodas, sweets and snacks. Recently, it and other dyes were linked to behavior issues in children. But high levels of Red No. 3 were linked to cancer in rats decades ago. So why is the ban happening now? Senior editor and science desk correspondent Maria Godoy answers our questions about Red No. 3 and other dyes that may replace it. Plus, how should parents think about feeding their kids products that may contain Red No. 3 before the ban takes affect. Questions, story ideas or want us to dig into another food science issue? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Sunday, January 19, 2025

NPR News: Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself

Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself
The ash and debris created during the burns could be loaded with dangerous materials. Experts suggest taking care.

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NPR News: Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself

Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself
The ash and debris created during the burns could be loaded with dangerous materials. Experts suggest taking care.

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Friday, January 17, 2025

NASA Scientists, Engineers Receive Presidential Early Career Awards 

President Biden has named 19 researchers who contribute to NASA’s mission as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). These recipients are among nearly 400 federally funded researchers receiving the honor.   Established in 1996 by the National Science and Technology Council, the PECASE Award is the highest honor given by […]

January 17, 2025
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NPR News: A planet parade of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars shines in the skies this month

A planet parade of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars shines in the skies this month
All month, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars will appear to line up and be bright enough to see with the naked eye in the first few hours after dark. This weekend, Venus and Saturn get especially cozy.

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Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Independent Assessment

NASA’s Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO) assembled a small working group to review hydrogen sulfide (H2S) Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentration (SMAC) values. The group met virtually three times during February and March 2023, and panel members submitted individual opinion statements in April 2023. Toxicology subject matter experts were chosen to result in a balanced panel with respect to expertise in SMAC determinations and specific H2S considerations, from both clinical and epidemiological perspectives. Panel members were Dr. Terry Gordon, Dr. Tee Guidotti, and Dr. Joyce Tsuji; OCHMO team members who facilitated the discussions were Dr. Doug Ebert, Dave Francisco, Sarah Childress, Kristin Coffey, and Kim Lowe.

January 17, 2025
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NASA Opens New Challenge to Support Climate-Minded Business Models

NASA’s Sustainable Business Model Challenge is looking for entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers to leverage the agency’s publicly available Earth system science data to develop commercial solutions for climate challenges. This opportunity, with a submission deadline of June 13, bridges the gap between vast climate data and actionable solutions by inviting solvers to transform data into […]

January 17, 2025
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NASA’s Planetary Defenders Head to the Sundance Film Festival

NASA is bringing the high-stakes world of planetary defense to the Sundance Film Festival, highlighting its upcoming documentary, “Planetary Defenders,” during a panel ahead of its spring 2025 premiere on the agency’s streaming service. “We’re thrilled that NASA is attending Sundance Film Festival for the first time – a festival renowned for its innovative spirit,” […]

January 17, 2025
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

The Stone of Hope, a granite statue of civil rights movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is seen in this image from Jan. 5, 2025. The statue is part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington. Dr. King inspired millions to answer the righteous call for racial equality and to build a […]

January 17, 2025
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NPR News: Trained crews begin hazardous waste removal in LA

Trained crews begin hazardous waste removal in LA
Crews have started hazardous waste removal in LA — a critical first phase of cleanup. Trained personnel carefully remove household items turned dangerous or deadly by "heat assault" from the fires.

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NPR News: Development is taking a toll on Florida's precious freshwater springs

Development is taking a toll on Florida's precious freshwater springs
Because of its unique geology, Florida has hundreds of freshwater springs that are treasured for their wildlife and crystal clear water. Years of overdevelopment and over-pumping of groundwater have degraded them and environmentalists want the state to take action.

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

NASA Names David Korth as Deputy, Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate

NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance. I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy […]

January 16, 2025
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NASA Names Mary Beth Schwartz as Director, Center Operations Directorate

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director. “I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission […]

January 16, 2025
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NPR News: Trump's pick for EPA administrator is Lee Zeldin. Here's what to know.

Trump's pick for EPA administrator is Lee Zeldin. Here's what to know.
Democrats worry the Trump administration will roll back efforts to limit climate change.

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NPR News: A new way to see what was for dinner 3 million years ago

A new way to see what was for dinner 3 million years ago
Analyzing the chemistry of some ancient teeth has revealed what human ancestors were eating around 3 million years ago.

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NPR News: Toyota's commercial truck company will pay $1.6 billion for faking emissions tests

Toyota's commercial truck company will pay $1.6 billion for faking emissions tests
Hino Motors will plead guilty to submitting false emissions data to regulators for more than 100,000 heavy-duty trucks. The company will pay an array of fines, and fix some affected vehicles for free.

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Aerospace Latin America: A History

2025 Seminar Series Throughout 2025, the NASA History Office is presenting a seminar series on the topic of Aerospace Latin America. This series will explore the origins, evolution, and historical context of aerospace in the region since the dawn of the Space Age, touching on a broad range of topics including aerospace infrastructure development, space […]

January 16, 2025
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NASA International Space Apps Challenge Announces 2024 Global Winners

NASA Space Apps has named 10 global winners, recognizing teams from around the world for their exceptional innovation and collaboration during the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. As the largest annual global hackathon, this event invites participants to leverage open data from NASA and its space agency partners to tackle real-world challenges on Earth and […]

January 16, 2025
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NASA Scientists Find New Human-Caused Shifts in Global Water Cycle

In a recently published paper, NASA scientists use nearly 20 years of observations to show that the global water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways. The majority of those shifts are driven by activities such as agriculture and could have impacts on ecosystems and water management, especially in certain regions. “We established with data assimilation […]

January 16, 2025
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NASA’s Pandora Mission One Step Closer To Probing Alien Atmospheres

Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission, is one step closer to launch with the completion of the spacecraft bus, which provides the structure, power, and other systems that will enable the mission to carry out its work. “This is a huge milestone for us and keeps us on track for a launch in the fall,” said […]

January 16, 2025
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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Langley’s Propeller Research Tunnel

Elton W. Miller, chief of aerodynamics at what is now NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, stands in the entrance cone of the Propeller Research Tunnel in this Sept. 9, 1926, photo. In front of the entrance is the Sperry M-1 Messenger, the first full-scale airplane tested in the tunnel. The Propeller Research Tunnel, […]

January 15, 2025
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NASA Seeks Proposals for Space Biology and Physical Sciences Research 

On Dec. 19, 2024, NASA released two amendments to the NASA Research Announcement Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2024 (NNH24ZDA001N) to announce the E.9 Space Biology: Research Studies and E.12 Physical Sciences Research Studies program elements.   Space Biology Proposals  The research emphases of E.9 Space Biology: Research Studies fall under two broad […]

January 15, 2025
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NPR News: Invasive green crabs threaten West Coast ecosystems. One solution? Otters

Invasive green crabs threaten West Coast ecosystems. One solution? Otters
As invasive green crabs wreak havoc on California's estuaries, a new study has found that a restored sea otter population might be the solution.

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NPR News: Invasive green crabs threaten West Coast ecosystems. One solution? Otters

Invasive green crabs threaten West Coast ecosystems. One solution? Otters
As invasive green crabs wreak havoc on California's estuaries, a new study has found that a restored sea otter population might be the solution.

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50 Years Ago: Preparing the Final Saturn Rocket for Flight

With the historic first international space docking mission only six months away, preparations on the ground for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) intensified. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, workers in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) stacked the rocket for the mission, the final Saturn rocket assembled for flight. In the nearby Manned […]

January 15, 2025
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NASA Celebrates Edwin Hubble’s Discovery of a New Universe

For humans, the most important star in the universe is our Sun. The second-most important star is nestled inside the Andromeda galaxy. Don’t go looking for it — the flickering star is 2.2 million light-years away, and is 1/100,000th the brightness of the faintest star visible to the human eye. Yet, a century ago, its […]

January 15, 2025
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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Ten NASA Science, Tech Instruments Flying to Moon on Firefly Lander

As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, the agency is preparing to fly ten instruments aboard Firefly Aerospace’s first delivery to the Moon. These science payloads and technology demonstrations will help advance our understanding of the Moon and planetary processes, while paving the way for future crewed missions on […]

January 14, 2025
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Newfound Galaxy Class May Indicate Early Black Hole Growth, Webb Finds

In December 2022, less than six months after commencing science operations, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope revealed something never seen before: numerous red objects that appear small on the sky, which scientists soon called “little red dots” (LRDs). Though these dots are quite abundant, researchers are perplexed by their nature, the reason for their unique […]

January 14, 2025
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NASA Deputy Administrator to Receive 2025 National Space Award

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation has selected NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, a retired United States Air Force colonel and former NASA astronaut, to receive the 2025 National Space Trophy on April 25 in Houston. “This honor is not just a reflection of my journey but a testament to the incredible teams […]

January 14, 2025
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New Simulated Universe Previews Panoramas From NASA’s Roman Telescope

Astronomers have released a set of more than a million simulated images showcasing the cosmos as NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will see it. This preview will help scientists explore a myriad of Roman’s science goals. “We used a supercomputer to create a synthetic universe and simulated billions of years of evolution, tracing […]

January 14, 2025
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NPR News: A tortoise survival tale: How Tiptoe escaped Southern California's wildfires

A tortoise survival tale: How Tiptoe escaped Southern California's wildfires
For years, Tiptoe has been a beloved sight in Pacific Palisades, quietly tromping along sidewalks and growing a major social media following. But last week, he lost his home to wildfires.

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NPR News: Two Marines spent years firing heavy weapons. Then came headaches and hemorrhage.

Two Marines spent years firing heavy weapons. Then came headaches and hemorrhage.
Two Marines suspect that years of firing powerful weapons caused them to develop the same rare, and potentially fatal, brain condition.

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NPR News: Hellbender salamanders could be added to endangered species list

Hellbender salamanders could be added to endangered species list
A giant salamander called the "hellbender" is on its way to becoming an endangered species. It needs very clean water to survive and that's getting harder to find.

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Monday, January 13, 2025

NASA Small Business Funding Enables Aircraft Inspection by Drone

A small business called Near Earth Autonomy developed a time-saving solution using drones for pre-flight checks of commercial airliners through a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and a partnership with The Boeing Company. Before commercial airliners are deemed safe to fly before each trip, a pre-flight inspection must be completed. This process can […]

January 13, 2025
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Hubble Reveals Surprising Spiral Shape of Galaxy Hosting Young Jet

The night sky has always played a crucial role in navigation, from early ocean crossings to modern GPS. Besides stars, the United States Navy uses quasars as beacons. Quasars are distant galaxies with supermassive black holes, surrounded by brilliantly hot disks of swirling gas that can blast off jets of material. Following up on the groundbreaking 2020 discovery of […]

January 13, 2025
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Astronomers Catch Unprecedented Features at Brink of Active Black Hole

International teams of astronomers monitoring a supermassive black hole in the heart of a distant galaxy have detected features never seen before using data from NASA missions and other facilities. The features include the launch of a plasma jet moving at nearly one-third the speed of light and unusual, rapid X-ray fluctuations likely arising from […]

January 13, 2025
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How Many Black Holes Are Hiding? NASA Study Homes in on Answer

An effort to find some of the biggest, most active black holes in the universe provides a better estimate for the ratio of hidden to unhidden behemoths. Multiple NASA telescopes recently helped scientists search the sky for supermassive black holes — those up to billions of times heavier than the Sun. The new survey is […]

January 13, 2025
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55 Years Ago: Apollo 13 Prepares for Third Moon Landing 

Following the historic year of 1969 that saw two successful Moon landings, 1970 opened on a more sober note. Ever-tightening federal budgets forced NASA to rescope its future lunar landing plans. The need for a Saturn V to launch an experimental space station in 1972 forced the cancellation of the final Moon landing mission and […]

January 13, 2025
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NASA, Partners Open Applications for CubeSat Summer Program

NASA is collaborating with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force to offer a set of hands-on learning engagements that will help higher education institutions, faculty, and students learn more about what it takes to build small satellites and enhance the potential to be selected for flight opportunities.  Teams selected for the University Nanosatellite […]

January 13, 2025
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Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1



January 13, 2025
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High School Aerospace Scholars Propel STEM Leaders Forward 

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement at Johnson Space Center in Houston offers students a unique gateway to opportunity through the High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program. The initiative provides Texas juniors with hands-on experience in space exploration, working on projects ranging from rocket building to problem-solving in collaborative teams.  The stories of HAS alumni highlight […]

January 13, 2025
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NPR News: Weird weather isn't always because of climate change — but sometimes it is

Weird weather isn't always because of climate change — but sometimes it is
Sometimes, weather is just weather. And other times human-caused climate change had an obvious impact.

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NPR News: Weird weather isn't always because of climate change — but sometimes it is

Weird weather isn't always because of climate change — but sometimes it is
Sometimes, weather is just weather. And other times human-caused climate change had an obvious impact.

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NPR News: The first full moon of 2025 is here

The first full moon of 2025 is here
This moon phase is nicknamed the Wolf Moon, which is rooted in Native American culture.

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NPR News: Why smoke from the Los Angeles fires is still so dangerous

Why smoke from the Los Angeles fires is still so dangerous
Air quality in the Los Angeles region has plummeted due to smoke from the ongoing wildfires. With all that smoke comes possible risks to human health. So what actually is smoke and why is it so harmful? Jessica Gilman, an atmospheric chemist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explains what smoke is made of, how it behaves in the atmosphere and smoke's role in climate change. Plus, tips for how to lessen your exposure. Check out the CDC's recommendations for avoiding smoke inhalation here. Read more of NPR's coverage of the fires. Questions, story ideas or want us to dig more into the science underpinning natural disasters? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Sunday, January 12, 2025

NPR News: Researchers in Antarctica find ice from a million years ago

Researchers in Antarctica find ice from a million years ago
Scientists in Antarctica have dug out ice that can be from as far back as 1.2 million years. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks to researcher Carlo Barbante, about what he hopes to learn from the ice.

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NPR News: How one U.S. conservationist's work is helping to preserve Chile's wilderness

How one U.S. conservationist's work is helping to preserve Chile's wilderness
Chile is set to gain its 47th national park early this year — largely due to the efforts of U.S. conservationist Kristine Tompkins and her organization.

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NPR News: How one U.S. conservationist's work is helping to preserve Chile's wilderness

How one U.S. conservationist's work is helping to preserve Chile's wilderness
Chile is set to gain its 47th national park early this year — largely due to the efforts of U.S. conservationist Kristine Tompkins and her organization.

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NPR News: People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President

People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President
Potential rooftop solar customers and installers worry the incoming Trump administration might try to eliminate a 30% federal tax credit. Some customers plan to install sooner because of that and solar companies are changing their business plans.

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NPR News: People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President

People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President
Potential rooftop solar customers and installers worry the incoming Trump administration might try to eliminate a 30% federal tax credit. Some customers plan to install sooner because of that and solar companies are changing their business plans.

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Friday, January 10, 2025

NPR News: 2024 was the hottest year on record. The reason remains a science mystery

2024 was the hottest year on record. The reason remains a science mystery
The official numbers are in: 2024 is the hottest year on record. Climate change is the main culprit. But there might be something else going on, too.

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NPR News: 2024 was the hottest year on record. The reason remains a science mystery

2024 was the hottest year on record. The reason remains a science mystery
The official numbers are in: 2024 is the hottest year on record. Climate change is the main culprit. But there might be something else going on, too.

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NASA and Italian Space Agency Test Future Lunar Navigation Technology

As NASA celebrates 55 years since the historic Apollo 11 crewed lunar landing, the agency also is preparing new navigation and positioning technology for the Artemis campaign, the agency’s modern lunar exploration program. A technology demonstration helping pave the way for these developments is the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) payload, a joint effort between […]

January 10, 2025
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NPR News: What is the flame retardant that planes are dropping on the LA fires?

What is the flame retardant that planes are dropping on the LA fires?
As fire crews and air tankers work to block the wildfires' explosive growth, images of red clouds of fire retardant falling onto trees are common. What is it — and what's in it?

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Aumentan las temperaturas: La NASA confirma que el 2024 fue el año más cálido registrado

Read this release in English here. En el año 2024, la temperatura promedio de la superficie de la Tierra fue la más cálida que se haya registrado, según un análisis liderado por científicos de la NASA. “Una vez más, se ha batido el récord de temperatura: 2024 fue el año más cálido desde que se […]

January 10, 2025
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Nuclear Electric Propulsion Technology Could Make Missions to Mars Faster

The trip to Mars and back is not one for the faint of heart. We’re not talking days, weeks, or months. But there are technologies that could help transport a crew on that round-trip journey in a relatively quick two years. One option NASA is exploring is nuclear electric propulsion, which employs a nuclear reactor […]

January 10, 2025
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NASA Wallops to Support January Sounding Rocket Launch

A suborbital rocket is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during a window extending from Monday, Jan. 13, through Thursday, Jan. 16. This launch supports the Missile Defense Agency, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division’s White Sands Detachment, and other Department of Defense organizations. No real-time launch status updates will be […]

January 10, 2025
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Temperatures Rising: NASA Confirms 2024 Warmest Year on Record

Earth’s average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest on record, according to an analysis led by NASA scientists. Global temperatures in 2024 were 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the agency’s 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), which tops the record set in 2023. The new record comes after 15 consecutive months (June 2023 through August […]

January 10, 2025
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NASA Instrument on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander to Study Lunar Interior

LMS instrument aboard the Blue Ghost Lander heading to Mare Crisium in mid-January As part of its Artemis campaign, NASA is developing a series of increasingly complex lunar deliveries and missions to ultimately build a sustained human presence at the Moon for decades to come. Through the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, commercial […]

January 10, 2025
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NPR News: How the Santa Ana winds helped fuel the Los Angeles wildfires

How the Santa Ana winds helped fuel the Los Angeles wildfires
Over 29,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area are on fire right now. The fires emerged after the Santa Ana winds swept into the Los Angeles area Tuesday. The largest is the Palisades fire, which is quickly burning through the Pacific Palisades and Malibu communities. It's one of four ongoing critical fires — only one of which is partially contained. Ahead of the windy week, a Red Flag Warning was issued for an increased fire risk due to the strong winds, low humidity and higher temperature. Today, we dig into the Santa Ana winds: What they are and how they combined with other factors to create conditions for the most destructive fire in Los Angeles' history. Questions, story ideas or want us to dig more into the science underpinning natural disasters? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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Thursday, January 9, 2025

NPR News: What are biodiversity credits — and could have a meaningful impact?

What are biodiversity credits — and could have a meaningful impact?
Planet Money buys a "biodiversity credit" and travels to the Andean cloud forest in Colombia — to see how these credits work, and if they can really help save threatened species.

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NPR News: What are biodiversity credits — and could have a meaningful impact?

What are biodiversity credits — and could have a meaningful impact?
Planet Money buys a "biodiversity credit" and travels to the Andean cloud forest in Colombia — to see how these credits work, and if they can really help save threatened species.

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NPR News: Ancient kangaroo teeth hold clues to the role of climate change in ancient extinction

Ancient kangaroo teeth hold clues to the role of climate change in ancient extinction
In a mass extinction event some 40,000 years ago, Australia lost 90% of its large species. New research suggests climate change played a much smaller role than once thought, though not all agree.

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Summary of the 2024 NASA LCLUC Science Team Meeting

Introduction The 2024 NASA Land-Cover and Land-Use Change (LCLUC) Science Team Meeting (STM) took place from April 2–4, 2024 at the Marriott Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, MD. During the meeting, 75 people attended in-person. Represented among the attendees were LCLUC project investigators and collaborators, NASA Headquarters (HQ) program managers, and university researchers and students – […]

January 09, 2025
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35 Years Ago: STS-32 Returns the Long Duration Exposure Facility

On Jan. 9, 1990, space shuttle Columbia took off on its ninth flight, STS-32, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Its five-person crew of Commander Daniel Brandenstein, Pilot James Wetherbee, and Mission Specialists Bonnie Dunbar, Marsha Ivins, and David Low flew a then record-breaking 11-day mission to deploy the Syncom IV-F5 communications satellite […]

January 09, 2025
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Helicopter Removes Artifact from NASA Armstrong Rooftop

What do the X-15 and the space shuttles have in common? Information from the rocket plane and the spacecraft, as well as many experimental aircraft, were tracked from a pedestal and telemetry dish during key eras in flight history at or near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. When the NASA facility’s administration […]

January 09, 2025
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Wednesday, January 8, 2025

NPR News: Wildfires displace thousands and ravage greater Los Angeles

Wildfires displace thousands and ravage greater Los Angeles
Extremely dry conditions coupled with high winds have led to an explosive wildfire situation in southern California. Multiple fires have erupted across the Los Angeles area since Tuesday. Tens of thousands of people have had to evacuate, and firefighters are struggling to contain the flames. Adria Kloke is one of the of people who has had to flee. She packed up her belongings, along with her cat, and left her home in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday. Kloke shares her story with NPR. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org Email us at considerthis@npr.org

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NASA Selects Electrical Systems Engineering Services Contractor

NASA has selected Columbus Technologies and Services Inc. of El Segundo, California, to provide electrical and electronic engineering support to the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Electrical Systems Engineering Services IV is a cost-plus-award-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum estimated value of $1.1 billion. The base period of performance begins on […]

January 08, 2025
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Houston, We Have the Holiday Cookies

Supporting the International Space Station is an around-the-clock responsibility for NASA and its international partners. This means there is always a team of flight operations and payload personnel working with the orbiting laboratory’s crew – including overnight, on weekends, and during the holidays. At Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston, flight directors […]

January 08, 2025
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AMS Hyperwall Schedule

NASA Science at AMS Hyperwall Schedule, January 13-16, 2025 Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #401) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below. MONDAY, JANUARY 13 6:10 – 6:25 PM The Golden Age of Ocean Science: How NASA’s Newest Missions Advance the Study of Oceans in our Earth System Dr. Karen […]

January 08, 2025
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Astronaut Set to Patch NASA’s X-ray Telescope Aboard Space Station

NASA astronaut Nick Hague will install patches to the agency’s NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope on the International Space Station as part of a spacewalk scheduled for Jan. 16. Hague, along with astronaut Suni Williams, will also complete other tasks during the outing. NICER will be the first NASA observatory repaired on-orbit since […]

January 08, 2025
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NASA Joins Telescope, Instruments to Roman Spacecraft

Technicians have successfully integrated NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s payload – the telescope, instrument carrier, and two instruments – to the spacecraft that will deliver the observatory to its place in space and enable it to function while there. “With this incredible milestone, Roman remains on track for launch, and we’re a big step […]

January 08, 2025
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NASA’s 2024 International Space Station Achievements

For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth for the benefit of humanity. The space station is a springboard to NASA’s next great leaps in exploration, including future missions to the Moon under Artemis, […]

January 08, 2025
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Tuesday, January 7, 2025

NASA to Explore Two Landing Options for Returning Samples from Mars

To maximize chances of successfully bringing the first Martian rock and sediment samples to Earth for the benefit of humanity, NASA announced Tuesday a new approach to its Mars Sample Return Program. The agency will simultaneously pursue two landing architectures, or strategic plans, during formulation, encouraging competition and innovation, as well as cost and schedule […]

January 07, 2025
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NASA’s AI Use Cases: Advancing Space Exploration with Responsibility 

NASA's 2024 AI Use Case inventory highlights the agency’s commitment to integrating artificial intelligence in its space missions and operations. The agency’s updated inventory consists of active AI use cases, ranging from AI-driven autonomous space operations, such as navigation for the Perseverance Rover on Mars, to advanced data analysis for scientific discovery. 

January 07, 2025
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2023 Entrepreneurs Challenge Winner Skyline Nav AI: Revolutionizing GPS-Independent Navigation with Computer Vision

NASA sponsored Entrepreneurs Challenge events in 2020, 2021, and 2023 to identify innovative ideas and technologies from small business start-ups with the potential to advance the agency’s science goals. To help leverage external funding sources for the development of innovative technologies of interest to NASA, SMD involved the venture capital community in Entrepreneurs Challenge events. […]

January 07, 2025
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NASA Kicks off Testing Campaign for Remotely Piloted Cargo Flights

NASA recently began a series of flight tests with partners to answer an important aviation question: What will it take to integrate remotely piloted or autonomous planes carrying large packages and cargo safely into the U.S. airspace? Researchers tested new technologies in Hollister, California, that are helping to investigate what tools and capabilities are needed […]

January 07, 2025
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NASA to Cover Two Spacewalks, Hold Preview News Conference

Two NASA astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station, conducting U.S. spacewalk 91 on Thursday, Jan. 16, and U.S. spacewalk 92 on Thursday, Jan. 23, to complete station upgrades. NASA also will discuss the pair of upcoming spacewalks during a news conference at 2 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 10, on NASA+ from the agency’s […]

January 07, 2025
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NPR News: Tiny fish on ketamine may show how drug eases depression

Tiny fish on ketamine may show how drug eases depression
In zebrafish, ketamine causes changes a brain circuit involved in "giving up." That may help explain how the drug helps people with depression.

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NPR News: How two Marines developed the same rare brain condition

How two Marines developed the same rare brain condition
Some weapons used by the U.S. military are so powerful they can pose a threat to the people who fire them. Today, we meet two Marines, William Wilcox and Michael Lozano, who spent years firing missiles and rockets, then developed the same rare brain condition: arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. The condition sends high pressure blood from a tangle of abnormal blood vessels directly into fragile veins, which can leak or burst. Most AVMs are caused by genetic changes that affect the growth of blood vessels, so the connection between weapon blasts and AVM isn't always immediately clear. But NPR's brain correspondent Jon Hamilton reports that recent research suggests that blast waves can alter genes in the brain — and that the evidence is even stronger for less extreme blood vessel changes. Have questions or story ideas? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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Monday, January 6, 2025

NASA Names Adam Schlesinger as Commercial Lunar Payload Services Project Manager

NASA has selected Adam Schlesinger as manager for CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services). Schlesinger previously served as the Gateway Program habitation and logistics outpost project lead engineer at Johnson Space Center. “I am honored and tremendously excited to take on this new role as NASA continues to enable a growing lunar economy while leveraging the […]

January 06, 2025
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Defying Gravity

In this Dec. 11, 1963, image, technicians prepare a test subject for studies on the Reduced Gravity Walking Simulator at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This position meant that a person’s legs experienced only one sixth of their weight, which was the equivalent of being on the Moon’s surface. The simulator was used […]

January 06, 2025
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NPR News: Night owl or early bird? Here's how your inner clock impacts your health

Night owl or early bird? Here's how your inner clock impacts your health
In order to better understand her circadian rhythm, science journalist Lynne Peeples conducted an experiment in which lived for 10 days in a bunker, with no exposure to sunlight or clocks.

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Soil Remediation at White Sands Test Facility

NASA White Sands Test Facility Las Cruces, New Mexico Soil Remediation at the 600 Area Off-Site Pile Origins of the 600 Area Off-Site Pile NASA completes one more corrective action, removing and disposing of contaminated soil, eliminating exposure risks to human health and the environment. The NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) is crucial for […]

January 06, 2025
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Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

The SBIR/STTR programs provide an opportunity for small, high technology companies and research institutions (RI) to participate in Government sponsored research and development (R&D) efforts in key technology areas. NASA SBIR Phase I contracts have a period of performance for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts have a period […]

January 06, 2025
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Grants

Grant Status Webpage Grant Status Form Grant Webforms Grant/Cooperative Agreement Administrative Supplement RequestNSSC Web Inquiry Award Terms and Conditions General Award Terms and ConditionsSpecial Terms and ConditionsProgram Specific Terms and ConditionsAppendix A: NASA Prior Approval Matrix for Research AwardsAppendix B: National Policy Requirements for Recipients of NASA AwardsAppendix C: Post-award Reporting and Certification Requirements NASA […]

January 06, 2025
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Travel

The NSSC provides travel reimbursement services for all authorized Agency travel including: domestic, foreign, local, ETDY, and Change of Station (COS). References Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) Traveler Extended TDY and Taxes Domestic Per Diem Rates Foreign Per Diem Rates Change of Station NSSC Travel now has another way that a transferee Traveler may submit his […]

January 06, 2025
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NPR News: Jimmy Carter's policy on the environment laid out the U.S. response to climate change

Jimmy Carter's policy on the environment laid out the U.S. response to climate change
As President, Jimmy Carter's priorities included energy efficiency and shifting away from foreign crude oil. The actions he took were criticized then, but laid the groundwork for a country to address climate change now.

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NPR News: Jimmy Carter's policy on the environment laid out the U.S. response to climate change

Jimmy Carter's policy on the environment laid out the U.S. response to climate change
As President, Jimmy Carter's priorities included energy efficiency and shifting away from foreign crude oil. The actions he took were criticized then, but laid the groundwork for a country to address climate change now.

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NPR News: American Kennel Club recognizes the Danish-Swedish Farm Dog as new breed

American Kennel Club recognizes the Danish-Swedish Farm Dog as new breed
The American Kennel Club has recognized a new breed, the Danish-Swedish Farm Dog.

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NPR News: To explore deep space, we'll need better clocks. Here's why

To explore deep space, we'll need better clocks. Here's why
There are hundreds of atomic clocks in orbit right now, perched on satellites all over Earth. We depend on them for GPS location, Internet timing, stock trading ... and space navigation? Today on the show, hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber learn how to build a better clock. In order to do that, they ask: How do atomic clocks really work, anyway? What makes a clock precise? And how could that process be improved for even greater accuracy? For more about Holly's Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock, check out the OASIC project on NASA's website. For more about the Longitude Problem, check out Dava Sobel's book, Longitude. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave. Have questions or story ideas? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org!

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Sunday, January 5, 2025

NPR News: Giraffes may be facing extinction. IVF could help

Giraffes may be facing extinction. IVF could help
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Jason Pootoolal, president of Save the Giraffes, about using in vitro fertilization for wild giraffes to save the species from extinction.

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NPR News: How do you keep monkeys from making mischief?

How do you keep monkeys from making mischief?
In one Indian town, monkeys will steal your glasses — and give them back if you toss them a container of mango juice. It's one more sign of the impact of urbanization on the wild.

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Saturday, January 4, 2025

NPR News: Jurassic footprints are discovered on a 'dinosaur highway' in southern England

Jurassic footprints are discovered on a 'dinosaur highway' in southern England
The 166-million-year-old footprint tracks, found at a quarry in southern England, mark one of the largest discoveries in decades.

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NPR News: Research that shows fish responding to ketamine may hold clues for human behavior

Research that shows fish responding to ketamine may hold clues for human behavior
New research shows that the anesthetic ketamine keeps fish from giving up — and the way it works may help figure out how it works in humans and lead to better medications for depression.

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NPR News: Bats catch a lift from storm winds on long-distance migrations

Bats catch a lift from storm winds on long-distance migrations
Migrating hundreds and hundreds of miles is hard work for the common noctule bat. But this European species makes its marathon journey a little bit easier by paying attention to the weather.

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Friday, January 3, 2025

Idaho Students to Connect with NASA Astronaut Aboard Space Station

Students from Hawthorne Elementary School in Boise, Idaho, will have the chance to hear NASA astronaut Don Pettit answer their prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related questions from aboard the International Space Station. Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 12:30 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 10, on NASA+ and learn how to watch NASA […]

January 03, 2025
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NASA’s LEXI Will Provide X-Ray Vision of Earth’s Magnetosphere

A NASA X-ray imager is heading to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, where it will capture the first global images of the magnetic field that shields Earth from solar radiation. The Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager, or LEXI, instrument is one of 10 payloads aboard the next lunar delivery through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial […]

January 03, 2025
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NASA, NOAA to Announce 2024 Global Temperatures, Climate Conditions

Climate researchers from NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will release their annual assessments of global temperatures and discuss the major climate trends of 2024 during a media briefing at 12 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 10. NASA will share the briefing on the agency’s website at: https://ift.tt/Cd1lc3V. Participants will include: Media interested in […]

January 03, 2025
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Lagniappe for January 2025

Explore Lagniappe for January 2025 featuring: Gator Speaks This time of year is one Gator enjoys. The ending of one year and beginning of another provides the opportunity to reflect, reset, and refocus. This is true at NASA Stennis, a place that powers space dreams, or for someone who enjoys staying up to date with […]

January 03, 2025
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Mission Possible: Coordinating Travel for NASA Employees

A leap of faith for Heather Seagren eight years ago brought the Gulf Coast native to something new, yet also returned her to a familiar place at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Following graduation from Pearl River Community College, Seagren worked as an office manager at a pediatric office. Seagren anticipated […]

January 03, 2025
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NPR News: Farmers are abandoning their land. Is that good for nature?

Farmers are abandoning their land. Is that good for nature?
Traditional farmers around the world are walking away from millions of acres of land where they once grew crops or grazed animals. It's provoking mixed reactions.

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NPR News: Researchers looked into how some bats made made long distance migrations easier

Researchers looked into how some bats made made long distance migrations easier
Long distance migrations can take a lot out of energy, but one kind of bat has found some assistance. (Story aired on All Things Considered on Jan. 2, 2025.)

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Thursday, January 2, 2025

NASA Anticipates Lunar Findings From Next-Generation Retroreflector

Apollo astronauts set up mirror arrays, or “retroreflectors,” on the Moon to accurately reflect laser light beamed at them from Earth with minimal scattering or diffusion. Retroreflectors are mirrors that reflect the incoming light back in the same incoming direction. Calculating the time required for the beams to bounce back allowed scientists to precisely measure […]

January 02, 2025
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Best of 2024: Total Solar Eclipse in Indianapolis

NASA photographer Joel Kowsky captured this image of the Monday, April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. The total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible […]

January 02, 2025
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January’s Night Sky Notes: The Red Planet

Have you looked up at the night sky this season and noticed a bright object sporting a reddish hue to the left of Orion? This is none other than the planet Mars! January will be an excellent opportunity to spot this planet and some of its details with a medium-sized telescope. Be sure to catch these three events this month.

January 01, 2025
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NPR News: DNA reveals secrets of Australia's elusive marsupial mole

DNA reveals secrets of Australia's elusive marsupial mole
Researchers have probed the genetics of one of Australia's most elusory animals, the marsupial mole.

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NPR News: A plan to save one owl species at the expensive of another divides activists

A plan to save one owl species at the expensive of another divides activists
This summer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved a plan to kill thousands of invasive barred owls in the Pacific Northwest. A lawsuit may hold up broader implementation.

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NPR News: Scientists have learned secrets of Australia's marsupial mole

Scientists have learned secrets of Australia's marsupial mole
Researchers have probed the genetics of one of Australia's most elusive animals, the marsupial mole.

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Wednesday, January 1, 2025

NPR News: Look up! Here's what's to watch for in space in 2025

Look up! Here's what's to watch for in space in 2025
In the New Year, there will be supermoons, meteor showers and other exciting celestial events.

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NPR News: Zero is a young number in human history. How do our brains understand it?

Zero is a young number in human history. How do our brains understand it?
Happy New Year, Short Wavers! What better time to contemplate the conundrum that is zero than this, the reset of the year? Zero is a fairly new concept in human history and even more recent as a number. It wasn't until around the 7th century that zero was being used as a number. That's when it showed up in the records of Indian mathematicians. Since then, zero has, at times, been met with some fear — at one point, the city of Florence, Italy banned the number. Today, scientists seek to understand how much humans truly comprehend zero — and why it seems to be different from other numbers. That's how we ended up talking to science writer Yasemin Saplakoglu about the neuroscience of this number that means nothing. Read more of Yasemin's reporting on zero for Quanta Magazine. Plus, check out our episode on why big numbers break our brains. Thirst for more math episodes? Let us know what kind of stories you want to hear from us in 2025 by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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