NASA Astronaut Megan McArthur Retires

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur has retired, concluding a career spanning more than two decades. A veteran of two spaceflights, McArthur logged 213 days in space, including being the first woman to pilot a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the last person to “touch” the Hubble Space Telescope with the space shuttle’s robotic arm. McArthur launched as […]

August 29, 2025
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Landsat 9 Sees Buccaneer Archipelago

The Operational Land Imager on Landsat 9 captured this image of Buccaneer Archipelago on June 11, 2025. The scene encapsulates the striking interactions between land and water in the area where King Sound opens to the Indian Ocean. The powerful tidal currents stir up sediment in shallow areas, producing the beautiful turquoise swirls visible in this image. This […]

August 29, 2025
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Hubble Homes in on Galaxy’s Star Formation

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a galaxy whose asymmetric appearance may be the result of a galactic tug of war. Located 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo, the spiral galaxy Messier 96 is the brightest of the galaxies in its group. The gravitational pull of its galactic neighbors may be responsible […]

August 29, 2025
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NPR News: The Trump administration wants to build more roads through national forests

The Trump administration wants to build more roads through national forests
The Trump administration argues that rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule will help wildland firefighters. Fire researchers warn that more roads could exacerbate the problem.

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NPR News: Tonic the cat is 'Caught Stealing' the show in a new action comedy

Tonic the cat is 'Caught Stealing' the show in a new action comedy
The fluffy Siberian forest cat upstages Austin Butler, Zoe Kravitz, Regina King and Bad Bunny in the new action comedy Caught Stealing.

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NPR News: Why are the 'Kings of the Great Plains' dying?

Why are the 'Kings of the Great Plains' dying?
Drought in the middle of the country has opened the door for pests and pathogens that can kill trees. That's particularly true of a fungus that's decimating bur oak trees once known as the "King of the Great Plains."

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NPR News: Why are the 'Kings of the Great Plains' dying?

Why are the 'Kings of the Great Plains' dying?
Drought in the middle of the country has opened the door for pests and pathogens that can kill trees. That's particularly true of a fungus that's decimating bur oak trees once known as the "King of the Great Plains."

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NASA Marsquake Data Reveals Lumpy Nature of Red Planet’s Interior

Rocky material that impacted Mars lies scattered in giant lumps throughout the planet’s mantle, offering clues about Mars’ interior and its ancient past. What appear to be fragments from the aftermath of massive impacts on Mars that occurred 4.5 billion years ago have been detected deep below the planet’s surface. The discovery was made thanks […]

August 28, 2025
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NASA, International Astronauts to Address Students from New York

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui will connect with students in New York as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 9:20 a.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 5, and will stream live on the […]

August 28, 2025
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NASA Scientists Help Maryland County Plan to Beat Summer Heat Risks

Thousands of Americans are impacted each summer by excessive heat and humidity, some suffering from heat-related illnesses when the body can’t cool itself down. Data from NASA satellites could help local governments reduce the sweltering risks, thanks to a collaboration between NASA scientists and officials in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The effort demonstrates how local […]

August 28, 2025
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NASA’s Chandra Reveals Star’s Inner Conflict Before Explosion

The inside of a star turned on itself before it spectacularly exploded, according to a new study from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Today, this shattered star, known as the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant, is one of the best-known, well-studied objects in the sky. Over three hundred years ago, however, it was a giant star on […]

August 28, 2025
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Katie Bisci: Resourcing for Big Science

Deputy Project Manager for Resources – Goddard Space Flight Center How are you helping set the stage for the Roman mission? I’m a deputy project manager for resources on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team, sharing the role with Kris Steeley. Together, we oversee the business team, finance, outreach, scheduling, and more. I focus […]

August 28, 2025
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NPR News: These investigators patrol Las Vegas looking for one thing: water waste

These investigators patrol Las Vegas looking for one thing: water waste
The Southern Nevada Water Authority has investigators who patrol Las Vegas neighborhoods in search of wasted water.

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NPR News: These investigators patrol Las Vegas looking for one thing: water waste

These investigators patrol Las Vegas looking for one thing: water waste
The Southern Nevada Water Authority has investigators who patrol Las Vegas neighborhoods in search of wasted water.

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Strap In! NASA Aeroshell Material Takes Extended Space Trip

Components of a NASA technology that could one day help crew and cargo enter harsh planetary environments, like that of Mars, are taking an extended trip to space courtesy of the United States Space Force. On Aug. 21, several pieces of webbing material, known as Zylon, which comprise the straps of the HIAD (Hypersonic Inflatable […]

August 27, 2025
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Portrait of an Astronaut

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman poses for a portrait in a photography studio on March 22, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Cardman is currently aboard the International Space Station, where she perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities. Recently, she took a robotics test on a computer for the portion of the […]

August 27, 2025
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NPR News: In the brain, a lost limb is never really gone

In the brain, a lost limb is never really gone
Even years after an arm is amputated, the brain maintains a detailed map of the limb and tries to interact with this phantom appendage.

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NPR News: Hurricane Katrina forced changes at FEMA. Trump is rolling them back

Hurricane Katrina forced changes at FEMA. Trump is rolling them back
The government's colossal failure to respond after Hurricane Katrina led to major reforms at the nation's top disaster agency. Now, the Trump administration has reversed some of those changes.

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NPR News: Hurricane Katrina forced changes at FEMA. Trump is rolling them back

Hurricane Katrina forced changes at FEMA. Trump is rolling them back
The government's colossal failure to respond after Hurricane Katrina led to major reforms at the nation's top disaster agency. Now, the Trump administration has reversed some of those changes.

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NPR News: SpaceX's massive Starship launches successfully

SpaceX's massive Starship launches successfully
On Tuesday evening, SpaceX racked up some much-needed successes on the 10th test flight of its massive Starship rocket, breaking a streak of previous failures.

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NPR News: Scientists have documented a new shark, with a vibrant color

Scientists have documented a new shark, with a vibrant color
The six-foot-long orange-popsicle-colored shark was caught by a group of sport fishermen off Costa Rica — and released.

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NPR News: Starship's 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck

Starship's 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck
After a series of failures during recent test flights, SpaceX's massive Starship had a smooth ride for Tuesday's blast-off, and successfully deployed some fake satellites.

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Inside NASA’s New Orion Mission Evaluation Room for Artemis II

As NASA’s Orion spacecraft is carrying crew around the Moon on the Artemis II mission, a team of expert engineers in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will be meticulously monitoring the spacecraft along its journey. They’ll be operating from a new space in the mission control complex built to […]

August 26, 2025
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Reaching Out

This image released on Aug. 20, 2025, combines new radio data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array with X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Chandra first released an image of this pulsar and its surrounding hand-shaped nebula in 2009. The new data provides a fresh view of this exploded star and its environment, which […]

August 26, 2025
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NASA Test Deploys Roman Space Telescope Solar Panels, ‘Visor’

On Aug. 7 and 8, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team assessed the observatory’s solar panels and a visor-like sunshade called the deployable aperture cover — two components that will be stowed for launch and unfold in space. Engineers confirmed their successful operation during a closely monitored sequence in simulated space-like conditions. On the […]

August 26, 2025
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NPR News: A lesson learned after pets were left behind in Hurricane Katrina: Save the animals

A lesson learned after pets were left behind in Hurricane Katrina: Save the animals
People were forced to leave their pets behind during Hurricane Katrina, creating an unprecedented animal welfare crisis that has shaped the country's disaster response ever since.

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From NASA Citizen Scientist to Astronaut Training: An Interview with Benedetta Facini

Titans Space Industries, a commercial space company, selected a new cohort of astronaut candidates this spring – and among them is NASA citizen scientist, Benedetta Facini. She has participated in not one, but many NASA citizen science projects: Cloudspotting on Mars, Active Asteroids, Daily Minor Planet, GLOBE, Exoasteroids and International Astronomical Collaboration (IASC). We asked […]

August 25, 2025
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Astronomers Map Stellar ‘Polka Dots’ Using NASA’s TESS, Kepler

Scientists have devised a new method for mapping the spottiness of distant stars by using observations from NASA missions of orbiting planets crossing their stars’ faces. The model builds on a technique researchers have used for decades to study star spots. By improving astronomers’ understanding of spotty stars, the new model — called StarryStarryProcess — […]

August 25, 2025
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Washington State Student Wins 2025 NASA Art Contest

A Washington state high school student with a passion for art, space exploration, and a curiosity about the possibility of life on other planets earned the grand prize for the 2025 NASA Student Art Contest. Dahyun Jung’s winning piece, titled “My Wonders with You,” shows a child seated on the roof of a barn, their […]

August 25, 2025
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Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2: Collaboration Drives Innovation

Introduction Landsat, a joint program of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has been an invaluable tool for monitoring changes in Earth’s land surface for over 50 years. Researchers use instruments on Landsat satellites to monitor decades-long trends, including urbanization and agricultural expansion, as well as short-term dynamics, including water use and disaster recovery. […]

August 25, 2025
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NASA Implementation of Executive Order 14303

August 25, 2025
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Lindy Garay: Supporting Space Station Safety and Success

Lindy Garay always knew she wanted to develop software. She did not anticipate that her work would contribute to human spaceflight. The electrical and software engineering degree Garay earned from the University of Texas at Austin paved the way for a 25-year career with NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Her first job out of […]

August 25, 2025
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NPR News: These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish

These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish
An experiment with threadfin butterflyfish finds that these fish may experience pleasure while being cleaned by bluestreak cleaner wrasse — suggesting this capacity goes far back in animal evolution.

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NPR News: Hurricane science has come far since Katrina. That progress is now at risk

Hurricane science has come far since Katrina. That progress is now at risk
Hurricane forecasts are now much more accurate, 20 years on — largely because of federal government research.

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NPR News: SpaceX prepares for 10th test launch of massive Starship rocket

SpaceX prepares for 10th test launch of massive Starship rocket
SpaceX wants to put the two-stage rocket's massive booster through its paces. The flight test comes as the multibillion-dollar Starship program has suffered a streak of failures this year.

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NPR News: The U.S. wants to mine the deep sea for rare minerals. Science shows what's at stake

The U.S. wants to mine the deep sea for rare minerals. Science shows what's at stake
Some countries, including the U.S., want to mine the seafloor for rare earth elements used in smartphones and electric cars. But other nations are concerned about the environmental impact.

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NASA Science, Cargo Launch on 33rd SpaceX Resupply Mission to Station

Following a successful launch of NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission, new scientific experiments and cargo for the agency are bound for the International Space Station. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying more than 5,000 pounds of supplies to the orbiting laboratory, lifted off at 2:45 a.m. EDT on Sunday, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket […]

August 24, 2025
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NPR News: Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts again and shoots lava for 31st time since December

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts again and shoots lava for 31st time since December
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano resumed erupting Friday by shooting an arc of lava 100 feet into the air and across a section of its summit crater floor.

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NPR News: The EV tax credit ends soon — but there's a little bit of wiggle room for car buyers

The EV tax credit ends soon — but there's a little bit of wiggle room for car buyers
A federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 ends Sept. 30. But the IRS has just clarified that shoppers don't need to actually have the keys in hand by the deadline to get the credit.

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NPR News: The EV tax credit ends soon — but there's a little bit of wiggle room for car buyers

The EV tax credit ends soon — but there's a little bit of wiggle room for car buyers
A federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 ends Sept. 30. But the IRS has just clarified that shoppers don't need to actually have the keys in hand by the deadline to get the credit.

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NASA Tests Tools to Assess Drone Safety Over Cities

A future with advanced air mobility aircraft populating the skies will require the U.S. to implement enhanced preflight planning that can mitigate potential risks well before takeoff – and NASA is working to develop the tools to make that happen.  Preflight planning is critical to ensuring safety in the complex, high-risk environments of the future […]

August 22, 2025
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Epic Research Can Help Mars Missions

The parachute of the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy, or EPIC, test experiment deploys following an air launch from an Alta X drone on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering instruments and payloads […]

August 22, 2025
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NPR News: This week in science: chocolate, daytime drowsiness and seabirds' bathroom habits

This week in science: chocolate, daytime drowsiness and seabirds' bathroom habits
NPR's Hannah Chinn and Emily Kwong talk about the microbes behind great-tasting chocolate, the reasons for daytime drowsiness and a curious observation about the poop of seabirds.

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NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Students in Ohio

NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman will connect with students in Ohio as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. Media […]

August 21, 2025
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NPR News: Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day

Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day
Millions of audio recordings of hundreds of bird species have revealed that artificial light is making the birds wake up earlier and go to bed later.

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NPR News: Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day

Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day
Millions of audio recordings of hundreds of bird species have revealed that artificial light is making the birds wake up earlier and go to bed later.

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NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions

While the Artemis II crew will be the first humans to test NASA’s Orion spacecraft in space, they will also conduct science investigations that will inform future deep space missions, including a lunar science investigation as Orion flies about 4,000 to 6,000 miles from the Moon’s surface.

August 21, 2025
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La NASA invita a los medios al lanzamiento conjunto de misiones sobre el Sol y la meteorología espacial

Read this release in English here. La NASA ha abierto el plazo para la acreditación de los medios para el lanzamiento de tres observatorios que estudiarán el Sol y mejorarán nuestra capacidad de hacer pronósticos precisos de meteorología espacial, ayudando a proteger los sistemas tecnológicos que impactan la vida en la Tierra. La NASA tiene previsto […]

August 21, 2025
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Close-Up Views of NASA’s DART Impact to Inform Planetary Defense

On Sept. 11, 2022, engineers at a flight control center in Turin, Italy, sent a radio signal into deep space. Its destination was NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft flying toward an asteroid more than 5 million miles away. The message prompted the spacecraft to execute a series of pre-programmed commands that caused a small, […]

August 21, 2025
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NPR News: New study raises questions about effectiveness of wolf hunting as a tool to help ranchers

New study raises questions about effectiveness of wolf hunting as a tool to help ranchers
One of the goals of controversial wolf hunts in the Western U.S. is to help reduce the burden on ranchers, who lose livestock to wolves every year. A new study finds that those hunts have had a measurable, but small effect on livestock depredations.

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NPR News: New study raises questions about effectiveness of wolf hunting as a tool to help ranchers

New study raises questions about effectiveness of wolf hunting as a tool to help ranchers
One of the goals of controversial wolf hunts in the Western U.S. is to help reduce the burden on ranchers, who lose livestock to wolves every year. A new study finds that those hunts have had a measurable, but small effect on livestock depredations.

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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4636-4637: Up Against a Wall

Written by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator, Framework Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 What does a good rover do when her back is up against a wall? Fight for science! Curiosity indeed fought the good fight at “Río Frío,” the wall of one of the many ridges cutting through the boxwork terrain […]

August 21, 2025
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Bring NASA Science into Your Library!

Calling all librarians! NASA sponsors dozens of research projects that need help from you and the people in your community. These projects invite everyone who’s interested to collaborate with scientists, investigating mysteries from how star systems form to how our planet sustains life. You can help by making observations with your cell phone or by […]

August 20, 2025
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NPR News: Fish may experience pleasure while being cleaned by other fish, study shows

Fish may experience pleasure while being cleaned by other fish, study shows
A new study finds that fish may get pleasure from being cleaned by other fish -- perhaps like the experience of getting a massage.

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NASA to Announce New Astronaut Class, Preview Artemis II Moon Mission

Lee esta nota de prensa en español aquí. NASA is opening media accreditation for multi-day events to introduce America’s newest astronaut class and provide briefings for the Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. The activities will take place in September at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. After evaluating more than 8,000 applications, […]

August 20, 2025
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NASA: Ceres May Have Had Long-Standing Energy to Fuel Habitability

The dwarf planet is cold now, but new research paints a picture of Ceres hosting a deep, long-lived energy source that may have maintained habitable conditions in the past. New NASA research has found that Ceres may have had a lasting source of chemical energy: the right types of molecules needed to fuel some microbial […]

August 20, 2025
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Viking 1 Begins Journey to Mars

A Titan-Centaur rocket carrying the Viking 1 spacecraft launches from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Aug. 20, 1975. Viking 1 touched down on the red planet on July 20, 1976, becoming the first truly successful landing on Mars. Viking 1 was the first of a pair of complex deep space probes […]

August 20, 2025
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NPR News: After the CDC shooting, federal workers pressure RFK Jr. for more protections

After the CDC shooting, federal workers pressure RFK Jr. for more protections
More than 750 current and former HHS employees signed a letter to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding he stop spreading inaccurate information and guarantee the safety of the workforce.

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NPR News: These brain implants speak your mind — even when you don't want to

These brain implants speak your mind — even when you don't want to
Brain-implanted devices that allow paralyzed people to speak can also decode words they imagine, but don't intend to share.

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NPR News: These brain implants speak your mind — even when you don't want to

These brain implants speak your mind — even when you don't want to
Brain-implanted devices that allow paralyzed people to speak can also decode words they imagine, but don't intend to share.

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NPR News: What is the legacy of Yellowstone wolves 30 years after their reintroduction?

What is the legacy of Yellowstone wolves 30 years after their reintroduction?
Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative suggests. But is it really so simple? Today on the show, we explore how the Yellowstone ecosystem has changed since wolves returned and whether those changes can really be pinned solely on wolves. Plus, how the narrative of the Yellowstone wolf legacy could affect wolf reintroduction elsewhere. Curious about other science controversies? 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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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4634-4635: A Waiting Game

Written by Lucy Thompson, Planetary Scientist and APXS Team Member, University of New Brunswick, Canada Earth Planning Date: Monday, Aug. 18, 2025 The downlink data from our weekend activities arrived on Earth as we started planning this morning. As the APXS payload uplink and downlink lead, I assess the downlink data to ensure that our […]

August 19, 2025
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4631-4633: Radiant Ridge Revolution

Written by Remington Free, Operations Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 Today we uplinked a three-sol weekend plan with lots of exciting activities — to support both the science and engineering teams!  While usually our science activities take front and center stage, we often also do engineering […]

August 19, 2025
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Sun at the Center: Teacher Ambassadors Bring Heliophysics to Classrooms Nationwide

For the fourth year in a row, the American Association of Physics Teachers, a collaborator on the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT), selected eight new educators to serve as ambassadors for heliophysics education. Meeting in Boulder, CO, from July 14-17, 2025, these teachers met to work through AAPT’s lessons that bring physics content to […]

August 19, 2025
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NASA’s X-59 Nears First Flight

As we honor the legacy of aviation pioneers this National Aviation Day, NASA’s X-59 is preparing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in air travel. The quiet supersonic aircraft’s historic first flight is on the horizon, with final ground tests about to begin. Following completion of low-speed taxi tests in July 2025 in Palmdale, […]

August 19, 2025
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What is BioNutrients?

A series of biology experiments, called BioNutrients, is testing ways to use microorganisms to produce nutrients – off Earth and on demand – that will be critical for human health in space. Editor’s note: This article was updated on Aug. 19, 2025, to clarify which BioNutrients experiments in the series are completed and adds new […]

August 19, 2025
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NASA’s Psyche Captures Images of Earth, Moon

Headed for a metal-rich asteroid of the same name, the Psyche spacecraft successfully calibrated its cameras by looking homeward. On schedule for its 2029 arrival at the asteroid Psyche, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft recently looked back toward home and captured images of Earth and our Moon from about 180 million miles (290 million kilometers) away. The […]

August 19, 2025
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Moonlight and Our Atmosphere

The Moon’s light is refracted by Earth’s atmosphere in this April 13, 2025, photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited into a sunset 264 miles above the border between Bolivia and Brazil in South America. Understanding the Moon helps us understand other planets, how they have evolved and the processes which have shaped […]

August 19, 2025
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Where the Wild Things Are: Wildlife Management with Johnson’s Matt Strausser

If you asked someone what they expected to see during a visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, they would probably list things like astronauts, engineers, and maybe a spacecraft or two. It might be a surprise to learn you can also spy hundreds of species of animals – from geckos and snakes to white-tailed deer […]

August 18, 2025
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NASA Sets Coverage for SpaceX 33rd Station Resupply Launch, Arrival

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 2:45 a.m. EDT, Sunday, Aug. 24, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. This is the 33rd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for NASA. Filled with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on […]

August 18, 2025
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NPR News: A team of scientists found a black hole that formed soon after the Big Bang

A team of scientists found a black hole that formed soon after the Big Bang
A group of astronomers detect the oldest known black hole using the James Webb Telescope

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Station Nation: Meet Tess Caswell, Extravehicular Activity Flight Controller and Lead Capsule Communicator

Tess Caswell supports the International Space Station from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as a capsule communicator, or capcom, as well as through the Extravehicular Activity Office. She is currently on rotation as the Artemis lead capcom, helping to develop training and processes for the Artemis campaign by leveraging her experience supporting the space […]

August 18, 2025
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Summary of the 2025 GEDI Science Team Meeting

Introduction The 2025 Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Science Team Meeting (STM) took place April 1–3, 2025 at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). Upwards of 60 participants attended in-person, while several others joined virtually by Zoom. The GEDI Mission and Competed Science Team members were in attendance along with the GEDI NASA program […]

August 18, 2025
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A Decade of Global Water Cycle Monitoring: NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission

Introduction The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, launched in 2015, has over 10 years of global L-band radiometry observations. The low frequency [1.4 GHz frequency or 21 cm (8 in) wavelength] measurements provide information on the state of land surfaces in all weather conditions – regardless of solar illumination. A principal objective of […]

August 18, 2025
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Summary of the 54th U.S.–Japan ASTER Science Team Meeting

Introduction The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Science Team (ST) organized a three-day workshop that took place June 9–11, 2025, at the Japan Space System’s (JSS) offices in Tokyo, Japan. About 25 people from Japan and the United States participated during the in-person meeting – see Photo 1. U.S. participants included representatives […]

August 18, 2025
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Portable Planetarium takes Thousands of Alaskan Students on a Cosmic Adventure

Exploring the Cosmos and Inspiring Young Minds From January through June 2025, the Education Outreach Office at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute (GI) continued its mission of bringing science to life by delivering the magic of its portable planetarium to communities across Alaska. This year, they reached over 1,807 students, educators, and participants […]

August 18, 2025
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Bone Loss Research Launches Aboard NASA’s SpaceX-33 Resupply Mission

The 33rd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission for NASA, scheduled to liftoff from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in late August, is heading to the International Space Station with an important investigation for the future of bone health. The experiment will test how microgravity affects bone-forming and bone-degrading cells and explore potential ways […]

August 18, 2025
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NASA, Army National Guard Partner on Flight Training for Moon Landing

By Corinne BeckingerWhen Artemis astronauts land on the Moon’s South Pole in a commercial human landing system, they will encounter a landscape pockmarked with deep craters, sloped connecting ridges, and harsh lighting conditions. The Moon’s lack of contrast, combined with its rolling terrain, will also pose a challenge, making it difficult for astronauts to overcome […]

August 18, 2025
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Artemis II Crew Practices Night Launch Scenario

NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, and Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, walk on the crew access arm of the mobile launcher in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. On Aug. 11 and 12, teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems Program along with NASA […]

August 18, 2025
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NASA Invites Media to Northrop Grumman CRS-23 Station Resupply Launch

Media accreditation is open for the next launch to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. A Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft will launch to the orbital laboratory on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for NASA. The mission is known as NASA’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 23, or Northrop Grumman […]

August 18, 2025
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NASA Challenge Winners Cook Up New Industry Developments

NASA invests in technologies that have the potential to revolutionize space exploration, including the way astronauts live in space. Through the Deep Space Food Challenge, NASA, in partnership with CSA (Canadian Space Agency), sought novel food production systems that could provide long-duration human space exploration missions with safe, nutritious, and tasty food. Three winners selected […]

August 18, 2025
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4629-4630: Feeling Hollow

Written by Elena Amador-French, Science Operations Coordinator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025 Today’s team investigated the texture and chemistry of the bedrock within a topographic low, or hollow, found within the greater boxwork area. We will place our APXS instrument on the “Asiruqucha” target, some light-toned, small-scale nodular […]

August 18, 2025
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NPR News: Washington's hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.

Washington's hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.
In small town Washington — where hydropower is plentiful — data centers are creating jobs and funding amenities. But water and energy aren't unlimited — and some worry about long-term sustainability.

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NPR News: Washington's hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.

Washington's hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.
In small town Washington — where hydropower is plentiful — data centers are creating jobs and funding amenities. But water and energy aren't unlimited — and some worry about long-term sustainability.

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NPR News: Chimpanzees pick up communication styles from their moms, not their dads

Chimpanzees pick up communication styles from their moms, not their dads
A new study finds that chimpanzee babies learn vocal and visual communication patterns from their mothers. The findings may shed light on the way human babies learn from those close to them.

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NPR News: After a freeze, Trump administration reluctantly agrees to fund EV chargers

After a freeze, Trump administration reluctantly agrees to fund EV chargers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he doesn't agree with federal subsidies for high-speed EV chargers, but that his department "will respect Congress' will" and release the funds.

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NPR News: After a freeze, Trump administration reluctantly agrees to fund EV chargers

After a freeze, Trump administration reluctantly agrees to fund EV chargers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he doesn't agree with federal subsidies for high-speed EV chargers, but that his department "will respect Congress' will" and release the funds.

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NASA-Developed Printable Metal Can Take the Heat

Until now, additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, of engine components was limited by the lack of affordable metal alloys that could withstand the extreme temperatures of spaceflight. Expensive metal alloys were the only option for 3D printing engine parts until NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, developed the GRX-810 alloy. The primary […]

August 15, 2025
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NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Students in Minnesota

NASA astronauts Michael Finke and Zena Cardman will connect with students in Minnesota as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 11 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 20, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. Media […]

August 15, 2025
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NPR News: Embryos small but mighty, first live videos show

Embryos small but mighty, first live videos show
Scientists have recorded a human embryo implanting in a womb in real time. The implications of how it happens could lead to more and better treatments for infertility.

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NPR News: What makes 'life' so hard to define? A developmental biologist weighs in

What makes 'life' so hard to define? A developmental biologist weighs in
In this Back To School episode we consider the "List of Life": the criteria that define what it is to be a living thing. Some are easy calls: A kitten is alive. A grain of salt is not. But what about the tricky cases, like a virus? Or, more importantly, what about futuristic android robots? As part of our Black History Month celebration, developmental biologist Crystal Rogers and Short Wave co-host Regina G. Barber dig into what makes something alive, and wade into a Star-Trek-themed debate. Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Is there something you'd like us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4627-4628: A Ridge Stop in the Boxworks

Earth planning date: Monday Aug. 11, 2025 Written by Lucy Lim, Planetary Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center On the Curiosity team, we’re continuing our exploration of the boxwork-forming region in Gale Crater. A successful 25-meter drive (about 82 feet) brought the rover from the “peace sign” ridge intersection to a new ridge site. […]

August 15, 2025
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NASA Seeks Industry Feedback on Fission Surface Power

As part of the agency’s initiative to return humanity to the Moon and eventually send the first astronaut – an American – to Mars, NASA is surveying industry for interest and feedback on a fission surface power system, through a Request for Information issued Thursday. Earlier this month, NASA declared its intent to put a […]

August 14, 2025
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Astronauts Plant Seed Pillows in New Space Agriculture Study

When the Crew-11 astronauts launched to the International Space Station on August 1, 2025, they carried with them another chapter in space farming: the latest VEG-03 experiments, complete with seed pillows ready for planting. Growing plants provides nutrition for astronauts, as well as psychological benefits that help maintain crew morale during missions. During VEG-03 MNO, […]

August 14, 2025
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After Storied 34 Year Career, Steve Platnick Retires from NASA

Dr. Steven “Steve” Platnick stepped down from his role at NASA on August 8, 2025, after more than three decades of public service. Steve began his career at NASA as a physical scientist at Goddard Space Flight Center in 2002. He moved to the Earth Science Division in 2009, where he has served in various […]

August 14, 2025
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Small Companies Win Big in NASA’s TechLeap Challenge

NASA announced 10 winning teams for its latest TechLeap Prize — the Space Technology Payload Challenge — on June 26. The winners emerged from a record-breaking field of more than 200 applicants to earn cash prizes worth up to $500,000, if they have a flight-ready unit. Recipients may also have the opportunity to flight test […]

August 14, 2025
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New Research Connects Plant Nutrition and Astronaut Gut Health

New research uncovers the connection between space agriculture and astronaut health. A study published in npj Microgravity shows how analyzing diverse datasets together can reveal insights that might otherwise be missed — in this case, linking space-grown food quality to astronaut nutrition and gut health. The paper reviewed previous studies of plants grown aboard the […]

August 14, 2025
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U.S. Transportation Secretary & Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy Joins President Trump Executive Order Signing to Boost U.S. Space Competitiveness

U.S. Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House Wednesday for the historic signing of the Executive Order (EO), “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry.” “People think the Department of Transportation (DOT) is just planes, trains, and automobiles – but we have a critical role […]

August 13, 2025
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NPR News: Ants could teach humans a thing or two about teamwork

Ants could teach humans a thing or two about teamwork
When more humans participate in a game of tug-o-war, each individual puts in less effort. But the opposite is true in weaver ants, according to new research in the journal Current Biology.

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Compton J. Tucker Retires from NASA and is Named NAS Fellow

Dr. Compton J. Tucker – a senior researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – joins 149 newly elected members to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) – see Photo. NAS is one of the highest honors in American science. Compton gave a virtual presentation at GSFC on July 21, 2025, in which he […]

August 13, 2025
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NASA Seeks Moon and Mars Innovations Through University Challenge

NASA is calling on the next generation of collegiate innovators to imagine bold new concepts l pushing the boundaries of human exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond through the agency’s 2026 NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) competition.   The RASC-AL challenge fuels innovation for aerospace systems concepts, analogs, and technology […]

August 13, 2025
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NPR News: Who made these knotted records during the Inca Empire?

Who made these knotted records during the Inca Empire?
Inca society kept records by encoding information into knotted cords called khipu. A new analysis of hair woven into these cords suggests this record-keeping was practiced by commoners as well as elites.

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NPR News: Who made these knotted records during the Inca Empire?

Who made these knotted records during the Inca Empire?
Inca society kept records by encoding information into knotted cords called khipu. A new analysis of hair woven into these cords suggests this record-keeping was practiced by commoners as well as elites.

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NPR News: This missing trait could make robots more 'human'

This missing trait could make robots more 'human'
Neurotic, anxious robots like C-3P0 from Star Wars' C-3P0 and Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are a staple of science fiction — but they're not as common in the real world. Most of the time, the chatbots and artificial intelligence "robots" we encounter are programmed to be extraverted, confident and cheerful. But what if that changed? NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce dives into the world of robot personality research and talks to a team of researchers that are experimenting with a very different kind of robot temperament. Read more of Nell's reporting on the topic here. Interested in more science news? Let us know 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. Love podcasts? For handpicked recommendations every Friday, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club.

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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4624-4626: A Busy Weekend at the Boxwork

Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 8, 2025 We continue to progress through the boxwork structures, arriving today at the “peace sign” ridges we were aiming for in our last drive. We’re spending the first two sols of the weekend at this location, learning everything we can […]

August 12, 2025
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NASA IXPE’s ‘Heartbeat Black Hole’ Measurements Challenge Current Theories

Written by Michael Allen An international team of astronomers using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), has challenged our understanding of what happens to matter in the direct vicinity of a black hole. With IXPE, astronomers can study incoming X-rays and measure the polarization, a property of light that describes the direction of its electric […]

August 12, 2025
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A Tapestry of Tales: 10th Anniversary Reflections from NASA’s OCO-2 Mission

When woven together, the tapestry of experiences of staff and scientists provide the complete picture of OCO-2. Breathe in… Breathe out. This simple rhythm sets the foundation of life on Earth – and it’s a pattern that a NASA satellite has been watching from space for over a decade. On July 2, 2024, NASA’s Orbiting […]

August 12, 2025
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NPR News: The solar system's third interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, is zooming by at 130,000 mph

The solar system's third interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, is zooming by at 130,000 mph
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with astronomer David Jewitt about what we can learn from the third interstellar object to have entered our solar system, a comet-like object known as 3I/ATLAS.

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A Gigantic Jet Caught on Camera: A Spritacular Moment for NASA Astronaut Nicole Ayers!

Astronaut Captures Rare Gigantic Jet from Space On July 3, 2025, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers photographed an extraordinary sight from the International Space Station — a rare gigantic jet, a powerful electrical discharge shooting from the top of a thunderstorm into the upper atmosphere. Often mistaken for sprites, these towering lightning events bridge clouds and space, depositing massive electrical charges. Learn how gigantic jets differ from other Transient Luminous Events and how you can submit your own sightings to Spritacular.org.

August 12, 2025
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NASA Invites Media to View Artemis II Orion Stage Adapter at Marshall

Media are invited to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, at 2 p.m. CDT Thursday, Aug. 14 to view the final piece of space flight hardware for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for the Artemis II mission before it is delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All other elements […]

August 11, 2025
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NASA Awards Second Human Health, Performance Contract

NASA has selected KBR Wyle Services, LLC of Fulton, Maryland, to provide services to the Human Health and Performance Directorate at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, which focuses on astronaut health, occupational health, and research that could help mitigate health risks for future human spaceflight missions. The Human Health and Performance Contract 2 […]

August 11, 2025
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NASA Explores Industry Possibilities to Raise Swift Mission’s Orbit

To drive the development of key space-based capabilities for the United States, NASA is exploring an opportunity to demonstrate technology to raise a spacecraft’s orbit to a higher altitude. Two American companies – Cambrian Works of Reston, Virginia, and Katalyst Space Technologies of Flagstaff, Arizona – will develop concept design studies for a possible orbit […]

August 11, 2025
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Space Station Cell Studies

Science in Space August 2025 Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, from single-celled bacteria to plants and animals containing vast numbers of them. Cells have adapted for a wide variety of settings and functions. Nerve cells in humans and animals, for example, have long, thin extensions that rapidly transmit signals, while […]

August 11, 2025
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NASA Continues Search for Moon-Focused Sustainability Solutions

NASA is accepting U.S. submissions for the second phase of the agency’s LunaRecycle Challenge, a Moon-focused recycling competition. The challenge aims to develop solutions for recycling common trash materials – like fabrics, plastics, foam, and metals – that could accumulate from activities such as system operations, industrial activities, and building habitats in deep space. Phase […]

August 11, 2025
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Splashes Down in Pacific Ocean

The members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission – Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, left, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi – are all smiles after having landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. The crew spent seven […]

August 11, 2025
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Juliana Barajas: Supporting NASA’s Mission, One Task at a Time

As an administrative assistant in the Safety and Mission Assurance Office at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Juliana Barajas approaches her work with one clear mission: to help others succeed.   For over two decades, she has supported NASA’s mission with a career grounded in service, perseverance, and gratitude. Whether coordinating […]

August 11, 2025
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NPR News: Did life start on the ocean floor — and what does that mean for alien life?

Did life start on the ocean floor — and what does that mean for alien life?
How did life start on Earth? The answer is a big scientific mystery scientists are actively investigating. After talking with many scientists, host Regina G. Barber found that an abundance of water on Earth is most likely key, in some way, to the origin of life — specifically, in either deep sea hydrothermal vents or in tide pools. It's for this reason some scientists are also exploring the potential for life in so-called "water worlds" elsewhere in the solar system, like some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. This episode, Regina digs into two water-related hypotheses for the origin on life on Earth — and what that might mean for possible alien life. Have another scientific mystery you want us to cover on a future episode? 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: Colorado wildfires burn more than 120,000 acres as firefighters await better weather

Colorado wildfires burn more than 120,000 acres as firefighters await better weather
In western Colorado, firefighters are up against windy, hot weather as they try to protect homes and infrastructure from a pair of lightning-caused wildfires.

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NPR News: Colorado wildfires burn more than 120,000 acres as firefighters await better weather

Colorado wildfires burn more than 120,000 acres as firefighters await better weather
In western Colorado, firefighters are up against windy, hot weather as they try to protect homes and infrastructure from a pair of lightning-caused wildfires.

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NPR News: Understanding the Impact of Deep Sea Mining

Understanding the Impact of Deep Sea Mining


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NPR News: Why some species in the deep sea get bigger, while some species get smaller

Why some species in the deep sea get bigger, while some species get smaller
Thousands of meters below the ocean's surface lurk some gigantic creatures, much larger than their shallow-water brethren. Scientists have a few hunches for why this happens, but the debate continues.

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NPR News: Texas big game hunter killed while stalking African Cape buffalo

Texas big game hunter killed while stalking African Cape buffalo
Asher Watkins had been tracking a cape buffalo for the kill when the animal instead turned its attack on the hunter.

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Returns, Splashes Down Off California

The first crew to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program completed the agency’s 10th commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station on Saturday. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut […]

August 09, 2025
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NPR News: 4 people and 5 months in space, NASA's Crew-10 mission safely returns to Earth

4 people and 5 months in space, NASA's Crew-10 mission safely returns to Earth
It took the capsule 17 hours to make the trip home, experiencing re-entry temperatures of around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit as it punched through the atmosphere following Friday's ISS undocking.

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NPR News: Blame it on the moon. This year's Perseids meteors won't be as visible at their peak

Blame it on the moon. This year's Perseids meteors won't be as visible at their peak
The Perseids meteor shower is the most popular one of the year. The meteors during this time are characterized by bright fireballs and long "wakes," the streak of light and color that follow behind.

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NPR News: An ancient archaeological site meets conspiracy theories — and Joe Rogan

An ancient archaeological site meets conspiracy theories — and Joe Rogan
In the hills of southeastern Turkey lies a site so ancient, it's turning our understanding of civilization on its head and leading to conspiracy theories.

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Rare Type of Black Hole Snacks on Star

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory teamed up to identify a new possible example of a rare class of black holes, identified by X-ray emission (in purple) in this image released on July 24, 2025. Called NGC 6099 HLX-1, this bright X-ray source seems to reside in a compact star cluster in a giant elliptical galaxy. […]

August 08, 2025
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NPR News: Far more environmental data is being deleted in Trump's second term than before

Far more environmental data is being deleted in Trump's second term than before
The second Trump administration has removed more climate and environmental data from websites in the first 100 days than the first administration, according to a new report

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NPR News: Far more environmental data is being deleted in Trump's second term than before

Far more environmental data is being deleted in Trump's second term than before
The second Trump administration has removed more climate and environmental data from websites in the first 100 days than the first administration, according to a new report

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Hubble Captures a Tarantula

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image captures incredible details in the dusty clouds of a star-forming factory called the Tarantula Nebula. Most of the nebulae Hubble images are in our galaxy, but this nebula is in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy located about 160,000 light-years away in the constellations Dorado and Mensa. The […]

August 08, 2025
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NPR News: NASA plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. Here's what that means.

NASA plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. Here's what that means.
NASA is accelerating plans to have a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030.

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NPR News: Why do some people's memories stay sharp as they age?

Why do some people's memories stay sharp as they age?
The human brain tends to slow down as we age — even healthy brains shrink. That can make learning and memory harder as people age. But some people’s brains shrink more slowly than their peers. This lucky group is called “SuperAgers.” They’re people aged 80 or older. But they have the memory abilities of someone 50-to-60 years old. This week in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers from Northwestern University’s SuperAging Program summarized some of the secrets they’ve learned in the last 2.5 decades.  Want to hear about more stories about human health and aging? Email us and let us know 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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NASA’s Artemis II Crew Trains in Orion

The Artemis II crew (from left to right) CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman don their Orion Crew Survival System Suits for a multi-day crew module training beginning July 31, 2025, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Behind the crew, wearing clean room apparel, […]

August 07, 2025
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NASA’s Webb Finds New Evidence for Planet Around Closest Solar Twin

Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found strong evidence of a giant planet orbiting a star in the stellar system closest to our own Sun. At just 4 light-years away from Earth, the Alpha Centauri triple star system has long been a compelling target in the search for worlds beyond our solar system. […]

August 07, 2025
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As NASA Missions Study Interstellar Comet, Hubble Makes Size Estimate

A team of astronomers has taken the sharpest-ever picture of the unexpected interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS using the crisp vision of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble is one of many missions across NASA’s fleet of space telescopes slated to observe this comet, together providing more information about its size and physical properties. While the comet poses […]

August 07, 2025
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Wade Sisler: Aficionado of Wonder Serving the Cosmos

Across 42 years at NASA, Wade Sisler — executive producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland—watched the edge of human knowledge progress. During that time, the tools for visualizing and communicating those discoveries evolved just as rapidly. “I’ve spent my career surrounded by people with amazing curiosity and intellect, pursuing questions that […]

August 07, 2025
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4622-4623: Kicking Off (Earth) Year 14 With an Investigation of Veins

Written by Abigail Fraeman, Deputy Project Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Today was a very special day for Curiosity as the rover celebrated the start of a 14th year on Mars. Curiosity is currently exploring the mysterious boxwork formations. On Monday, the rover positioned itself at the […]

August 06, 2025
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NPR News: The NFL banned smelling salts. Here's why

The NFL banned smelling salts. Here's why
The NFL has banned the use of smelling salts during games, citing an FDA warning concerning the safety of the substance. Here's what experts say about the effects and the risks.

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NPR News: Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality in the U.S.

Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality in the U.S.
Canada is having its second worst wildfire season yet. Two scientists explain what a red air alert means and how anyone living in impacted areas can protect themselves.

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NPR News: Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality in the U.S.

Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality in the U.S.
Canada is having its second worst wildfire season yet. Two scientists explain what a red air alert means and how anyone living in impacted areas can protect themselves.

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NASA Astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore Retires

After 25 years at NASA, flying in four different spacecraft, accumulating 464 days in space, astronaut and test pilot Butch Wilmore has retired from NASA. The Tennessee native earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University and a master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee. Wilmoreis […]

August 06, 2025
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Curiosity Looks Back Toward Its Landing Site

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured a view of its tracks on July 26, 2025. The robotic scientist is now exploring a region of lower Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain. The pale peak of the mountain can be seen at top right; the rim of Gale Crater, within which the mountain sits, is on the horizon […]

August 06, 2025
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NPR News: Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'

Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'
When female gorillas leave one social group and join another, they tend to seek out groups with other females that they've lived with in the past, showing the power of long-term relationships.

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NPR News: The quest to create gene-edited babies gets a reboot

The quest to create gene-edited babies gets a reboot 
There's a fresh push to edit the genes of human embryos to prevent diseases and enhance characteristics that parents value. Bioethicists say just because it's possible doesn't mean it should be done.

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Mississippi Attorney Serves NASA and the Nation

Before Nathan Jermyn could dig into the legal frameworks at NASA, he had to answer a different call. Jermyn participated in a one-day orientation in the summer of 2023 to begin work as an attorney-advisor supporting NASA’s Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. However, the Biloxi, Mississippi, […]

August 06, 2025
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NPR News: Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'

Study finds female mountain gorillas prefer to join 'buddies'
A long-term study of mountain gorillas finds that when female gorillas move into a new group, they pick one that contains buddies they've lived with before.

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NPR News: The quest to create genetically modified babies is getting a reboot

The quest to create genetically modified babies is getting a reboot
Genetically engineered humans may still sound like science fiction. But there's a new push to edit the genes of human embryos to eliminate diseases and enhance characteristics parents value.

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Looks Back at Science Mission

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Looks Back at Science Mission NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission with agency astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov is preparing to return to Earth in early August after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. During their stay, McClain, […]

August 05, 2025
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What is NASA’s Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy?

Software designed to give spacecraft more autonomy could support a future where swarms of satellites navigate and complete scientific objectives with limited human intervention. Astronauts living and working on the Moon and Mars will rely on satellites to provide services like navigation, weather, and communications relays. While managing complex missions, automating satellite communications will allow […]

August 05, 2025
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NICER Status Updates

August 5, 2025 Science Observations Remain Paused for NASA’s NICER Telescope Science operations by NASA’s NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, remain paused as the team continues to evaluate the telescope’s systems after an issue developed with one of its motors. The motor is unable to move […]

August 05, 2025
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Second Lady Usha Vance, NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Celebrate Reading

Second Lady Usha Vance and NASA Astronaut Suni Williams listen to the audience in this image from Aug. 4, 2025. Ms. Vance joined Williams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for a summer reading challenge event, through which the Second Lady encourages youth to seek adventure, imagination, and discovery between the pages of a […]

August 05, 2025
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NPR News: Spotted lanternflies are all over. What should you do if you see one?

Spotted lanternflies are all over. What should you do if you see one?
Spotted lanternflies are appearing all over the East Coast. The invasive insects damage plants and trees. What should you do when you spot them?

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NPR News: Spotted lanternflies are all over. What should you do if you see one?

Spotted lanternflies are all over. What should you do if you see one?
Spotted lanternflies are appearing all over the East Coast. The invasive insects damage plants and trees. What should you do when you spot them?

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Perseids Meteor Shower

In this 30 second exposure photograph, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. The Perseids meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August, is considered the best of the year. With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” […]

August 04, 2025
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NASA’s Artemis Crew Trains in Moonbound Orion Ahead of Mission

The first crew slated to fly in NASA’s Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II mission around the Moon early next year entered their spacecraft for a multi-day training at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Crew donned their spacesuits July 31 and boarded Orion to train and experience some of the conditions they can […]

August 04, 2025
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Mark Cavanaugh: Integrating Safety into the Orion Spacecraft

Before astronauts venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the agency’s first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo, Mark Cavanaugh is helping make sure the Orion spacecraft is safe and space-ready for the journey ahead.   As an Orion integration lead at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, he ensures the spacecraft’s critical systems— in […]

August 04, 2025
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NPR News: Teen suicide is on the decline, new federal data shows

Teen suicide is on the decline, new federal data shows
The 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report found that in recent years, depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in teens have declined.

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NPR News: Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose

Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose
The Trump administration has asked NASA staffers to draw up plans to end at least two satellite missions that measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to current and former NASA employees.

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NPR News: Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose

Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose
The Trump administration has asked NASA staffers to draw up plans to end at least two satellite missions that measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to current and former NASA employees.

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NPR News: The giants lurking in the deep sea

The giants lurking in the deep sea
The bathypelagic zone of the ocean is 1,000 to 4,000 meters below the surface. Sometimes it's called the midnight zone, because it's too deep for sunlight to reach. Most animals here are much smaller than their shallow-water counterparts. But occasionally, researchers find the rare deep sea giant: giant isopods, giant squids, colossal squids, sea spiders. While these giants sound like the subjects of some people's nightmares, deep sea biologist Craig McClain dreams about them. And today on the show, he helps unravel the mystery and research behind these creatures. SIGN UP FOR OUR SEA CAMP NEWSLETTER! WE WORKED SO HARD ON IT! Interested in more ocean mysteries? Let us know 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: Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes region

Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes region
The volcano may have been primed to erupt before the magnitude 8.8 quake pushed it over the edge.

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NPR News: Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes region

Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes region
The volcano may have been primed to erupt before the magnitude 8.8 quake pushed it over the edge.

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NPR News: In Peru, a new from species has been discovered.

In Peru, a new from species has been discovered.


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NPR News: Can Psychedelic Therapy Go Mainstream?

Can Psychedelic Therapy Go Mainstream?
Research shows that psychedelics can help with a range of mental health conditions, like PTSD and depression. So why can't you get them from your doctor? Today on The Sunday Story, we take a trip through some of the latest science behind psychedelic therapy, and efforts to bring these mind‑altering drugs into the mainstream. Plus, what's ketamine got to do with it?

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Helio Highlights: July 2025

As NASA and its partners prepare to send astronauts back to the Moon, we must address the potential dangers caused by space weather, which can damage spacecraft and cause physical harm to unprotected astronauts in space.

August 01, 2025
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NPR News: Researchers find some bird parents get "divorced" after breeding

Researchers find some bird parents get "divorced" after breeding
A new study from Oxford University finds that a common European songbird sometimes divorces its partner between breeding seasons.

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NUBE: New Card Game Helps Learners Identify Cloud Types Through Play

Different clouds types can have different effects on our weather and climate, which makes identifying cloud types important – but learning to identify cloud types can be tricky! Educational games make the learning process easier and more enjoyable for learners of all ages and create an opportunity for families and friends to spend quality time […]

August 01, 2025
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NASA’s Europa Clipper Radar Instrument Proves Itself at Mars

The agency’s largest interplanetary probe tested its radar during a Mars flyby. The results include a detailed image and bode well for the mission at Jupiter’s moon Europa. As it soared past Mars in March, NASA’s Europa Clipper conducted a critical radar test that had been impossible to accomplish on Earth. Now that mission scientists […]

August 01, 2025
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Hubble Surveys Supernova-Rich Spiral

Rich with detail, the face-on spiral galaxy NGC 1309 shines in this Hubble Space Telescope image.

August 01, 2025
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NPR News: Why a changing climate may mean less chocolate in the future

Why a changing climate may mean less chocolate in the future
Last year, we reported how extreme weather events may be dwindling the future of chocolate. Just last week, we saw an inkling of that: The Hershey Company announced it would significantly raise the cost of its candy in the face of historically high cocoa prices. So, we're revisiting host Emily Kwong's conversation with Yasmin Tayag, a food, health and science writer at The Atlantic. They get into the cocoa shortage: What's causing it, how it's linked to weather and poor farming conditions and what potential solutions exist. Plus, they enjoy a chocolate alternative taste test.

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