Curiosity Blog, Sols 4879-4885: Struggle at Atacama

Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, May 1, 2026 Chile’s Atacama desert is the driest mid-latitude desert in the world, receiving only 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) of precipitation per year. Only the dry valleys of Antarctica receive less precipitation. These environmental conditions have made the Atacama a […]

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/79mZ1ja
via IFTTT

650 NASA Volunteers Have Co-Authored Scientific Papers

After a recent count, NASA Citizen Science is proud to report that more than 650 people who have volunteered to participate in NASA citizen science projects have co-authored peer-reviewed research papers with scientists on those project teams. These volunteers made incredible contributions like: And all of them saw their passion and dedication translated into lasting […]

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/G1qBXDJ
via IFTTT

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Frees Its Drill From a Rock

Description This series of images shows NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover as it got a rock stuck to the drill on the end of its robotic arm and, after waving the arm and running the drill a few times, finally detached the rock. The imagery showing the entire process was captured by the black-and-white hazard cameras […]

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/C4xqFv7
via IFTTT

NASA Research Shows Early Life Relied on Rare Metal

NASA-funded scientists have discovered that life on Earth over 3 billion years ago relied on the metal molybdenum, which was incredibly scarce in the environment at the time. The study, published in Nature Communications on Tuesday, is the first to show that molybdenum was used by ancient life this far back in our planet’s history. […]

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/f68oiSh
via IFTTT

New NASA HEAT Coloring Book Blends Art, Science, and Cultural Perspectives

A new Sun-centered and science-focused coloring book produced by NASA in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is now available for people to learn while showing their artistic side.

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/TpxsaI1
via IFTTT

NASA Volunteers Double Known Population of Brown Dwarfs

A new paper from NASA’s Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project announces that volunteers have essentially doubled the number of known brown dwarfs, with over 3,000 new discoveries made over the past 10 years since the project began. Brown dwarfs are balls of gas the size of Jupiter, less massive than stars. There’s one for every three or four stars near the Sun. 

May 4, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/a2UfLTD
via IFTTT

NASA Welcomes Malta as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory

The Republic of Malta became the 65th signatory to the Artemis Accords on Monday during a ceremony in the town of Kalkara with NASA and U.S. Department of State officials present. “Today, it’s my pleasure to welcome the Republic of Malta to the Artemis Accords community,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in recorded remarks. “By […]

May 3, 2026 at 08:00PM
from NASA https://ift.tt/FCLaDeP
via IFTTT