Nobel Laureate Brian Kobilka, MD, and NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir, PhD, are among the highlighted speakers who will attend the American Physiology Summit, the American Physiological Society’s (APS) flagship annual meeting. The Summit will be held April 4–7, 2024, in Long Beach, California.
Tag: NASA
With NASA support, device for future lunar mission being developed at WashU
Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are developing a prototype for an instrument for a future Moon mission with support from a nearly $3 million grant from NASA.
Cheers! NASA’s Webb Finds Ethanol, Other Icy Ingredients for Worlds
A new Webb study of two protostars, so young that they have not yet formed planets, has found a variety of molecules ranging from relatively simple ones like methane to complex compounds like acetic acid (familiar to cooks as an ingredient in vinegar). These molecules constitute key ingredients for worlds that might one day host life.
NASA’s Webb, Hubble Telescopes Affirm Universe’s Expansion Rate, Puzzle Persists
The best measurements from Hubble show the universe is now expanding faster than predicted based on observations of how it looked shortly after the big bang. Some scientists suggested that Hubble observations are wrong due to some creeping inaccuracy in its deep-space yardstick. However, Webb’s sharp infrared views of milepost markers known as Cepheids agree with Hubble data.
Peering Into the Tendrils of NGC 604 with NASA’s Webb
In the astronomy field, the term “nearby” is quite relative. Neighboring galaxies to our home galaxy, the Milky Way, are a few million light-years away. In contrast, some of the most distant galaxies ever detected, closer to the Big Bang, are billions of light-years away.
Measuring Air Quality to Identify Health Disparities in Communities
Dan Goldberg, an assistant research professor at the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health is an expert on climate change, environmental occupational health and global environmental health. He will lead a panel discussion along with NASA specialists at…
What Are Hubble and Webb Observing Right Now? NASA Tool Has the Answer
Space Telescope Live provides an interactive way to explore the most accurate, up-to-date, publicly available information on current, past, and upcoming observations by NASA’s Hubble and Webb space telescopes.
Webb Unlocks Secrets of One of the Most Distant Galaxies Ever Seen
Delivering on its promise to transform our understanding of the early universe, the James Webb Space Telescope is probing galaxies near the dawn of time. One of these is the exceptionally luminous galaxy GN-z11, which existed when the universe was just a tiny fraction of its current age. One of the youngest and most distant galaxies ever observed, it is also one of the most enigmatic. Why is it so bright? Webb appears to have found the answer.
Missouri S&T spacecraft engineering experts available for comment
Spacecraft engineering experts from Missouri University of Science and Technology are available to discuss the first U.S. spacecraft successfully landing on the moon in over five decades. Dr. Hank Pernicka, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of aerospace engineering, has been a…
NASA’s Hubble Traces ‘String of Pearls’ Star Clusters in Galaxy Collisions
When galaxies go bump in the night, they cook-up new generations of stars that might otherwise have never been born. These close encounters between galaxies cause a gravitational tug-of-war.
El Observatorio Rubin impulsará una nueva era en misiones espaciales sin salir de la tierra
El Observatorio Vera C. Rubin ayudará a los científicos a identificar objetivos intrigantes para dar prioridad a futuras misiones espaciales, mediante la detección de millones de nuevos objetos en el Sistema Solar y revelar, con el mayor detalle jamás visto, el contexto más amplio en el que existen.
Rubin Observatory will Inspire a New Era in Space Missions without Ever Leaving the Ground
Vera C. Rubin Observatory will help scientists identify intriguing targets to prioritize for future space missions by detecting millions of new Solar System objects, and by revealing — in more detail than we’ve ever seen — the broader context in which these objects exist.
NASA’s Roman to Use Rare Events to Calculate Expansion Rate of Universe
With a panoramic view 200 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope’s infrared view, the sheer amount of data captured by the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will change the landscape of astronomy.
Surgical robot developed at Nebraska launches into space
A surgeon’s hands could stretch 250 miles above Earth, should an upcoming test of a miniaturized surgical robot aboard the International Space Station prove successful.
Researchers spying for signs of life among exoplanet atmospheres
The next generation of advanced telescopes could sharpen the hunt for potential extraterrestrial life by closely scrutinizing the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets, new research suggests.
Dr. Jennifer Lotz Appointed Space Telescope Science Institute Director
The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Lotz as the Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Dr. Lotz will begin her five-year appointment as STScI Director starting February 12, 2024.
NASA’s Webb Makes First Detection of Heavy Element from Star Merger
Using Webb’s spectacular sensitivity, scientists captured the first mid-infrared spectrum from space of a kilonova, which marked Webb’s first direct look at an individual heavy element from such an event.
SMU prof and NASA collaborators awarded patent for Alexa-like virtual research assistant
NASA sensors scattered across land, sea, and space have collected hundreds of terabytes of Earth science data over the past four decades. Imagine if a digital assistant like Alexa or Siri, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), could quickly and easily sift through that data to answer scientific questions for researchers.
UAH researchers closing in on helping to solve 60-year-old solar mystery
Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, have supported a ground-breaking measurement that is helping solve a 60-year-old cosmic mystery that involves the question of why the Sun’s corona, the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere, is so much hotter than the surface of the Sun itself.
Engineer developing laser system to defend space assets from debris in Earth’s orbit
If West Virginia University research pays off, debris that litters the planet’s orbit and poses a threat to spacecraft and satellites could get nudged off potential collision courses by a coordinated network of space lasers.
Living on the Edge: Supernova Bubble Expands in New Hubble Time-Lapse Movie
Hubble zoomed in for a close-up look at one sliver of the Cygnus Loop nebula–a huge bubble of glowing gasses. Gossamer filaments resembling wrinkles in a bedsheet stretched across two light-years were found.
NASA’s Webb Finds Carbon Source on Surface of Jupiter’s Moon Europa
For as long as humans have gazed into the night sky, we have wondered about life beyond the Earth. Scientists now know that several places in our solar system might have conditions suitable for life.
NASA’s Webb Snaps Supersonic Outflow of Young Star
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a high-resolution look at Herbig-Haro 211 (HH 211), a bipolar jet traveling through interstellar space at supersonic speeds.
Neptune’s Disappearing Clouds Linked to the Solar Cycle
Astronomers have uncovered a link between Neptune’s shifting cloud abundance and the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle that increases the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the planet. This discovery is based on three decades of observations by Hubble.
NASA astronaut and national sports player inspires as she receives honorary doctorate from her alma mater
The atmosphere was out of this world as a NASA astronaut returned to her former university to receive an honorary doctorate.
UAH to feature AI, cybersecurity, directed energy, aerial systems and more at 2023 Space & Missile Defense Symposium
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, will highlight its extensive capabilities in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, directed energy, information systems, rotorcraft systems, supply chain management and hypersonics during the Space & Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala.
When the First Stars Turned On: The Origins of the Universe
All stories start somewhere – even the incomprehensibly vast expanse above us has a beginning. Scientists have long studied the cosmos, searching for answers to the “how’s” and “why’s” of life, and that effort continues to this day. From concepts such as ‘Cosmic Dawn’ and ‘redshift,’ UNLV astronomer and computer scientist Paul La Plante focuses on topics that improve our understanding of where it all began.
UAH doctoral candidate designs rotating detonation engine aimed to boost lunar and Mars missions
Michaela Hemming, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is using a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) fellowship to make advances in propulsion under the guidance of NASA engineers.Hemming has designed a small-scale rotating detonation engine (RDE) manufactured by NASA as part of a joint research effort.
Georgia Tech to Lead NASA Center on Lunar Research and Exploration
Georgia Tech researchers have been selected by NASA to lead a $7.5 million center that will study the lunar environment, and explore the generation and properties of volatiles and dust.
Mae Jemison to speak at University of Delaware commencement
Mae Jemison, the first woman of color in the world to go into space, will address the graduates at the University of Delaware’s Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 27.
UTEP Awarded Numerous Grants to Support NASA Space Research
Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso will help build a robotic device for welding in space, prepare astronauts for a mission to the Moon and more, thanks to a slew of new grants from NASA.
UAH team Charger Rocket Works competes in 2023 NASA Student Launch
A team consisting of mechanical and aerospace engineering majors at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) competed in the 2023 NASA Student Launch, hosted by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Supported by the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and U.S. aerospace industry, the event is a NASA-conducted engineering design challenge that involves the design, documentation, fabrication and testing of a rocket and payload in support of a particular NASA mission.
UAH research programs achieve record high $169.5M in R&D funding for FY22
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) notched a record $169.5 million in research and development expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2022, a 13% increase over FY21. This announcement accompanies the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey findings which cover FY21 and mark the 10th year in a row UAH has had five or more research programs ranked in the top 25 nationally for federal research funding.
UAH team takes first in 2023 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
A team from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) placed first in the 2023 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) this year. The competition, held April 20-22 at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) Aviation Challenge area, tasks college and high school teams from around the nation and the world to design, develop, build and test human-powered rovers capable of negotiating difficult terrain, as well as a task tool for completion of various mission tasks.
In support of coming Artemis missions to the moon and beyond, HERC encourages research and development of new technology for future mission planning and crewed space missions to other worlds. The UAH rover is nicknamed ‘HERCules,’ and was guided by a two-person crew, competing with 49 teams from 20 states and eight countries.
Pioneering research sheds new light on the origins and composition of planet Mars
A new study has uncovered intriguing insights into the liquid core at the centre of Mars, furthering understanding of the planet’s formation and evolution.
Inaugural Mani L. Bhaumik Breakthrough of the Year Award Goes to JWST Contributors
The AAAS’s inaugural Mani L. Bhaumik Breakthrough of the Year Award honors recognizes Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret), a former administrator of NASA; John Mather, senior project scientist of the JWST since 1995; and Bill Ochs, JWST project manager from 2011 through the telescope’s launch. The award selection committee seeks to acknowledge not only the winners’ individual contributions, but also the teams they inspired, whose collective work has given us all a completely different view of the universe.
Hubble Celebrates 33rd Anniversary with a Peek into Nearby Star-Forming Region
Astronomers are celebrating the Hubble Space Telescope’s 33rd launch anniversary with an ethereal photo of the star-forming region NGC 1333. Hubble’s colorful view unveils an effervescent cauldron of glowing gasses and dust stirred up and blown around by several hundred newly forming stars embedded within the dark cloud.
50 years after NASA’s Apollo mission, moon rocks still have secrets to reveal
NASA scientists are using neutrons at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to study moon rocks collected from the Apollo space missions. The samples are made of dust and rock fragments that combined and struck the moon’s surface possibly billions of years ago. As plans to travel to Mars progress, insights into the rocks could reveal more about the formation of the solar system and where water might be found on the moon.
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
Hubble has found a rare pair of quasars inside two merging galaxies. These brilliant beacons are powered by supermassive black holes. The galaxies will eventually merge—and so will the quasars. This will result in an even more powerful black hole.
Department of Energy and NASA Join Forces on Innovative Lunar Experiment
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are working together to develop a science instrument that will survive the harsh and unforgiving environment of the nighttime lunar surface on the far side of the Moon to attempt first-of-its-kind measurements of the so-called Dark Ages of the Universe.
Hubble Captures Movie of DART Asteroid Impact Debris
A time-lapse movie from the Hubble Space Telescope captures the impact of asteroid Dimorphos when it was deliberately hit by NASA’s DART spacecraft on Sept. 26, 2022. The movie shows three overlapping stages of the impact aftermath: the formation of an ejecta cone; the spiral swirl of debris caught up along the asteroid’s orbit about its companion asteroid; and the tail swept behind the asteroid by the pressure of sunlight. Later on, Hubble records the tail splitting in two.
Newly discovered form of salty ice could exist on surface of extraterrestrial moons
Scientists suspect that the red streaks crossing the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa is a frozen mixture of water and salts, but its chemical signature matches no known substance on Earth. Now researchers have discovered a new type of solid crystal that forms when water and table salt combine in cold, pressurized conditions. Researchers believe the new substance created in a lab on Earth could form at the surface and bottom of these worlds’ deep oceans.
HUBBLE FINDS HUNGRY BLACK HOLE TWISTING CAPTURED STAR INTO DONUT SHAPE
Astronomers using Hubble have recorded a star getting swallowed by a giant black hole. Hubble didn’t observe the mayhem directly, but captured spectral fingerprints that provide clues as to how a star gets shredded as it is devoured.
HUBBLE FINDS THAT GHOST LIGHT AMONG GALAXIES STRETCHES FAR BACK IN TIME
These are Hubble Space Telescope images of two massive clusters of galaxies. The artificially added blue color is translated from Hubble data that captured a phenomenon called intracluster light. This extremely faint glow traces a smooth distribution of light from wandering stars scattered across the cluster. Billions of years ago, the stars were shed from their parent galaxies and now drift through intergalactic space alone.
Two Exoplanets May Be Mostly Water, NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Find
Astronomers have uncovered a pair of planets that are true “water worlds,” unlike any planet found in our solar system. Slightly larger than Earth, they have global oceans at least 500 times deeper than the average depth of Earth’s oceans.
Live From Space: USU Alumnus Astronaut Frank Rubio Takes Questions, Talks with Students
Uniformed Services University (USU) alumnus Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut, will answer a series of thought-provoking questions from students and military personnel live from the International Space Station as part of a NASA Downlink on Nov. 21.
NASA’s Artemis launch gets America back in ‘Space Race’ shape. UNLV professor and former NASA scientist Jason Steffen can talk about the significance of returning to the moon.
NASA’s Artemis launch is attempting to return America to ‘Space Race’ form, paving the way for humans on the moon for the first time since the 1970s. UNLV professor Jason Steffen — a former NASA scientist who worked on the…
WashU Expert: Artemis launch brings us closer to space exploration goals
Bradley L. Jolliff, the Scott Rudolph Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and director of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, is available to describe the science and space exploration…
UCI-led astronomers capitalize on early access to James Webb Space Telescope data
First in line to receive data transmissions from the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of astronomers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions is using the unprecedentedly clear observations to reveal the secret inner workings of galaxies. In a paper published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the researchers describe their examination of the nearby galaxy NGC 7469 with the JWST’s ultrasensitive mid-infrared detection instruments.
Hubble Captures 3 Faces of Evolving Supernova in Early Universe
Light from a star that exploded over 11 billion years ago was captured by Hubble Space Telescope not just as one postcard from the remote past but three messages that chronicle the fading fireball over a period of one week.