Freeze-dried mouse sperm that spent months at the International Space Station (ISS) returned to Earth and successfully fertilized mouse ovary eggs to produce twitchy-nosed “space pups” — for science. The Japanese researchers behind the new work, which they published today (June 11) in a new paper, wanted to know how space radiation affects fertility in mammals. Radiation can damage the DNA within cells, causing mutations (this is why dermatologists recommend using sunscreen). Environments on Earth with heavy radiation exposure can cause defects in the offspring of animals. Space radiation in…
Read MoreMonth: June 2021
Space Station Science Highlights: Week of June 7, 2021
The week of June 7, crew members conducted scientific investigations aboard the ISS that included studies of kidney stone formation, how gravity affects oral bacteria, and accelerated aging in space.
Read MoreVenus and the moon will shine bright in the night sky tonight
See the crescent moon swing by Venus on the evening of June 11, 2021. (Image credit: SkySafari app) Tonight (June 11), just 38 hours after the moon rendezvoused with the sun to produce the “ring of fire” solar eclipse, our rocky satellite will pair off with the second brightest object in the night sky: Venus. As day turns to night, roughly 45 minutes after sunset tonight, take a look toward the west-southwest part of the sky for a beautiful celestial tableau formed by the slender sliver of a crescent moon,…
Read MoreEarth’s Atmospheric Glow and Star Trails
The beauty of our home planet is shown in this long exposure photograph, taken from the International Space Station.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, June 11 – 19
The crescent Moon passes Venus, Pollux, Castor, and Mars in the evening twilight. The Big Dipper hangs down; the Little Dipper floats up. And greet the “Betelgeuse of summer.” The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 11 – 19 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreNot All Star-forming Clouds Are The Same
Astronomers have created the first high-resolution maps of the big, dense gas clouds that form stars within galaxies. The post Not All Star-forming Clouds Are The Same appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreSolar eclipse from space! See satellite view of moon casting its shadow on Earth (video)
A satellite captured the moon casting its shadow on Earth during the annular solar eclipse early Thursday (June 10) morning. Just as the sun began to rise onThursday morning, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere were treated to a spectacular sight: an annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on our planet and temporarily blocking the sun from our view. However, during an annular solar eclipse, the moon is too far…
Read MoreChina rolls rocket to pad ahead of crew launch to Tianhe space station
China is getting ready to send three astronauts to its new space station core module, although we don’t yet know when the launch will happen and who exactly will go. The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, riding atop a Long March 2F rocket, was rolled out to the pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday (June 9), according to Chinese space officials and state media. The Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, are in quarantine to prepare for their mission, reports added. “The spacecraft and rockets are in good condition, and the launch site…
Read MoreScientists 3D-print human liver tissue in a lab, win top prizes in NASA challenge
Scientists have successfully grown liver tissue capable of functioning for 30 days in the lab as part of NASA’s Vascular Tissue Challenge. In 2016, NASA put forth this competition to find teams that could “create thick, vascularized human organ tissue in an in-vitro environment to advance research and benefit medicine on long-duration missions and on Earth,” according to an agency challenge description. Today (June 9), the agency announced not one, but two winners of the challenge. The two teams, both made up of scientists from the Wake Forest Institute for…
Read MoreChasing the Sun at 39,000 Feet
Sky & Telescope’s annular eclipse flight chased down the “ring of fire” eclipse in the skies above Canada for breathtaking views. The post Chasing the Sun at 39,000 Feet appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
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