Day: May 13, 2025

Modern-day alchemy! Scientists turn lead into gold at the Large Hadron Collider

NeRD

For centuries, alchemists dreamed of turning lead into gold — not through magic, but by unlocking the hidden potential within metals themselves. While their methods never panned out, those of modern science finally have. Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) — the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator — have observed a real-life transmutation of lead into gold. But this transformation didn’t come from direct collisions, as was previously observed. Instead, it emerged through a new mechanism involving near-miss interactions between atomic nuclei. The LHC was built to accelerate…

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Aubrie Henspeter: Leading Commercial Lunar Missions 

NeRD

As NASA partners with American industry to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon, a dedicated team behind the scenes ensures every mission is grounded in strategy, compliance, and innovation. Leading that effort is Aubrie Henspeter, who advises all aspects of procurement for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative—one of the cornerstone projects supporting the Artemis campaign.  Official portrait of Aubrie Henspeter. NASA/Bill Stafford With 20 years at NASA, Henspeter brings multifaceted experience to her role as CLPS procurement team lead in the Lunar & Planetary Exploration Procurement…

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May’s full Flower Moon delights skywatchers worldwide with stunning lunar display (photos)

NeRD

May’s full ‘Flower Moon’ bloomed brightly on May 12, dazzling stargazers with a spectacular display of reflected luminance. Named for the colorful wildflowers that bloom across North America and Europe this time of year, the May full moon is also known as the Milk Moon, Hare’s Moon, or Corn Moon over the centuries, according to NASA. Regardless of what you call it, a full moon is catnip to the astrophotography community — and his one was no exception. Photographers around the world turned out in force to capture stunning compositions…

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Trump’s 2026 budget plan would cancel NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission. Experts say that’s a ‘major step back’

NeRD

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has been on the prowl within Jezero Crater following its touchdown in February 2021. That car-sized robot has been devotedly picking up select specimens from across the area, gingerly deploying those sealed pick-me-ups on the Red Planet’s surface, as well as stuffing them inside itself. Those collectibles may well hold signs of past life on that enigmatic, dusty and foreboding world. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have for years been intently plotting out plans to send future spacecraft to Mars and haul those Perseverance-plucked…

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