Author: NeRD

‘Ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever:’ 3 Climate records broken in 2024

NeRD

The year 2024 has been another challenging one for Earth’s climate, marked by record temperatures, extreme weather events, and urgent warnings from scientists about the accelerating pace of global warming. An analysis by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the European Union agency that tracks global warming, suggests this year will be the hottest since instrument record keeping began more than a century ago — beating climate records set just last year. 2024 will also be the first calendar year in which the global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius…

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Ireland’s lost Apollo 11 moon rock traced from basement to fire in documents

NeRD

New details about the small pieces of the moon gifted by the United States to Ireland in 1970 have now been unearthed. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Apollo 11 lunar samples, themselves. The four moon pebbles, which were embedded in a single lucite ball and mounted to a wooden podium together with a small flag of Ireland that was flown on NASA’s first lunar landing, was one of 135 such goodwill presentations that the U.S. made to foreign countries following the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Additional…

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Assessment of PFO as Related to DCS in the Spaceflight Environment and During Ground Testing

NeRD

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) In-person participants L-R standing: Dave Francisco, Joanne Kaouk, Dr. Richard Moon, Dr. Tony Alleman, Dr. Sean Hardy, Sarah Childress, Kristin Coffey, Dr. Ed Powers, Dr. Doug Ebersole, Dr. Steven Laurie, Dr. Doug Ebert; L-R seated: Dr. Alejandro Garbino, Dr. Robert Sanders, Dr. Kristi Ray, Dr. Mike Gernhardt, Dr. Joseph Dervay, Dr. Matt Makowski). Not pictured: Dr. Caroline Fife In June 2024, the NASA Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO) Standards Team hosted an independent assessment working…

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NASA’s Orion crew capsule had heat shield issues during Artemis 1 − an aerospace expert weighs in (op-ed)

NeRD

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Marcos Fernandexz Tous is a professor of aerospace technology at the University of North Dakota. Off the coast of Baja California in December 2022, sun sparkled over the rippling sea as waves sloshed around the USS Portland dock ship. Navy officials on the deck scrutinized the sky in search of a sign. The glow appeared suddenly. A tiny spot at first, it gradually grew to a round circle falling at…

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Sols 4402-4415: Rover Decks and Sequence Calls for the Holidays

NeRD

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 2 min read Sols 4402-4415: Rover Decks and Sequence Calls for…

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Sci-fi movies and TV shows to be excited for in 2025

NeRD

Okay, every year is a big year for sci-fi these days, but 2025 is looking particularly exciting. Outer space is set to be a major theme in Hollywood this year, whether you’re watching in the cinema or at home on your personal viewscreen (sorry, TV). Most of the major franchises will be represented, with “Andor”‘s second season taking us back to the grittier corners of that galaxy far, far away, and “Strange New Worlds” season 3 and TV movie “Section 31” representing “Star Trek”‘s final frontier. In the world of…

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Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. review

NeRD

Key specs Type: Prime lens Focal length: 200mm (400mm equivalent) Maximum aperture: f/2.8 Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds Weight: 43.92 oz / 1245 g Dimensions: 6.85×3.44 in / 174×87.5 mm Filter thread: 77mm Release date: November 2017 One of the undeniable advantages of Micro Four Thirds (MFT) systems is the range of compact, lightweight lenses that are available. Sure, the cameras can be as hefty as full-frame, but the lenses significantly reduce the overall size and weight of your kit. The Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. is…

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Get ready for the ‘New Year Comet’: What to expect from Comet ATLAS (C/2024) G3

NeRD

In the second week of 2025, we could see a new object grace the skies as comet ATLAS (C/2024) G3 gets close to the sun. In the wake of comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) in October, comet G3 is due to reach perihelion — its closest to the sun — on Jan. 13, 2025. That day, this icy visitor to the inner solar system will get to within just 8.3 million miles (13.5 million kilometers) from the sun. For context, Mercury orbits the sun from as close as 29 million miles…

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What’s Up: January 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA

NeRD

Skywatching Skywatching Home What’s Up Eclipses Explore the Night Sky Night Sky Network More Tips and Guides FAQ Download the Video Four Planets in One View! Each evening this month, enjoy a sweeping view of four bright planets at once. Also look for a close approach of Venus and Saturn, Mars occulted by the Moon, and meteors! Skywatching Highlights January 3 – Quadrantid meteor shower peaks: This is a moderate shower, usually delivering 20 to 30 meteors per hour under clear, dark skies at its peak. No interference from the…

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