Tag: Space Books

James Webb Space Telescope takes center stage in ‘Infinite Cosmos’. Author Ethan Siegel explains it all (exclusive)

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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been an astonishing piece of technology for the advancement of humankind’s understanding of the universe, and the source of awe-inspiring images of black holes, galaxies, and nebulae it’s returned to scientists and astronomers since it was deployed into a solar orbit back in 2022. “Infinite Cosmos: Visions From the James Webb Space Telescope” is a 224-page hardback published Oct. 8, 2024 from National Geographic that breaks down the history of this remarkable $10 billion observatory platform from conception to deployment, and reveals the…

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Best Alien comic books of all time

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Alien: Romulus is the shot in the arm the Alien movie franchise desperately needed, and FX’s Alien: Earth, its first-ever TV show, could keep the momentum going next year. If you’re dying to learn more about the Xenomorphs and experience wildly different tales of horror, we’ve put together our list of the best Alien comic books of all time. For decades, it was Dark Horse Comics who had the rights to both Alien and Predator in the realm of comic books, putting out several series and one-shots that were well…

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Take a deep dive into UFO history in ‘After the Flying Saucers Came’ by Greg Eghigian (exclusive)

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Providing an academic lens through which to view the huge interest and hysteria surrounding unidentified flying objects since pilot Kenneth A. Arnold witnessed what he called “flying disks or saucers” while cruising past Mt. Rainier on June 24,1947, a new book titled “After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon” has just been released from Oxford University Press. Author Greg Eghigian is a professor of history and bioethics at Penn State University who spent nearly a decade delving into the subject of UFOs for this project,…

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ULA chronicles the rise of Vulcan rocket in new employee-drawn comic book

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Vulcan, United Launch Alliance‘s (ULA) new heavy-lift rocket, was not the result of having to flee an exploding planet, being exposed to gamma rays or even surviving the bite of a radioactive spider, but it does have an origin story compelling enough to warrant it having its own comic book. Or so struck Cory Wood, ULA’s senior graphic designer, who led the creation of “Ignition! The Origin Story of the Vulcan Centaur Rocket,” the first (and perhaps only) issue of the aerospace company’s new celebratory graphic novel. Related: ULA’s 1st…

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How can we restore public trust in science? (op-ed)

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In an age of diminishing trust in science, scientists need to change how they work with the public and within the broader scientific community. The vast majority of fundamental scientific research — the kind of science that pushes ever deeper into unknown regions and expands humanity’s knowledge — is funded by government organizations. In the United States, that typically takes the form of federal agencies like NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy. Scientists compete for grant funding to support the hiring…

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Astronaut Callie Rodriguez helps deploy a lunar telescope in NASA’s new online graphic novel

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NASA aims to inspire future space explorers in fresh and innovative ways.  Case in point: Fictional astronaut Callie Rodriguez advances her outer space exploration mission as the first woman to step onto the moon in a brand-new issue of NASA’s “First Woman” digital graphic novel series, “First Woman: Expanding our Universe.” In this second installment, available now at the “First Woman” website, readers will discover how Callie and her fellow astronauts work together as a unit to overcome various obstacles while trying to install a next-generation telescope on the far…

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Patrick Stewart remembers storming off the ‘Star Trek: TNG’ set in new memoir, ‘Making It So’

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Patrick Stewart has enjoyed an enviable career in show business spanning 60 years. At the age of 83, the acclaimed actor has finally paused to pen a comprehensive portrait of his astounding stage and screen life, a new autobiography called “Making It So: A Memoir.” Released on Oct. 3, 2023 by Gallery Books, this addictive 480-page volume chronicles everything from the distinguished performer’s early days growing up in Yorkshire, England, to his formative time with the Royal Shakespeare Company, to his trek to Tinseltown in the 1980s, where he eventually…

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Celebrate Life Day with Marvel Comics’ batch of special ‘Star Wars’ variant covers

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Wookiee Life Day in the “Star Wars” universe is a family-based festivity that began as a holiday featured on Chewbacca’s forest homeworld of Kashyyyk. Life Day was first introduced in the abysmal “Star Wars Holiday Special” television show that aired on Nov. 17, 1978 and has been relentlessly mocked across our entire galaxy ever since it aired.  Since then, Life Day has gathered a bit of steam in the real world despite its inauspicious beginnings on that cheesy program that those of us of a certain aged were cruelly subjected…

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New ‘Star Trek: Holo-Ween’ comic miniseries ushers in the spooky season (images)

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“Star Trek” might not be the first pop culture franchise you think about once the autumn leaves start turning and Halloween approaches. That might change, however, after you see the spectacularly eerie new covers for IDW Publishing‘s bold new holiday comics offering, “Star Trek: Holo-Ween.” Written by seasoned writer Chris Sequeira (“Justice League Adventures,” “Sherlock Holmes: Dark Detective”) and featuring haunting interior artwork from Eisner-nominated illustrator Joe Eisma (“Morning Glories,” “Engineward”), the intrepid crew of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” encounters a frightening force emanating from the holodeck in this…

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‘We need to get to Mars before I die.’ Read exclusive excerpt from ‘Elon Musk’ by biographer Walter Isaacson

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Love him or hate him, it can’t be denied Elon Musk is one of the most influential figures of our time. The founder and CEO of SpaceX not only leads the most revolutionary and active spaceflight company on the planet, but also heads the electric car company Tesla and social media giant X (formerly known as Twitter), to name just a few of Musk‘s many endeavors. Biographer and journalist Walter Isaacson spent two years with Musk in order to write “Elon Musk,” a new, best-selling biography that explores what makes…

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