Since our ancient human relatives began using stone tools to perform tasks, humans have harnessed scientific knowledge and new technologies to expand the boundaries of our understanding of the natural world. From quantum computing and microplastics to artificial intelligence and memory, explore these topics and more with our concise yet informative overviews and expert-curated resources.
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Following World War II, scientists began studying the sun’s influence on radio waves, the most popular form of mass communication at the time. NASA missions to study the sun's interior and surface have since helped protect digital infrastructure.
Launched in 1998, its original solar panels were designed to withstand no more than 20 years of wear from temperature swings and micrometeoroid impacts in space. Replacement panels that roll out like carpets have since been installed.
The levelized cost of energy is a metric accounting for the total cost of building and maintaining a plant divided by the average power produced during its lifetime. This graph compares the costs of gas, solar, and more.
The state you live in and the month of the year drastically change how much solar energy you can expect to capture to power your home. These National Renewable Energy Laboratory maps show where you can generate solar resources year-round.
The Solar Energy Industries Association provides charts summarizing the state of solar energy in the US, including cumulative solar installations, solar jobs, photovoltaic pricing and deployment, and inflation and supply chain constraints within the market.
The structures consist of a pair of cylinders with a total enclosed land area of 500 square miles and can house several million people. Each is approximately 20 miles long, 4 miles in diameter, and contains three mirrors that open and close to form a day-night cycle inside.
Though "astronaut" has been used to describe any crew member in space, civilian explorers who lack formal training have instead been dubbed "space travelers" by some. The term "astronaut" may one day fall out of use or be modified by ongoing media and social perceptions as the space tourism industry continues to evolve.
As part of the Polaris Program, this first mission included a crew comprised of astronauts and SpaceX engineers who conducted scientific experiments and cultural outreach, such as raising funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
The retirement of the International Space Station in 2030 has led NASA to refocus its efforts on continuing microgravity research through private partnerships, including the support of multiple commercial space stations' design and development.
A collection of 44 studies, primarily based on data from a 2021 tourist trip to low-Earth orbit, identified immune system disruption and some kidney damage in tourists, with women appearing to recover from space travel faster than men. Return trips from Mars may require human travelers to be on dialysis.