From roughly 60 miles above the Earth's surface to farther than light has traveled during the entire age of the universe, space has captured human imagination for millennia. Explore the final frontier with the best resources curated from across the internet.
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Much of the film Interstellar is centered on the existence of a wormhole and black hole, which happen to be two of the most perplexing things in the universe. Astrophysicist and StarTalk Radio host Neil deGrasse Tyson explains how wormholes and black holes work in real life in this two-minute video.
As a public agency, NASA's goals aren't just in space, but for life on Earth, too. That's why so many everyday objects including memory foam, cordless tools, and golf balls are rooted in research first developed by space-faring engineers and scientists. Peruse this quirky list of some of those everyday objects destined for space that are also probably somewhere inside your home.
The nebular hypothesis proposes that a swirling cloud of gas and dust coalesced into a dense center, forming a star amid nuclear fusion. Lighter elements were blown far from the star while heavier elements remained nearby, serving as primary materials for terrestrial and jovian planets, respectively.
The solar system is roughly halfway between the galaxy's outer rim and its center, which is located about 25,000 light years away. The Milky Way is itself one of hundreds of thousands of galaxies in the Virgo Supercluster.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket releases its reusable first stage hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface as it travels thousands of mile per hour. The stage often then lands on an autonomous ocean drone in the middle of the sea.
Spacesuits have come a long way since cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's orange jumpsuit used in the world's first entry into space in 1960. The iconic outfit is a crucial feature of all space exploration, ensuring humans are protected during launch, spacewalks, re-entry, and more. From innovations in thermal wear to the incremental changes to space helmets, dive into spacesuit history here.
Over 600 people have been in space since the space race took off decades ago, with roughly 10 in space at any given time, typically operating the world's growing number of space stations. This fun, simple tracker keeps up on who is in space right now and provides links to each space traveler's profile.
If Pluto's downgraded status to a dwarf planet has got you down, consider this: Scientists think there's a chance our solar system could catch a new planet. The first ever observed so-called Interstellar Object was reported in 2017, a reddish, cigar-shaped rock astronomers named Oumuamua. Although it left in 2022, scientists believe an object with the right mass and trajectory might take a seat at the planetary table. Learn how it would work here.
Black holes–the densest, most powerful objects in the universe–exert a tremendous gravitational force. Despite this fact, there is a common misconception that they “suck matter in” like cosmic vacuums. This article debunks that myth and explains how black holes actually operate: gravitating normally like other planets or stars do.
The second coming of humanity to the moon is less about symbolism and more about business. Both China and the US, as well as many private companies, are aiming their lunar landers at regions of the moon expected to hold vital resources like water, rare Earth metals, and more to support spacefaring missions as well as a cosmic supply chain. Here are a few considerations on how to make lunar mining ethical, from protecting workers to conserving lunar dust.