I can calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people

— Sir Isaac Newton

Astronomy

Using Foldable Structures To Guide Microwaves

Universe Today - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 10:26am

Origami and space exploration might not seem like they have much in common, but the traditional paper-folding technique solves one massive problem for space exploration missions - volume. Satellites and probes that launch in rocket housings are constrained by very restrictive requirements about their physical size, and options for assembling larger structures in orbit are limited to say the least. Anything that can fold up like an origami structure and then expand out to reach a fully functional size is welcome in the space community, and a new paper published in Communications Engineering by Xin Ning of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and his lab describes a novel use case for the idea - electromagnetic waveguides.

Categories: Astronomy

Ariane 6: more boosters, more power

ESO Top News - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 10:00am
Video: 00:01:21

It its most powerful version, Ariane 6 uses four boosters to lift off and rocket towards space.

Designed for versatility, Ariane 6 can adapt to each mission: flying with two boosters for lighter payloads, or four boosters when more power is needed. 

In its four-booster configuration, Ariane 6 can carry larger and heavier spacecraft into orbit, enabling some of Europe’s most ambitious missions — such as Argonaut.

Categories: Astronomy

Decoding China’s New Space Philosophy

Universe Today - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 9:23am

A major theme in communist governments is the idea of central planning. Every five years, the central authorities in communist countries lay out their goals for the country over the course of the next five years, which can range from limiting infant mortality to increasing agricultural yield. China, the largest current polity ruled by communists, recently released its fifteenth five-year plan, which lays out its priorities for 2026-2030. This one, accompanied by a press release of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country’s state-owned giant aerospace corporation, has plenty of ambitious goals for its space sector.

Categories: Astronomy

Infant Galaxy Clusters Grew Faster Than Expected

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 8:00am

Astronomers have discovered three still-growing galaxy clusters in the early universe that point to a faster track of evolution than expected.

The post Infant Galaxy Clusters Grew Faster Than Expected appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Specific cognitive training has 'astonishing' effect on dementia risk

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:52am
A type of cognitive training that tests people's quick recall seems to reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
Categories: Astronomy

Specific cognitive training has 'astonishing' effect on dementia risk

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:52am
A type of cognitive training that tests people's quick recall seems to reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
Categories: Astronomy

Mathematicians discover new ways to make round shapes

Scientific American.com - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:30am

A new proof solves a long-standing problem about the doughnut-shaped torus

Categories: Astronomy

Jeff Goldblum should make a film about this legendary mathematician

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:00am
Paul Erdős was one of the most prolific mathematicians to ever live, known for showing up at the door of others in the field and declaring they should host and feed him while they do maths together. His radical life should be immortalised by Hollywood in a comedy biopic, says columnist Jacob Aron
Categories: Astronomy

Jeff Goldblum should make a film about this legendary mathematician

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:00am
Paul Erdős was one of the most prolific mathematicians to ever live, known for showing up at the door of others in the field and declaring they should host and feed him while they do maths together. His radical life should be immortalised by Hollywood in a comedy biopic, says columnist Jacob Aron
Categories: Astronomy

Yellowstone’s earthquakes spark microbial boom deep underground

Scientific American.com - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 7:00am

Earthquake swarms can supercharge microbial growth

Categories: Astronomy

'Quad God' Ilia Malinin and the science of figure skating's near-impossible jumps

Scientific American.com - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 6:30am

How do figure skaters like Ilia Malinin keep landing harder and harder jumps?

Categories: Astronomy

Physicists can now take control of 'hidden' friction in devices

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 6:00am
One type of friction can waste energy even when two perfectly smooth surfaces move against each other, but researchers are getting a handle on how to attenuate or stop it completely
Categories: Astronomy

Physicists can now take control of 'hidden' friction in devices

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 6:00am
One type of friction can waste energy even when two perfectly smooth surfaces move against each other, but researchers are getting a handle on how to attenuate or stop it completely
Categories: Astronomy

Babies are born with rhythm as NASA’s Artemis II faces delays and solar flares surge

Scientific American.com - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 6:00am

Babies show innate rhythm as NASA’s Artemis II mission hits delays, a major solar flare erupts and concerns grow over PFAS “forever chemicals”

Categories: Astronomy

Ancient seafarers helped shape Arctic ecosystems

Scientific American.com - Mon, 02/09/2026 - 5:00am

Humans might have been sailing the sea between Greenland and Canada as long as it’s been unfrozen, archaeological evidence suggests

Categories: Astronomy

Seafarers were visiting remote Arctic islands over 4000 years ago

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Sun, 02/08/2026 - 7:01pm
The first people to reach the Kitsissut Islands off the north-west coast of Greenland were Indigenous peoples, who crossed over 50 kilometres of treacherous water
Categories: Astronomy

Seafarers were visiting remote Arctic islands over 4000 years ago

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Sun, 02/08/2026 - 7:01pm
The first people to reach the Kitsissut Islands off the north-west coast of Greenland were Indigenous peoples, who crossed over 50 kilometres of treacherous water
Categories: Astronomy

Are there Hidden Dimensions to the Universe? Part 2: The Hierarchy Problem

Universe Today - Sun, 02/08/2026 - 5:36pm

The problem that large extra dimensions just might solve is called the hierarchy problem, and it’s one of the nastiest outstanding problems in modern physics.

Categories: Astronomy

An International Team Uncovers What Powers Auroras

Universe Today - Sun, 02/08/2026 - 2:47pm

A new study co-led by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reveals that plasma waves traveling along Earth’s magnetic field lines act like an invisible power source, fueling the stunning auroral displays we see in the sky.

Categories: Astronomy

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APOD - Sun, 02/08/2026 - 8:00am

What part of Orion is this?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA