Astronomy

The quest to bring samples back to Earth from Mars has been met with controversy in some quarters as the threat that ecologically-hungry Martian microbes might pose to our biosphere continues to be a topic of concern.

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Brain size in one Massachusetts community has steadily increased since the 1930s, possibly explaining why dementia is trending lower nationwide

Teams of staff usually return e-scooters to where they will be needed, but adapted scooters that can balance and stop themselves, and be controlled remotely, are a step towards autonomous ones that can take themselves wherever they have to go

Teams of staff usually return e-scooters to where they will be needed, but adapted scooters that can balance and stop themselves, and be controlled remotely, are a step towards autonomous ones that can take themselves wherever they have to go

Plants are just trying to reproduce; immune systems are just trying to keep us safe

ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher (left) and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen.

Perspective and subtle motion allows us to peek over the moon’s edge and into its far side

The annual Lyrid meteor shower peaks overnight on April 21-22, but unfortunately a bright moon will make it difficult to spot any 'shooting stars' this year.

Set in an English manor in 1890, Botany Manor is a video game that places you in the shoes of a botanist working on a herbarium of forgotten flora

Set in an English manor in 1890, Botany Manor is a video game that places you in the shoes of a botanist working on a herbarium of forgotten flora

Cows and at least one person in the U.S. have been sickened by avian influenza. We asked experts about the risk to humans.

Springtime Leo walks high in the south, springtime Hydra snakes a quarter of the way around the celestial sphere, and the bright Moon aligns with Spica.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 19 – 28 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Image: Earth from Space: The Mekong Delta

Image: Photo of total solar eclipse

Last year’s marine heatwaves saw an unprecedented decline in the growth of phytoplankton and algae, which many animals in the oceans depend on for food

Last year’s marine heatwaves saw an unprecedented decline in the growth of phytoplankton and algae, which many animals in the oceans depend on for food

Both a special diet that excludes “FODMAP” compounds and a low-carb high-fibre diet were effective

Both a special diet that excludes “FODMAP” compounds and a low-carb high-fibre diet were effective