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Deadly fungus makes sick frogs jump far, possibly to find mates
Deadly fungus makes sick frogs jump far, possibly to find mates
ESA Council meeting at Ministerial level 2025 - press conference
Watch the replay of the press conference held at the conclusion of ESA's Ministerial Council 2025 (CM25) in Bremen, Germany. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, as well as the hosting minister and the CM25 chair, present the outcome of this high-level meeting that took place on 26 and 27 November.
ESA Member States commit to largest contributions at Ministerial
The largest contributions in the history of the European Space Agency, €22.1 bn, have been approved at its Council meeting at Ministerial level in Bremen, Germany.
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Arrive at Space Station
NASA astronaut Chris Williams, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, safely arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, expanding the orbiting laboratory’s crew to 10 for the next two weeks.
The trio launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 4:27 a.m. EST (2:27 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour, two-orbit journey, the spacecraft docked at 7:34 a.m. to the space station’s Rassvet module.
Following hatch opening, expected about 10:10 a.m., the new arrivals will be welcomed by the Expedition 73 crew, including NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov.
NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening begins at 9:50 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
During his stay aboard the space station, Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth. He will help install and test a new modular workout system for long-duration missions, support experiments to improve cryogenic fuel efficiency and grow semiconductor crystals in space, as well as assist NASA in designing new re-entry safety protocols to protect crews during future missions.
Expedition 74 is scheduled to begin on Monday, Dec. 8, following the departure of Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky, as they conclude an eight-month science mission aboard the orbital outpost.
Watch the change of command ceremony at 10:25 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, as station leadership transfers from Ryzhikov to Fincke, live on NASA+.
Learn more about International Space Station, crews, research, and operations at:
-end-
Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Arrive at Space Station
NASA astronaut Chris Williams, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, safely arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, expanding the orbiting laboratory’s crew to 10 for the next two weeks.
The trio launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 4:27 a.m. EST (2:27 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour, two-orbit journey, the spacecraft docked at 7:34 a.m. to the space station’s Rassvet module.
Following hatch opening, expected about 10:10 a.m., the new arrivals will be welcomed by the Expedition 73 crew, including NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov.
NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening begins at 9:50 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
During his stay aboard the space station, Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth. He will help install and test a new modular workout system for long-duration missions, support experiments to improve cryogenic fuel efficiency and grow semiconductor crystals in space, as well as assist NASA in designing new re-entry safety protocols to protect crews during future missions.
Expedition 74 is scheduled to begin on Monday, Dec. 8, following the departure of Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky, as they conclude an eight-month science mission aboard the orbital outpost.
Watch the change of command ceremony at 10:25 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, as station leadership transfers from Ryzhikov to Fincke, live on NASA+.
Learn more about International Space Station, crews, research, and operations at:
-end-
Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
Devastating Stellar Storm Seen on Red Dwarf Star
On Earth, Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) like the one we experienced earlier this month are aesthetic, even disruptive events, sending aurora southward and interrupting radio signals. But around other stars, they could prove lethal to life. This point was driven home by a recent CME detection from an M-class red dwarf star. This marks the first detection of an energetic Type II radio burst from a nearby star.
Why Being in the "Right Place" Isn't Enough for Life
A planet’s habitability is determined by a confluence of many factors. So far, our explorations of potentially habitable worlds beyond our solar system have focused exclusively on their position in the “Goldilocks Zone” of their solar system, where their temperature determines whether or not liquid water can exist on their surface, and, more recently, what their atmospheres are composed of. That’s in part due to the technical limitations of the instruments available to us - even the powerful James Webb Space Telescope is capable only of seeing atmospheres of very large planets nearby. But in the coming decades, we’ll get new tools, like the Habitable Worlds Observatory, that are more specifically tailored to search for those potentially habitable worlds. So what should we use them to look for? A new paper available in pre-print on arXiv by Benjamin Farcy of the University of Maryland and his colleagues, argues that we should look to how a planet formed to understand its chances of harboring life.
Cranberry Country, Wisconsin
Known as America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin produces the most cheese of any state and trails only California in the production of milk. Less famously, the state outpaces all others in a key part of many Thanksgiving menus. Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries in the U.S., with its annual hauls accounting for more than half of the country’s total yield.
The wetlands, cool climate, and sandy, acidic soils of central and northern Wisconsin provide the foundation for raising the tart berry successfully. This satellite image shows geometric networks of cranberry beds alongside small lakes near the town of Warrens, the “Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin.” It was acquired with the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 on October 13, 2025, during the autumn harvest season.
When berries are ripe, growers flood fields with up to a foot of water and then use specialized machines to knock fruit off the vines. Because cranberries contain pockets of air, they float to the surface—turning entire fields red—to be corralled and removed. Beds are not all flooded at once; satellite images acquired throughout the fall show different areas appearing red at different times.
Cranberries are native to Wisconsin marshes, and Native Americans have harvested the fruit for centuries. Commercial production in Wisconsin began in the mid-19th century and expanded as technology and cultivation methods improved. Around 1950, harvesting largely shifted from hand rakes to machines. By 1956, Wisconsin was the second-largest cranberry producer in the U.S. after Massachusetts, and in 1994 it took over the top spot. Today, cranberries in Wisconsin are an approximately $1 billion industry that employs nearly 4,000 people.
In mid-November, as Thanksgiving approaches, the brilliant red berries are on their way to be sold in markets or processed for use in sauces, juices, and other products. Meanwhile, the vines turn deep purple and go dormant. Growers prepare the beds for winter by again flooding the fields to cover plants in a protective layer of ice. They also coat the ice in sand, which will become part of the substrate and rejuvenate growth in the spring. With the right care, a cranberry plant can produce fruit for 50 years or more.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann.
References & Resources- Esri StoryMaps Mapping the Thanksgiving Harvest. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2022, November 24) Cranberry Bogs in Plymouth County. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac (2025, October 1) How Cranberries Are Grown, Plus More Fun Facts. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- US Cranberries Cultivation. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin Historical Society Cranberry Farming in Wisconsin – Image Gallery Essay. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (2025) Wisconsin Cranberries. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (2018, May 21) Wisconsin Cranberries: Growing Strong. Accessed November 26, 2025.
JPEG (4.09 MB)
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Cranberry Country, Wisconsin
Known as America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin produces the most cheese of any state and trails only California in the production of milk. Less famously, the state outpaces all others in a key part of many Thanksgiving menus. Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries in the U.S., with its annual hauls accounting for more than half of the country’s total yield.
The wetlands, cool climate, and sandy, acidic soils of central and northern Wisconsin provide the foundation for raising the tart berry successfully. This satellite image shows geometric networks of cranberry beds alongside small lakes near the town of Warrens, the “Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin.” It was acquired with the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 on October 13, 2025, during the autumn harvest season.
When berries are ripe, growers flood fields with up to a foot of water and then use specialized machines to knock fruit off the vines. Because cranberries contain pockets of air, they float to the surface—turning entire fields red—to be corralled and removed. Beds are not all flooded at once; satellite images acquired throughout the fall show different areas appearing red at different times.
Cranberries are native to Wisconsin marshes, and Native Americans have harvested the fruit for centuries. Commercial production in Wisconsin began in the mid-19th century and expanded as technology and cultivation methods improved. Around 1950, harvesting largely shifted from hand rakes to machines. By 1956, Wisconsin was the second-largest cranberry producer in the U.S. after Massachusetts, and in 1994 it took over the top spot. Today, cranberries in Wisconsin are an approximately $1 billion industry that employs nearly 4,000 people.
In mid-November, as Thanksgiving approaches, the brilliant red berries are on their way to be sold in markets or processed for use in sauces, juices, and other products. Meanwhile, the vines turn deep purple and go dormant. Growers prepare the beds for winter by again flooding the fields to cover plants in a protective layer of ice. They also coat the ice in sand, which will become part of the substrate and rejuvenate growth in the spring. With the right care, a cranberry plant can produce fruit for 50 years or more.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann.
References & Resources- Esri StoryMaps Mapping the Thanksgiving Harvest. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2022, November 24) Cranberry Bogs in Plymouth County. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac (2025, October 1) How Cranberries Are Grown, Plus More Fun Facts. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- US Cranberries Cultivation. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin Historical Society Cranberry Farming in Wisconsin – Image Gallery Essay. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (2025) Wisconsin Cranberries. Accessed November 26, 2025.
- Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (2018, May 21) Wisconsin Cranberries: Growing Strong. Accessed November 26, 2025.
JPEG (4.09 MB)
You may also be interested in:
Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.
Flooding Along the Uruguay and Ibicuí Rivers
3 min read
Astronaut photos captured the aftermath of torrential rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state.
ArticleGreenland Ice Sheet Gets a Refresh
3 min read
A moderately intense season of surface melting left part of the ice sheet dirty gray in summer 2025, but snowfall…
ArticleGreenland’s Bejeweled Ice Sheet
2 min read
In early July 2025, around halfway through the island’s annual melting season, blue meltwater ponds dotted the western side of…
Article1
2
3
4
Next
Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters
Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.
Earth Observatory Image of the Day
NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.
Explore Earth Science
Earth Science Data
Astronomers Pinpoint 3I/ATLAS's Path Based on Data from Mars
Since comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object, was discovered on 1 July 2025, astronomers worldwide have worked to predict its trajectory. ESA has now improved the comet’s predicted location by a factor of 10, thanks to the innovative use of observation data from our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft orbiting Mars.
Monthly injection could replace daily steroid pills for severe asthma
Monthly injection could replace daily steroid pills for severe asthma
Hong Kong's Mission to Watch the Moon Get Bombarded
In 2028, Hong Kong will launch its first dedicated lunar orbiter not to study craters or map minerals, but to monitor something far more urgent, the constant barrage of meteoroids slamming into the Moon's surface at thousands of kilometres per hour. As China prepares to build a permanent lunar research station, understanding this relentless bombardment has become a matter of safety for future astronauts living and working on the Moon.
The Strange Physics Beneath Icy Moons
Beneath the frozen shells of Saturn's tiny moons, hidden oceans might occasionally boil, not from heat, but from dropping pressure as ice melts from below. This strange phenomenon could explain the bizarre geology of worlds like Miranda and Mimas, and reshape our understanding of where to search for life in the outer Solar System. A new study reveals how these distant water worlds operate under physics unlike anything on Earth.
What Seven Decades of Hunting for Aliens Tells Us
Seven billion year old meteorites carrying DNA building blocks. Frozen water on Mars. Amino acids floating in interstellar dust clouds. After seventy years of searching, we've found the ingredients for life scattered throughout the universe but have we found life itself? A new review examines every major claim of extraterrestrial life, from ancient space rocks to UFO sightings, revealing what the evidence actually supports and where wishful thinking has filled the gaps.