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Two-in-one inhalers slash asthma attacks among young children
Lab-Grown Organoids Could Transform Female Reproductive Medicine
Artificial tissues that mimic the placenta, endometrium, ovary and vagina could point to treatments for common conditions such as preeclampsia and endometriosis
An Impact Between Equals Could Solve The "Mercury Problem"
Mercury's large metallic core is 70% of its mass, which is way more than the other rocky planets. Scientists have wondered if a collision with a much larger body stripped away much of its mantle and crust, and Mercury is only the remnant core of a once much larger planet. New simulations show that's not quite what happened.
This Rapidly-Growing Black Hole Could Explain The JWST's Puzzling Findings
NASA's Chandra X-ray space telescope has found a black hole that's growing at an extremely rapid pace. The telescope is seeing the black hole, which has about one billion solar masses, when the Universe was less than one billion years old. Studying its rapid accretion could explain how some black holes become so massive so soon after the Big Bang.
Defining Life With Constants From Physics
What is the meaning of life? Even the best of us couldn’t hope to answer that question in a universe today article. But there are those who would try to “constrain” it, at least in terms of physics. A new paper from Pankaj Mehta of Boston University of Jané Kondev of Brandeis that was recently pre-published on arXiv looks at how the fundamental constants of physics might be applied to life as we know it - and even life as we don’t know it yet. Their idea doesn't necessarily give the answer to the ultimate question, but it does tie two seemingly disparate fields nicely together.
Finding Exomoons Using Their Host Planet's Wobble
Exoplanets aren’t the only objects floating around other stars - they likely have comets and asteroids as well. Even some of the exoplanets themselves will have “exomoons”, at least according to our current understanding of the physics of planetary formation. However, we have yet to find any of these other objects conclusively, though there has been some hint at the presence of exomoons in the last ten years. A new paper from astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), recently pre-published on arXiv, suggests a way in which we might be able to finally detect the presence of an exomoon - using a technique that is also commonly used to find exoplanets themselves.
The Search for Australia's Hidden Impact Crater
A team of scientists in south Australia have discovered tiny pieces of glass that tell the story of a catastrophic event that happened 11 million years ago, an asteroid impact so massive it should have left a crater the size of a major city, yet mysteriously, no one has found it. This discovery represents only the sixth known tektite field ever identified on Earth. The glassy fragments, scattered across the landscape are forcing scientists to reconsider what they know about ancient asteroid impacts and the geological features they leave behind.
Hurricane Humberto and Potential Tropical Storm Imelda Complicate Forecasts
Hurricane Humberto and a system that may become Tropical Storm Imelda in the coming days are swirling quite close to each other in the western Atlantic Ocean
From City Lights to Moonlight: NASA Training Shows How Urban Parks Can Connect Communities with Space Science
4 min read
From City Lights to Moonlight: NASA Training Shows How Urban Parks Can Connect Communities with Space ScienceWhen you think about national park and public land astronomy programs, you might picture remote locations far from city lights. But a recent NASA Earth to Sky training, funded by NASA’s Science Activation Program, challenges that assumption, demonstrating how urban parks, wildlife refuges, museums, and green spaces can be incredible venues for connecting communities with space science. Programs facilitated in urban spaces can reach people where they already live, work, and recreate. This creates opportunities for ongoing engagement as urban astronomy program participants can discover that the skies above their neighborhoods hold the same wonders as remote locations.
During the first week of August in 2025, NASA Earth to Sky collaborated with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deliver an innovative astronomy training program called “Rivers of Stars and Stories: Interpreting the Northern Night Sky” at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Minneapolis-St. Paul. This three-day course brought together 28 park ranger interpreters, environmental educators, and outdoor communicators from across the Twin Cities area. Presentations and discussions centered around engaging urban audiences with the wonders of space science by leveraging the benefits of metropolitan spaces and the unique opportunities that city skies provide.
Throughout this immersive training, participants explored everything from lunar observations and aurora science to NASA’s Artemis Program and astrobiology. The training empowered participants by affirming that everyone is an effective stargazer and night sky storyteller, transforming beginners into confident astronomy communicators. One participant captured their experience by noting they went from “not knowing much of anything to having a much better grasp on basic concepts and most importantly, where to find more resources!” In addition to sharing resources, this training also launched a community of practice where communicators can continue to collaborate. Participants engaged in discussions on how to respectfully incorporate the local indigenous perspectives into astronomy programming and honor the traditional stewards of the land while avoiding appropriation or misrepresentation of indigenous science.
The course also created a lasting community connection to NASA through presentations by NASA experts and demonstrations of NASA activity toolkits. As one participant noted in the evaluation, “This is just the start of a long learning journey, but I know now where to look and how to find answers.” Toolkits and resources shared included GLOBE (Global Learning & Observation to Benefit the Environment) Observer’s NUBE (cloud) game, Our Dynamic Sun by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) and the Night Sky Network, the Aurorasaurus Citizen Science project, and the local Solar System Ambassador Network.
Participants’ sense of belonging to the Earth to Sky community increased dramatically. These outcomes support NASA’s strategic goal of building sustained public engagement with Earth and space science. The overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 100% of participants expressing interest in taking more courses like this, demonstrates the tremendous value it is for Earth to Sky to collaborate with the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service, as all agencies’ public communication goals are addressed.
This kind of collaborative work is crucial because it builds a network of science communicators who can reach thousands of visitors across Minneapolis-St. Paul’s parks, nature centers, and outdoor spaces. By training local informal educators to confidently share NASA’s discoveries and missions, the program expands access to space science for urban audiences throughout the Twin Cities region.
The Earth to Sky team will continue fostering these valuable partnerships with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as other state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations. Learn more about Earth to Sky’s work with park interpreters and nonformal educators to share NASA space science by visiting: https://science.nasa.gov/sciact-team/earth-to-sky/
Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
Participants of the “Rivers of Stars and Stories: Interpreting the Northern Night Sky” training model moon phases outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Education Center. NASA Earth to Sky Share Details Last Updated Sep 26, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the Nation
Article
4 hours ago 2 min read NASA & STEM Learning Ecosystems: Opportunities & Benefits for Everyone
Article
1 day ago 3 min read Educators Incorporate Locally-Relevant NASA Earth Data to Build Data Literacy in the Classroom
Article
1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…
Perseverance RoverThis rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial…
Parker Solar ProbeOn a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…
JunoNASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…
From City Lights to Moonlight: NASA Training Shows How Urban Parks Can Connect Communities with Space Science
4 min read
From City Lights to Moonlight: NASA Training Shows How Urban Parks Can Connect Communities with Space ScienceWhen you think about national park and public land astronomy programs, you might picture remote locations far from city lights. But a recent NASA Earth to Sky training, funded by NASA’s Science Activation Program, challenges that assumption, demonstrating how urban parks, wildlife refuges, museums, and green spaces can be incredible venues for connecting communities with space science. Programs facilitated in urban spaces can reach people where they already live, work, and recreate. This creates opportunities for ongoing engagement as urban astronomy program participants can discover that the skies above their neighborhoods hold the same wonders as remote locations.
During the first week of August in 2025, NASA Earth to Sky collaborated with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deliver an innovative astronomy training program called “Rivers of Stars and Stories: Interpreting the Northern Night Sky” at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Minneapolis-St. Paul. This three-day course brought together 28 park ranger interpreters, environmental educators, and outdoor communicators from across the Twin Cities area. Presentations and discussions centered around engaging urban audiences with the wonders of space science by leveraging the benefits of metropolitan spaces and the unique opportunities that city skies provide.
Throughout this immersive training, participants explored everything from lunar observations and aurora science to NASA’s Artemis Program and astrobiology. The training empowered participants by affirming that everyone is an effective stargazer and night sky storyteller, transforming beginners into confident astronomy communicators. One participant captured their experience by noting they went from “not knowing much of anything to having a much better grasp on basic concepts and most importantly, where to find more resources!” In addition to sharing resources, this training also launched a community of practice where communicators can continue to collaborate. Participants engaged in discussions on how to respectfully incorporate the local indigenous perspectives into astronomy programming and honor the traditional stewards of the land while avoiding appropriation or misrepresentation of indigenous science.
The course also created a lasting community connection to NASA through presentations by NASA experts and demonstrations of NASA activity toolkits. As one participant noted in the evaluation, “This is just the start of a long learning journey, but I know now where to look and how to find answers.” Toolkits and resources shared included GLOBE (Global Learning & Observation to Benefit the Environment) Observer’s NUBE (cloud) game, Our Dynamic Sun by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) and the Night Sky Network, the Aurorasaurus Citizen Science project, and the local Solar System Ambassador Network.
Participants’ sense of belonging to the Earth to Sky community increased dramatically. These outcomes support NASA’s strategic goal of building sustained public engagement with Earth and space science. The overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 100% of participants expressing interest in taking more courses like this, demonstrates the tremendous value it is for Earth to Sky to collaborate with the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service, as all agencies’ public communication goals are addressed.
This kind of collaborative work is crucial because it builds a network of science communicators who can reach thousands of visitors across Minneapolis-St. Paul’s parks, nature centers, and outdoor spaces. By training local informal educators to confidently share NASA’s discoveries and missions, the program expands access to space science for urban audiences throughout the Twin Cities region.
The Earth to Sky team will continue fostering these valuable partnerships with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as other state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations. Learn more about Earth to Sky’s work with park interpreters and nonformal educators to share NASA space science by visiting: https://science.nasa.gov/sciact-team/earth-to-sky/
Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
Participants of the “Rivers of Stars and Stories: Interpreting the Northern Night Sky” training model moon phases outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Education Center. NASA Earth to Sky Share Details Last Updated Sep 26, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the NationArticle
4 hours ago 2 min read NASA & STEM Learning Ecosystems: Opportunities & Benefits for Everyone
Article
1 day ago 3 min read Educators Incorporate Locally-Relevant NASA Earth Data to Build Data Literacy in the Classroom
Article
1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…
Perseverance RoverThis rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial…
Parker Solar ProbeOn a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…
JunoNASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…
Water Worlds Might Be Few and Far Between
Primordial chemistry might destroy most of the water on sub-Neptunes; if so, there could be far fewer “water worlds” than previously thought.
The post Water Worlds Might Be Few and Far Between appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
NASA Awards Custodial, Landscaping Services Contract
NASA has selected Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc. of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to provide custodial, janitorial, landscaping, and recycling services for the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Facilities Custodial and Landscaping award is a firm-fixed-price hybrid completion and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The contract includes one 12-month base period and up to four 12-month options with a potential contract value of approximately $36 million if all options are exercised. The basic period of performance begins Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, and ends Sept. 30, 2026. The four option periods, if exercised, would extend the contract through Sept. 30, 2030.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
-end-
Robert Garner
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-5687
rob.garner@nasa.gov
NASA Awards Custodial, Landscaping Services Contract
NASA has selected Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc. of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to provide custodial, janitorial, landscaping, and recycling services for the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Facilities Custodial and Landscaping award is a firm-fixed-price hybrid completion and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The contract includes one 12-month base period and up to four 12-month options with a potential contract value of approximately $36 million if all options are exercised. The basic period of performance begins Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, and ends Sept. 30, 2026. The four option periods, if exercised, would extend the contract through Sept. 30, 2030.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
-end-
Robert Garner
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-5687
rob.garner@nasa.gov
NIH Funds New Autism Studies on Genes and Environment as Trump Focuses on Tylenol
The National Institutes of Health is investing $50 million into research on genetic and environmental factors underlying autism—news that was eclipsed by President Donald Trump’s recent controversial claims about acetaminophen
Lung inflammation may make traumatic events harder to forget
Lung inflammation may make traumatic events harder to forget
NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the Nation
3 min read
NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the NationThe NASA Community College Network (NCCN) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS) have teamed up to provide an exciting and impactful program that brings top astronomy researchers into the classrooms of community colleges around the United States.
The Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program, named for astronomer Harlow Shapley (1885-1972), has a history dating back to the 1950s, when it provided support for a scientist to give a series of astronomy-themed lectures at a college or university, coupled with a public talk to the local community. In 2024, AAS partnered with NCCN to broaden the impact of the Shapley lectureship program to community colleges, making use of NCCN’s existing network of 260 college instructors across 44 states and 120 participating Subject Matter Experts (SME) to “matchmake” community colleges with astronomers.
NCCN has supported the teaching of astronomy at community college since 2020. Community colleges serve a vital role in STEM education, with one-third of their students being first-generation college attendees and 64% being part-time students working jobs and raising families. Factor in that up to 40% of students taking introductory astronomy courses nationally each year do so at a community college, and the motivation behind NCCN and the initiatives of the AAS become clear.
In 2024, the pilot collaboration between NCCN and the AAS matched two community colleges — Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee and Modesto Junior College in California — with SMEs from University of Virginia and Stanford University. In 2025, nine NCCN subject matter experts are engaging with 14 community colleges in six states. They are:
Joe Masiero (Caltech) at Grossmont Community College CA
Vivian U (Caltech) at Scottsdale & Chandler Gilbert Community Colleges AZ
Dave Leisawitz (NASA) & Michael Foley (Harvard) at Elgin Community College IL
Michael Rutkowski (MN State) at Dallas Area Colleges (five colleges) TX
Joe Masiero (Caltech) at Mt. San Jacinto College, Menifee Campus CA
Quyen Hart (STScI) at Casper College WY
Nathan McGregor (UCSC) at Yakima Valley College WA
Patrick Miller (Hardin-Simmons) at Evergreen Valley College CA
Kim Arcand (Harvard-Smithsonian) at Anne Arundel Community College MD
Natasha Batalha (NASA) at Modesto Junior College CA
Each visit of an AAS Shapley Lecturer is unique. The center of each event is the public Shapley Lecture, which is broadly advertised to the local community. Beyond the Shapley Lecture itself, host institutions organize a variety of local engagement activities – ranging from star parties and classroom visits to meeting with college deans and faculty – to make the most of their time with the Shapley Lecturer.
Astronomy instructor James Espinosa from Weatherford College said, “[The visiting Shapley Lecturer’s] visit made a permanent change in how my classes will be taught, in the sense that ‘honors’ projects will be available for ambitious students. I intend to keep in touch with him for several years to come, which is a big impact for our present and future students.”
Dr. Tom Rice, AAS Education Program Manager and AAS lead on the partnership with NCCN, stated, “The AAS’s Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program represents one of the most impactful ways that astronomers can share our scientific understanding with the widest possible audience, and I am very proud that we have partnered with the SETI Institute and NASA to bring astronomers to their network of community colleges.”
NCCN is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC21M0009 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
Shapley Lecturers in action. Share Details Last Updated Sep 26, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Explore More 2 min read Hubble Captures Puzzling Galaxy
Article
7 hours ago 2 min read NASA & STEM Learning Ecosystems: Opportunities & Benefits for Everyone
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1 day ago 1 min read Help Map the Moon’s Molten Flows!
Article
2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…
Perseverance RoverThis rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial…
Parker Solar ProbeOn a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…
JunoNASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…
NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the Nation
3 min read
NASA Helps Connect Astronomers and Community Colleges Across the NationThe NASA Community College Network (NCCN) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS) have teamed up to provide an exciting and impactful program that brings top astronomy researchers into the classrooms of community colleges around the United States.
The Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program, named for astronomer Harlow Shapley (1885-1972), has a history dating back to the 1950s, when it provided support for a scientist to give a series of astronomy-themed lectures at a college or university, coupled with a public talk to the local community. In 2024, AAS partnered with NCCN to broaden the impact of the Shapley lectureship program to community colleges, making use of NCCN’s existing network of 260 college instructors across 44 states and 120 participating Subject Matter Experts (SME) to “matchmake” community colleges with astronomers.
NCCN has supported the teaching of astronomy at community college since 2020. Community colleges serve a vital role in STEM education, with one-third of their students being first-generation college attendees and 64% being part-time students working jobs and raising families. Factor in that up to 40% of students taking introductory astronomy courses nationally each year do so at a community college, and the motivation behind NCCN and the initiatives of the AAS become clear.
In 2024, the pilot collaboration between NCCN and the AAS matched two community colleges — Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee and Modesto Junior College in California — with SMEs from University of Virginia and Stanford University. In 2025, nine NCCN subject matter experts are engaging with 14 community colleges in six states. They are:
Joe Masiero (Caltech) at Grossmont Community College CA
Vivian U (Caltech) at Scottsdale & Chandler Gilbert Community Colleges AZ
Dave Leisawitz (NASA) & Michael Foley (Harvard) at Elgin Community College IL
Michael Rutkowski (MN State) at Dallas Area Colleges (five colleges) TX
Joe Masiero (Caltech) at Mt. San Jacinto College, Menifee Campus CA
Quyen Hart (STScI) at Casper College WY
Nathan McGregor (UCSC) at Yakima Valley College WA
Patrick Miller (Hardin-Simmons) at Evergreen Valley College CA
Kim Arcand (Harvard-Smithsonian) at Anne Arundel Community College MD
Natasha Batalha (NASA) at Modesto Junior College CA
Each visit of an AAS Shapley Lecturer is unique. The center of each event is the public Shapley Lecture, which is broadly advertised to the local community. Beyond the Shapley Lecture itself, host institutions organize a variety of local engagement activities – ranging from star parties and classroom visits to meeting with college deans and faculty – to make the most of their time with the Shapley Lecturer.
Astronomy instructor James Espinosa from Weatherford College said, “[The visiting Shapley Lecturer’s] visit made a permanent change in how my classes will be taught, in the sense that ‘honors’ projects will be available for ambitious students. I intend to keep in touch with him for several years to come, which is a big impact for our present and future students.”
Dr. Tom Rice, AAS Education Program Manager and AAS lead on the partnership with NCCN, stated, “The AAS’s Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program represents one of the most impactful ways that astronomers can share our scientific understanding with the widest possible audience, and I am very proud that we have partnered with the SETI Institute and NASA to bring astronomers to their network of community colleges.”
NCCN is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC21M0009 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
Shapley Lecturers in action. Share Details Last Updated Sep 26, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Explore More 2 min read Hubble Captures Puzzling GalaxyArticle
7 hours ago 2 min read NASA & STEM Learning Ecosystems: Opportunities & Benefits for Everyone
Article
1 day ago 1 min read Help Map the Moon’s Molten Flows!
Article
2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…
Perseverance RoverThis rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial…
Parker Solar ProbeOn a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…
JunoNASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…