(Credit: wonderYusya/Shutterstock)
Flame retardants are everywhere. They’re embedded in your TV, your couch — even your child’s car seat. For years, a group of flame retardants was added to a host of consumer products in the U.S. before scientists realized their potentially toxic effects. And now, the old class has been mostly swapped out for a new group that may be just as toxic — and even more widespread — as the chemicals they were created to replace
In a n ...read more
An artist's rendering shows an early galaxy surrounded by gas and forming new stars at a tremendous rate. (Credit: James Josephides/Christina Williams/Ivo Labbe)
Our universe’s history began about 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang. When astronomers probe deep into space, they see parts of the universe as they were early in this history. That's because it takes light a long time to travel vast distances. To find out how galaxies formed and evolved over time, astronomers look for t ...read more
California bull kelp. (Credit: Peggy Foreman, NOAA Fisheries)
Every year, a forest of bull kelp springs up from the ocean floor along 200 miles of California coast, fostering a regenerated, thriving ecosystem each time it appears.
But starting in 2013, this kelp forest suffered hits from several disasters. First, a mysterious and lethal disease cropped up among starfish in the area. Then, a massive heat wave stunted kelp growth. In just four years, over 90 percent of this stretch of kelp ...read more
An illustration of Blue Moon, the lunar lander Blue Origin is planning. A larger version of this could be the model for the new Human Landing System. (Credit: Blue Origin)
Some of the biggest names in the aerospace industry are teaming up with Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos to create the Human Landing System (HLS), which will bring humans back to the lunar surface by 2024 as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
The announcement at the International Astronautical congress named ...read more
(Credit: Hector Garrido)
From one end to another, this giant geode is about as long as a small RV. If you wanted, you could comfortably house several adults within its dazzling interior. And the crystalline slabs that jut from its walls may even be taller than you are.
However you slice it, the geode of Pulpí is absolutely gigantic. The interior of the egg-shaped cavity — which measures 25 feet long, 7 feet wide and about 5 feet tall — is encrusted with shimmering cryst ...read more
A rat in its new ride. (Credit: University of Richmond)
Researchers report that they've taught rats to drive cars, knocking human technical superiority down another notch.
It's not quite as amazing as it sounds, of course. The "cars" are simple wheeled platforms controlled by means of electrically conductive bars. And the rats aren't quite navigating the Nurburging Nordschleife yet. But the feat hints at the adaptive skills of these common lab animals, and it could lead to new kinds of te ...read more
(Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Ogle and J. DePasquale (STScI))
The larger the spiral galaxy, the faster it spins. That's a well-known fact for astronomers. But a few years ago, researchers discovered a new class of jumbo-sized spiral galaxies. Astronomers call them "super spirals."
And in a surprise find published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers now say that these super spirals are actually rotating even faster than predicted based on the visible sizes of the galaxies. The fast ...read more
The Dome of the Rock, on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. An ancient road leading to the site was likely built by Pontius Pilate. (Credit: FrancisOD/Shutterstock)
An archaeological excavation begun 125 years ago has wrapped up with a fascinating discovery: A Roman-era street connecting two religious destinations in Jerusalem was likely built by Pontius Pilate.
Researchers were able to date the 720 feet of uncovered road to about A.D. 30, thanks to coins found along the pavement. That lines up w ...read more
A large storm on Saturn, commonly referred to as a Great White Spot. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI)
As serene as it appears in photographs, the gas giant Saturn is not a peaceful place. Its golden gases whiz around the planet at up to 1,000 mph. At times, massive storms thousands of miles wide break out in its upper atmosphere.
In 2018, astronomers spotted a new kind of storm on Saturn. Four large tempests formed one after another, passing by each other and further disturbing the atmosphe ...read more
Since its inception more than four decades ago, Astronomy magazine — the sister magazine of Discover — has offered readers a ticket to travel into the cosmos. Now, we’re taking the next step by launching the Space & Beyond subscription box.
Starting today, you can order subscriptions for yourself and your loved ones on our website, www.spaceandbeyondbox.com.
Each box has a unique theme and is curated by the editors of our magazine to expand your understanding of the c ...read more
