Two Chinese Private Space Companies Will Launch into Orbit This Year

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Chinese Space Launch Two Chinese private space companies are on the verge of attempting their first orbital launches, according to the space industry newssite SpaceNews. Companies OneSpace and iSpace aim to successfully complete orbital launches within the first half of 2019. The success of these launches would solidify the progress made by China's growing private space sector. Beijing-based OneSpace plans to launch their 62-foot-tall (19 meters) OS-M rocket as soon as late ...read more

Why Climate Change is Bringing the Polar Vortex South

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

A record-breaking cold wave is sending literal shivers down the spines of millions of Americans. Temperatures across the upper Midwest are forecast to fall an astonishing 50 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) below normal this week – as low as 35 degrees below zero. Pile a gusty wind on top, and the air will feel like -60 F. This cold is nothing to sneeze at. The National Weather Service is warning of brutal, life-threatening conditions. Frostbite will strike fast on any exposed skin ...read more

The Soviets’ Lunar Program in 1969

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Last week, I did the first in a series of interviews about Apollo 11 with CBC's Quirks & Quarks. As a Canadian, this was a big deal for me! I grew up listening to this show every Saturday at 12:06pm with my Dad, usually in the car on the way home from gymnastics. Not only that, it's an award-winning nationally syndicated show. So to be on the show as an expert was absolutely incredible! You can listen to the whole episode here; I come in at about the 26-minute mark. Of course, the seg ...read more

Why Did Darker and Lighter Human Skin Colors Evolve?

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Human skin color reflects an evolutionary balancing act tens of thousands of years in the making. There’s a convincing explanation for why human skin tone varies as a global gradient, with the darkest populations around the equator and the lightest ones near the poles. Put simply, dark complexion is advantageous in sunnier places, whereas fair skin fairs better in regions with less sun. That may seem obvious, considering the suffering that ensues when pale folks visit the beach. But actua ...read more

How a Massive Tree-Planting Campaign Eased Stifling Summer Heat in New York City

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Many cities, in recent years, have initiated tree planting campaigns to offset carbon dioxide emissions and improve urban microclimates. In 2007, New York City launched MillionTrees NYC, a program designed to plant 1 million new trees along streets, in parks and on private and public properties by 2017. They hit their goal two years ahead of time. These programs are popular for a reason: Not only do trees improve the city’s appearance, but they also mitigate the urban heat island effec ...read more