Since the first satellite, Sputnik 1, was successfully launched into Earth's orbit on October 4, 1957, humans have launched more than 5,000 large objects into space. The list includes satellites, spacecraft, rovers, probes and other scientific equipment. In addition, thousands of fragments produced by accidental collisions or deliberate destruction of original materials exist beyond Earth. Since the 1990s, space archaeologists have studied this material culture in an effort to preserve it. “Fr ...read more
There are always volcanoes erupting on Earth. Likely since the planet was formed over four and a half billion years ago, volcanic eruptions have rocked some part of the planet. Sometimes it might be an explosion only noticed by the wildlife near a remote volcano. Other times, the blast might catch the world's attention and we feel the impacts for months or years. As you sit there reading this paragraph, somewhere between 10-20 volcanoes are doing their thing.A Planet of VolcanoesThe Smithsonian ...read more
Researchers recently cleaned up a family of dinosaurs that once served as a “waste basket” for loosely related species. The group now represents small herbivores that appear to be unique to Europe, according to a new paper.The study announces the discovery of Vectidromeus insularis, a specimen found in the fossil beds that line the coast of the Isle of Wight, off the coast of England. These fossils belonged to a juvenile, chicken-size dinosaur with bird-like hind limbs that lived about 125 m ...read more
When exactly humans took to the water in boats is unclear. Long considered a practice exclusive to our own species – Homo sapiens – researchers are gathering evidence that our early ancestors may have crafted and sailed boats thousands of years ago. But this theory remains contentious.What Is the Oldest Boat Ever Found?The world’s oldest boat dates back around 10,000 years. Discovered in 1955 in the Netherlands, the dugout canoe – known as the Pesse canoe – was crafted by axe from a Sc ...read more
Back in 2005, the European Space Agency’s Huygens probe made a dramatic landing on the surface of Saturn’s largest moon Titan. During its descent through the dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere, Huygens sent back pictures of a complex landscape shaped by familiar forces. The images showed hills and valleys, meandering rivers leading to complex deltas that eventually fed into lakes and seas with vast shorelines. Titan, it appeared, had many features in common with Earth.But there is a crucial diff ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine