You’re standing on the moon, gazing up at the Sun without the protective blanket of an atmosphere that we know and love on Earth. The sky is a stark, black canvas dotted with stars; the Sun is an unfiltered beacon. Now, picture this surreal scene interrupted by a massive solar flare, one of the most powerful explosions in our solar system. What Are Solar Flares?(Credit: Jurik Peter/Shutterstock) Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation emanating from the Sun’s surface, caused by the sud ...read more
How many moons are in our solar system? First, it would help to understand that a moon is an object that’s formed naturally and orbits around a planet. The Earth’s Moon is well known. It’s the brightest light in the sky, and you can see it most nights. But there are many more moons in the solar system, and some of them have pretty interesting stories.According to the most current count from NASA, there are 293 moons in our solar system and likely more to be counted. Let’s take a look at ...read more
Named after the Roman God of War, the red planet has yielded countless insights about our extraterrestrial backyard. From hosting the tallest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, to massive underground ice deposits, Mars is full of surprises.And like any diligent explorer, NASA is set on uncovering more of them. Here’s the insider scoop on the latest findings from our nearest cosmic neighbor.The Curiosity RoverNASA's Curiosity rover, a seasoned Mars explorer, reached the Gediz Vallis ch ...read more
Parents often tell children not to talk back or interrupt. But both actions can be characteristics of human communication.The same is true for chimps, even though these primates communicate primarily through gestures instead of spoken words. In the largest-ever data set collected on chimpanzee communication, researchers showed that chimps use a rapid-fire, back-and-forth communication style similar to humans — complete with interruptions, according to a study in Current Biology.Chimpanzee Hand ...read more
Tuataras may look like lizards, but they are more oddballs of the reptile world.These New Zealand creatures have been carving their own evolutionary path for nearly 250 million years. The species they evolved from split off from the group that also gave rise to lizards and eventually snakes.But what exactly makes tuataras so unique? A third eye, a strange skeletal structure, and a different approach to sex, are some traits to start with.What are Tuataras?Tuataras are reptiles, and though they ma ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine