The Earth isn’t permanent, but it was here for four billion years before humans arrived and should be here for several billion more.
Watching a solar eclipse is always fascinating. During the phase when the moon completely obstructs the sun, daylight gives way to a deep twilight sky.
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Some parts of North America will witness a total solar eclipse in April 2024. This may seem far away, but you should think about preparing for this rare and fascinating phenomenon.
There are many pieces of evidence to help explain why the Earth spins, and some major mysteries.
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Our ancient ancestors didn’t have clothes or houses – but that constant exposure to the sun helped their skin protect itself from the worst sun damage.
Sunscreens for sale at a Walgreens drug store.
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Rising concern about possible environmental damage from the active ingredients in sunscreens could have ripple effects on public health if it causes people to use less of them.
The way heat and humidity affect people depends on factors like the weather that’s typical where they are.
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Space weather can affect satellites in a number of different ways, from frying electronics to increasing drag in the atmosphere.
New research confirms how particles from space can be sent careening down into Earth’s atmosphere to create the aurora, filling in a missing piece in how this stunning natural phenomenon is generated.
Terry Zaperach/NASA
Penguins will have the best seat in the house as a total solar eclipse passes over Antarctica on December 4. Australia and New Zealand will experience a minor partial eclipse, but not a noticeable one.
It only takes light about eight minutes to go from the Sun to Earth.
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The fastest things ever made by humans are spacecraft, and the fastest spacecraft reached 330,000 mph – only 0.05% the speed of light. But there are ways to go faster.
A telescope in the outer solar system would be able to do unique science that is impossible closer to the Sun.
Michael Zemcov
Such a mission could be developed soon, allowing astrophysicists to take selfies of the solar system and use the Sun’s gravity as a lens to peer deep into space.
Scientists have spotted a Jupiter-like planet surviving the death of its star.
Credit: W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko
The temperature of the Sun’s surface is about 6,000°C. But higher above the surface, in the atmosphere, it suddenly shoots up to more than a million degrees!
Scientists have been studying lunar samples brought back from Apollo missions to understand the geologic history of the Moon.
NASA
Without a magnetic field, the Moon’s surface is exposed to solar wind. These could have been depositing resources like water and potential rocket fuel on the Moon’s surface for billions of years.
The Sun over Earth, seen from the International Space Station.
NASA