Space

Science

Scientists Develop App To Turn Smartphones Into Cosmic Ray Detectors

4:20pm August 20, 2015

by Joe Palca

If scientists can convince people to use the app, they hope it will help them solve a cosmic mystery. This story originally aired on March 27, 2015 on All Things Considered.

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U.S. Grants Patent For Free-Standing Space Elevator Tower

7:48pm August 17, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

A Canadian company called Thoth Technology has patented a space elevator. The tower would rise some 12 miles into the sky, with a runway or launch pad on top.

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People are silhouetted against a nearly full moon as they ride an attraction at Worlds of Fun amusement park Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. July 31 marks the second full moon of the month, a rare occurrence that has come to be known as a "blue moon."

Science

Tonight, Look For A Rare (But Not Quite Blue) Moon

3:56pm August 16, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The modern definition of a "blue moon" has nothing to do with its color.

Science

Perseid Meteor Shower To Reach Its Peak Tonight

3:18pm August 13, 2015

NPR's Melissa Block talks with Kelly Beatty, senior contributing editor for Sky & Telescope, about the annual Perseid meteor shower, which reaches its peak Wednesday night.

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Astronomers Present New Research On The Aging Universe

3:16pm August 13, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

An international team of astronomers has measured the energy produced within a large portion of space more precisely than ever before, and their work shows how the universe is slowly dying.

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Science

One Small Bite For Man: NASA Astronauts Eat Space-Grown Food

9:51am August 13, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Crew members on the International Space Station on Monday sampled red romaine lettuce, the first food to be grown and eaten in space.

Fifty-one Perseid meteors were captured in this composite image of 30-second exposures taken over six hours in 2004. The annual Perseid meteor shower is one of the most visible to the human eye.

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The Perseid Meteor Shower Is About To Peak. Here's How To Watch

4:08pm August 12, 2015

by Sam Sanders

NASA says this year's show promises to be more spectacular than usual because "there will be no moonlight to upstage the shower."

It took astronauts 33 days to grow enough red romaine lettuce to make a small salad.

Science

This Salad Is Outta This World: Astronauts Eat Greens Grown In Space

1:46pm August 11, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

Farming plants in space may prove critical for future deep space travel. On Monday NASA announced it had mastered romaine lettuce. "That's awesome, tastes good," astronaut Kjell Lindgren declared.

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A new study shows energy output from 200,000 galaxies is half what it was billions of years ago. It's further evidence the universe is slowly declining. This undated NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 1512 captured in all wavele

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New Research Explores Why The Universe Is Dying

12:01pm August 11, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

A study by the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) project measured energy output of more than 200,000 galaxies. The findings show the galaxies are half as strong as they were 2 billion years ago.

Science

Astronauts To Enjoy First Space-Grown Lettuce Aboard International Space Station

4:33pm August 10, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

On Monday, astronauts aboard the International Space Station will harvest lettuce that has been growing aboard since early July. NASA claims it's an important step towards future exploration of distant worlds.