Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Mathematics: General, Space: The Solar System
Published NASA's DART impact permanently changed the shape and orbit of asteroid moon



A new study provides insights on the geophysics behind asteroid formation and evolution.
Published Meteor showers shed light on where comets formed in the early solar system



Researchers studying meteor showers have found that not all comets crumble the same way when they approach the Sun. In a new study, they ascribe the differences to the conditions in the protoplanetary disk where comets formed 4.5 billion years ago.
Published Extraterrestrial chemistry with earthbound possibilities



Who are we? Why are we here? We are stardust, the result of chemistry occurring throughout vast clouds of interstellar gas and dust. To better understand how that chemistry could create prebiotic molecules, researchers investigated the role of low-energy electrons created as cosmic radiation traverses through ice particles. Their findings may also inform medical and environmental applications on our home planet.
Published Explanation found for X-ray radiation from black holes



Researchers have succeeded in something that has been pursued since the 1970s: explaining the X-ray radiation from the black hole surroundings. The radiation originates from the combined effect of the chaotic movements of magnetic fields and turbulent plasma gas.
Published Spectacular increase in the deuterium/hydrogen ratio in Venus' atmosphere



Our understanding of Venus' water history and the potential that it was once habitable in the past is being challenged by recent observations.
Published Tracking down the asteroid that sealed the fate of the dinosaurs



The asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago probably came from the outer solar system.
Published Engineers conduct first in-orbit test of 'swarm' satellite autonomous navigation



With 2D cameras and space robotics algorithms, astronautics engineers have created a navigation system able to manage multiple satellites using visual data only. They just tested it in space for the first time.
Published Rocks collected on Mars hold key to water and perhaps life on the planet: Bring them back to Earth



Between July and November of 2022, NASA's Perseverance rover collected seven samples of sediment from an ancient alluvial fan in Jezero crater. While onboard analysis gave researchers some information about their origins, only detailed analysis on Earth can retrieve evidence of when water flowed on Mars and whether life arose there. Geophysicists had hoped to get these samples back by 2033, but NASA's sample return mission may be delayed beyond that date.
Published Rocks from Mars' Jezero Crater, which likely predate life on Earth, contain signs of water



Scientists report that rock samples from Mars' Jezero Crater contain minerals that are typically formed in water. While the presence of organic matter is inconclusive, the rocks could be scientists' best chance at finding remnants of ancient Martian life.
Published SwRI-led team finds evidence of hydration on Asteroid Psyche



Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have confirmed hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. The presence of hydrated minerals suggests a complex history for Psyche, important context for the NASA spacecraft en route to this interesting asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
Published Measuring Martian winds with sound



Martian landers have been able capture measurements of wind speeds -- some gauging the cooling rate of heated materials when winds blow over them, others using cameras to image 'tell-tales' that blow in the wind -- but there's still room for improvement. Researchers now demonstrate a novel sonic anemometric system featuring a pair of narrow-band piezoelectric transducers to measure the travel time of sound pulses through Martian air. The study accounted for variables including transducer diffraction effects and wind direction.
Published Think fast -- or not: Mathematics behind decision making



New research explains the mathematics behind how initial predispositions and additional information affect decision making.
Published Scientists find oceans of water on Mars: It's just too deep to tap



Quakes and meteor impacts on Mars generate seismic waves that can help map the interior. A new study analyzed seismic waves detected by the Insight lander and concludes that 11-20 kilometers beneath the surface, a zone of pores and fractures is filled with liquid water -- more than was thought to fill Mars' surface oceans before they disappeared 3 billion years ago. Though too deep to drill, the reservoir is a possible refuge for life.
Published Those with the biggest biases choose first, according to new math study



In a new study, researchers created a sort of simulated voting booth -- a space where people, or mathematical 'agents,' with various biases could deliberate over decisions. The results may help to reveal the mathematics of how the human brain acts when it needs to make a choice.
Published Researchers develop AI model that predicts the accuracy of protein--DNA binding



A new artificial intelligence model can predict how different proteins may bind to DNA.
Published Findings from first archaeology project in space



The first-ever archeological survey in space has provided new insights into how astronauts use and adapt their living space on the International Space Station, which could influence the design of new space stations after the ISS is decommissioned.
Published Scientists lay out revolutionary method to warm Mars



Ever since we learned that the surface of planet Mars is cold and dead, people have wondered if there is a way to make it friendlier to life. The newly proposed method is over 5,000 times more efficient than previous schemes to globally warm Mars, representing a significant leap forward in our ability to modify the Martian environment.
Published Astronomers uncover risks to planets that could host life



A groundbreaking study has revealed that red dwarf stars can produce stellar flares that carry far-ultraviolet (far-UV) radiation levels much higher than previously believed.
Published Scientists pin down the origins of the moon's tenuous atmosphere



Scientists say they have identified the main process that formed the moon's atmosphere and continues to sustain it today. The team reports that the lunar atmosphere is primarily a product of 'impact vaporization.'
Published Eye-tracking study provides valuable insights into learning mathematics



Eye-tracking allows studying aspects that cannot be seen, for example, the thinking processes of a student solving a mathematical problem. Researchers have integrated eye-tracking into education and are using the technology to radically improve the teaching of mathematics.