Latest articles by Joanna Thompson
Days before dying, Japan's lunar lander snaps glorious photo of Earth during a total solar eclipse
Japan's Hakuto-R lander may have crashed on the moon, but the spacecraft still sent back valuable images.
Dinosaur-killing asteroid did not trigger a long 'nuclear winter' after all
Global temperatures did not plummet in the aftermath of the asteroid impact that caused the demise of the dinosaurs, a new study suggests.
NASA discovers ultra-rare 'double quasar' about to collide into an unbelievably massive black hole
A rare double quasar system 10 billion light-years away could help astronomers uncover the secrets of the early universe.
Students set to land first US rover on the moon — before NASA
Students at Carnegie Mellon University are sending America's first lunar rover to the moon this May, beating NASA to the punch by about a year.
New type of black hole found lurking in Earth's 'cosmic backyard' is closest ever discovered
The two closest black holes to Earth, named Gaia BH1 and BH2, may be part of a rare class of black holes never seen before, new research suggests.
Rare red asteroids around Neptune could reveal the secrets of the early solar system
Scientists have observed that some of Neptune's Trojan asteroids are deep red, possibly revealing what asteroids may have been like in the early days of the solar system.
How do you decontaminate objects exposed to radioactivity?
Can a person or object exposed to high radioactivity just take a shower with soap and water, or is more needed for decontamination?
Why is it so hard to walk on sand?
Sand is difficult to walk or run across. But why?
Ancient platypus-like fossil could rewrite the history of egg-laying mammals
Fossils of a 70 million-year-old platypus relative called Patagorhynchus pascuali found in South America show that egg-laying mammals evolved on more than one continent.
'Zombie' viruses have been revived from Siberian permafrost. Could they infect people?
Researchers have isolated viable microbes from melting permafrost after tens of thousands of years. But don't worry; they infect only amoebas.
What's the smallest known asteroid? What about the largest?
Not all asteroids are planet-killers — most are tiny and others are huge. So what are the largest and smallest asteroids in the solar system?
Sea dragon dad glues his brood to his tail for safekeeping, stunning image shows
Sea dragon dads and octopus moms are the extreme marine parents we need, winning photos show.
Which came first: The chicken or the egg?
Most biologists will answer confidently when asked "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" but the answer may depend on what type of egg you're talking about.
What is brain fog?
Mental fuzziness can be frustrating and can be caused by lack of sleep or even an underlying illness.
What is a runner's high?
Here's what the strange euphoria that sets in after aerobic exercise really is.
'Mars' interior is not behaving,' active mantle plume reveals
In a first, planetary geologists describe an active mantle plume on the surface of Mars.
Scientists finally discovered the snake clitoris, and they're 'very excited'
For the first time, clitorises have been documented in nine different species of snakes from four families.
How much does a cloud weigh?
Clouds look light and fluffy, but they're surprisingly heavy.
Ravenous meat-eating dinosaur's guts preserved in exceptionally rare fossil
Paleontologists in China have examined the remarkable gut remnants of a birdlike dinosaur that lived more than 100 million years ago.
Long-lost bird species, thought to be extinct, captured in images for 1st time in 140 years
Images and footage of the black-naped pheasant-pigeon were recently captured by scientists. This is the first documented sighting of the elusive bird since 1882.
