How did the Butterfly Nebula get its wings? It"s complicated
Planetary nebulae form when red giant stars expel their outermost layers as they run out of helium fuel—becoming hot, dense white dwarf stars that are roughly the size of Earth. The material that was shed, enriched in carbon, forms dazzling pattern.....»»
Tom Holland recreates Paul Rudd"s "look at us" meme on a sweaty "Hot Ones"
Marvel stars have a history of spawning memes when they take on the lip-burning lineup of spicy wings on Hot Ones. Idris Elba choking is a classic, but the most beloved might be Paul Rudd's heartfelt expression of camaraderie. Even Peter Parker himse.....»»
FAA: No more commercial astronaut wings, too many launching
Heads up, future space travelers: No more commercial astronaut wings will be awarded from the Federal Aviation Administration after this year......»»
How TIMED flies: NASA mission celebrates 20th anniversary
Launched in 2001, NASA's TIMED mission has now spent 20 years surveying the complicated dynamics of Earth's upper atmosphere. Short for Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics, TIMED observes the chemistry and dynamics where Eart.....»»
Gemini South telescope catches a one-winged butterfly
This breathtaking visible-light image, taken with the Gemini South telescope, looks as though it is ready to flutter off the screen. This apparently wispy object is an outflow of gas known as the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula—so named because it is br.....»»
Studying cosmic expansion using methods from many-body physics
It is almost always assumed in cosmological calculations that there is a even distribution of matter in the universe. This is because the calculations would be much too complicated if the position of every single star were to be included. In reality,.....»»
Deck the Halls with Maker Workshops
Maker Campus has been gifted with a fantastic maker workshop lineup for the holiday season! Throughout December, you’ll have the chance to learn how to become a Bakeneer (Baking + Engineering), create your own LED Glowing Angel Wings, and ever.....»»
Image: Hubble"s view of planetary nebula reveals complex structure
NGC 6891 is a bright, asymmetrical planetary nebula in the constellation Delphinus, the Dolphin. This Hubble image reveals a wealth of structure, including a spherical outer halo that is expanding faster than the inner nebula, and at least two ellips.....»»
Researchers propose a simpler design for quantum computers
Today's quantum computers are complicated to build, difficult to scale up, and require temperatures colder than interstellar space to operate. These challenges have led researchers to explore the possibility of building quantum computers that work us.....»»
Mexicans hope for recovery of monarch butterflies
Communal farmers and butterfly guides are hoping for a rebound in the number of monarch butterflies—and tourists—at their wintering grounds in central Mexico after a bad year for both last year......»»
Hubble witnesses shock wave of colliding gases in Running Man Nebula
Mounded, luminous clouds of gas and dust glow in this Hubble image of a Herbig-Haro object known as HH 45......»»
Hubble spots a swift stellar jet in Running Man Nebula
A jet from a newly formed star flares into the shining depths of reflection nebula NGC 1977 in this Hubble image. The jet (the orange object at the bottom center of the image) is being emitted by the young star Parengo 2042, which is embedded in a di.....»»
Image: Hubble spots swirls of dust in the flame Nebula
The Flame Nebula, also called NGC 2024, is a large star-forming region in the constellation Orion that lies about 1,400 light-years from Earth. It's a portion of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, which includes such famous nebulae as the Horsehead N.....»»
Hubble finds flame Nebula"s searing stars may halt planet formation
The Flame Nebula or NGC 2024 is a large star-forming region in the constellation Orion that lies about 1,400 light-years from Earth. Hubble studied this nebula to look for protoplanetary disks, or "proplyds"—disks of gas and dust around stars that.....»»
Life Is Complicated--Literally, Astrobiologists Say
A new theory suggests that searches for molecular complexity could uncover convincing evidence of extraterrestrial life, and soon -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
In a first, scientists captured growth of butterfly wings inside chrysalis on video
MIT team replaced part of a pupa's cuticle with a glass window for experiments. Enlarge / A painted lady butterfly lands on a flower. The bright iridescent colors in its wings don't come from pigment molecules but from how the wings ar.....»»
Peeking into a chrysalis, videos reveal growth of butterfly wing scales
If you brush against the wings of a butterfly, you will likely come away with a fine sprinkling of powder. This lepidopteran dust is made up of tiny microscopic scales, hundreds of thousands of which paper a butterfly's wings like shingles on a wafer.....»»
Image: Hubble catches celestial prawn drifting through the cosmic deep
The Prawn Nebula is a massive stellar nursery located in the constellation Scorpius, about 6,000 light years from Earth. Though the nebula stretches 250 light-years and covers a space four times the size of the full moon, it emits light primarily in.....»»
Hubble captures an image of the stunning star-forming Prawn Nebula
When you look to the stars, you might expect to see a planet, a star, or even the ISS, but this week's Hubble image shows something rather unexpected: A Prawn......»»
Image: Nebula churns out massive stars in new Hubble image
Stars are born from turbulent clouds of gas and dust that collapse under their own gravitational attraction. As the cloud collapses, a dense, hot core forms and begins gathering dust and gas, creating a protostar. This star-forming nebula in the cons.....»»
Racism isn"t rocket science—it"s more complicated
As opponents of critical race theory continue to gather at school boards across the country protesting its use in classrooms, it has become evident that the study of racism in America continues to be seen, by some, as trivial......»»