Ireland is widely known as being home to writers such as Oscar Wilde and Guinness beer, as well as boasting an abundance of castles. One of the more intriguing facts about Ireland is that it hosts its own Olympics, which may even predate those held elsewhere. Other noteworthy details about Ireland include that their national…
The Nile was an invaluable resource for ancient Egyptians, providing food, trade routes and transportation – from large ships to smaller skiffs made of papyrus reeds attached to wooden frames. The Nile is home to many animals, such as hippopotomuses and three species of monitor lizard. Additionally, there are an abundance of fish such as…
After Apollo 13’s failure, congressional interest in NASA’s lunar program declined significantly and led to cancellation of Apollo 18 and 19. Even after these cancellations, several other planned missions remained. These included the H and J missions. While H missions would have involved short duration stays on the moon with only two LEVAs (moonwalks), J…
No matter whether you’re learning French or just curious, these fascinating facts about France will provide an excellent way to expand your knowledge! From their fondness for cheese to strange superstitions – discover something new about this fascinating culture! French has numerous dialects that differ from one another – similar to how Texas, Alabama and…
On Monday, Jupiter will pass closer than ever before in 59 years – providing an excellent opportunity for telescopes and binoculars. People often respond that Venus is the closest planet to our home planet; however, according to a new study this assumption is actually incorrect. Venus Answering “What is the closest planet to Earth?” usually…
Astronomers have long known that Saturn’s iconic rings are gradually dissolving, potentially within 100 million years. Recent research based on data collected by NASA’s Cassini probe indicates this trend is occurring even faster than predicted. What happens if Saturn loses its rings? What are the rings made of? Saturn’s rings are composed of rock, ice…
With $42 million to spare, if you have enough for an outright spaceship purchase you could own, Sotheby’s is holding an auction featuring 173 items such as an Apollo 11 lunar sample return bag flown during its mission and Vostok 3KA-2 capsule that sent Cosmonaut Gagarin on the inaugural human orbital flight. Space Shuttle Orbiters…
This rare NASA commemorative Swiss Army knife was released in 1989 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing. It features an image from that mission in metal inlay on its front blade; while on its main blade is depiction of Command Module docked with Moon Lander as well as dates for landing….
An international mission to Neptune and Triton has long been overdue; such an expedition could shed more light on what these ice giants represent. Like Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune are ice giants; planets with only trace amounts of hydrogen or helium present. But unlike Jupiter, their orbital periods are short enough for missions to Uranus…
