On Tuesday morning, astronomy enthusiasts from Asia, Australia and North America witnessed the Moon slowly become darker until its full eclipse became visible; otherwise known as a blood moon. This event would mark the last total lunar eclipse until 2025. An appearance of a blood moon occurs when direct sunlight is blocked and its light…
People often mistakenly believe that the sky’s hue comes from ocean waves; however, this is incorrect: its hue results from how atmospheric molecules scatter light and reflect it back onto Earth’s surface. Light passing through the atmosphere tends to scatter more readily in blue and violet wavelengths due to their frequencies being closer to those…
In 1969, planetary science was still relatively young. One of its most famous moments occurred on July 20, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left Columbia and entered their lunar module, Eagle. Armstrong used Eagle’s reaction control system to guide their landing site in the Sea of Tranquility. Mission Overview Nasa embarked on its most…
Point Nemo serves as a global spacecraft graveyard since 1971, when nations began leaving old satellites and spacecraft there for disposal. To reduce space junk that could endanger working satellites or humans if it falls back down, they are purposefully put into graveyard orbit or sent directly over an ocean surface. How They Are Disposed…
Answer: Oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere scatter sunlight incoming, with blue wavelengths being scattered more often than red ones resulting in the sky appearing bluer than usual. But this explanation doesn’t explain why the sky doesn’t turn violet at sunset or why Martian skies have an earth-tone hue; that is because sunlight must…
Female butterflies lay many eggs to increase the odds that at least some will survive and continue their lives as butterflies. As soon as eggs hatch they transform into larvae or caterpillars which feed and develop while also shedding their skin periodically. Once a caterpillar has completed its life cycle, it forms a protective shell…
Numerous animals found on savannas are plant eaters (herbivores), and get most of their sustenance from grazing various types of grasses. Gazelles and zebras specialize in eating lower grass while others, like giraffes, can reach high up in trees for leaves they need for nourishment. Animals of a savanna also employ strategies to evade predators….
On July 24, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin successfully descended to the Moon, taking photographs, collecting specimens from rocks and soil samples, installing a laser-ranging reflector and passive seismograph (a moonquake detector), as well as speaking with President Nixon. But their descent was far from uneventful – during a powered descent an alarm went off that…
Germination (break-open of seeds) requires oxygen, water and temperature conditions that meet specific parameters for them to germinate (become open). This process is known as germination. Seedlings form roots and leaves to gather water, nutrients and sunlight for photosynthesis to produce food for themselves – this process helps them grow into mature plants which blossom…
