It’s only the second observed “interloper” to cross into our solar system, but interstellar comet 21/Borisov looks incredibly similar to our own comets based on new observations by astronomers. They’re also learning new details about the comet, like the fact that it has a reddish hue, according to a new study. And after detecting the…… MORE
Ever since Donald Trump became president, critics have worried that his rudimentary knowledge of global affairs, erratic decisions and politicized foreign policy would get people killed. It’s happening now. “You are leaving us to be slaughtered,” Gen. Mazloum Kobani Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces told a senior US official last week. Trump’s…… MORE
Here’s what you need to know to Start Your Week Smart. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. You give us five minutes, and we give you five things you must know for your weekday, plus a Sunday edition to get your week started smart. Sign up…… MORE
The return of humans to the moon, as well as ongoing robotic missions, may require using resources already on the lunar surface. The moon’s south pole is of particular interest because of ice deposits in craters there. Unfortunately, India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission lost communication while attempting to soft land a rover on the moon’s south…… MORE
Piranha teeth have the tough task of crunching bone and shredding flesh and, like well-used kitchen knives, they dull over time. Since they have no way to sharpen their teeth, piranhas lose and regrow all of the teeth on one side several times over their lifespan. A new analysis of piranha teeth revealed that a…… MORE
Black gooey methane bubbles pop on the surface of the Lake Pit outside the La Brea Museum in Los Angeles. It’s the only warning of the sticky, heavy asphalt on the bottom of the pit. The asphalt seeps have been there for thousands of years, stemming from a nearby underground large petroleum reservoir called Salt…… MORE
Alexei Leonov, the first person to perform a spacewalk, died this week. He was 85. Russian space agency Roscosmos Space Corporation announced his passing Friday. State news agency RIA-Novosti reported he’d been chronically ill before his death. Though Leonov wasn’t the first man on the moon (a goal he wasn’t shy about), he earned his…… MORE
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has posted a video on Instagram marking International Day of the Girl. In the clip, Meghan urges girls around the world to “keep asking questions, keep pushing forward, keep shining brightly.” The clip also features a television report of Meghan as a child, in which she argues against gender stereotypes in…… MORE
Good morning, America’s political ructions keep bursting from its borders. Here’s our guide to the past week’s four big US stories sending reverberations across the globe. — Donald Trump refused to provide witnesses or documents in the Democrats’ impeachment process. This effectively ushers in the constitutional crisis long predicted for his presidency. Hold onto your…… MORE
Our large galaxy, the Milky Way, is orbited by more than 50 other, smaller galaxies. But astronomers recently discovered that some of these galaxies were kidnapped from neighboring large dwarf galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Large Magellanic Cloud, so called because it appears like a faint cloud, is also on a collision course with…… MORE
