Tag Archives: space exploration

Mars: Leaky Red Planet

What we’re learning about Mars, and a new type of really small spacecraft, reminded me of earth, air and kilts. Also pharaohs, Thomas Paine, and Lord Kelvin. By then I was running out of time to write something more tightly-organized. … Continue reading

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Fast Radio Bursts

No, Harvard scientists have not announced the imminent arrival of an alien armada. Two of them have, however, shown that we may have detected power beams pushing light sails. I think they may be right, but like one of them … Continue reading

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TRAPPIST-1: Water? Life??

TRAPPIST-1’s planets may support life: or not. We don’t know. Not yet. We’re pretty sure that all seven are rocky worlds, like the Solar System’s inner planets. Three are in the star’s habitable zone. The inner two definitely do not … Continue reading

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Mars, Aliens, and SETI

I’d love to be talking about unambiguously artificial signals picked up by the Allen Telescope Array, or reports of a ship from beyond the Solar System settling into orbit around our moon. But that hasn’t happened, and probably won’t. Not … Continue reading

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Near-Earth Asteroids

Scientists spotted 2016 UR36 days before it passed by Earth. “Killer asteroids” headlines notwithstanding, we knew it would miss our planet by a comfortable margin. Sooner or later, though, something big will hit Earth: again. We still can’t prevent that, … Continue reading

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