During a visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory three years ago, I stepped into a blinding white room. There, I came face-to-face with a space instrument that could one day be used to search for evidence of life beyond Earth.
Each person who enters the clean room at the Pasadena, California, facility must wear a white “bunny suit” that covers virtually everything but their eyes.
The instrument, called a coronagraph, is so sensitive to contamination that I was given a list of things forbidden from entering the hallowed space — no makeup, lotion or scented products of any kind could be on my skin.
The instrument team invited me to step inside the coronagraph virtually by equipping me with a pair of VR glasses to see all its components and how they ultimately fit together. This crucial sci-fi-like process is employed early on when assembling such a complex feat of engineering.
Meeting people who had spent years developing the device — and hearing their hopes for what it could reveal to us — opened my eyes to the extreme dedication it takes to build a single space mission.
Now, the coronagraph is ready to study the cosmos aboard the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which could launch as soon as this weekend.
“Roman will investigate dark matter, dark energy and the structure of the universe itself, and accelerate the future of discovery of potentially habitable planets outside our solar system,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman when the completed telescope was unveiled in April.
Roman, named for NASA’s pioneering chief of astronomy who realized the importance of space-based observatories, will complement the incredible cosmic discoveries made by the Hubble and James Webb Space telescopes. But much like its namesake, Roman will also forge a new path to uncover the unknown across the universe.
It looks like a car engine. Scientists think it could uncover the ‘invisible universe’
As NASA’s newest flagship observatory, Roman will seek out previously hidden aspects of the universe to solve some of its biggest lingering mysteries, such as dark energy and dark matter.
The experimental coronagraph, nicknamed “starglasses,” has the capability to block powerful starlight. The instrument’s flexible mirrors can even react in real time to maintain incredible precision while capturing dazzling cosmic images.
This groundbreaking technology will enable Roman to search for faint, Jupiter-size planets — and maybe even spot clouds on those worlds.
If the instrument works as expected, it could one day be used to seek out distant Earth-like planets that may be able to support life.
Researchers studying modern DNA have discovered two “ghost” ancestors in the murky history of human evolution.
Neanderthals and Denisovans left behind fossils — from which scientists could extract DNA — as well as identifiable traces in human genes. But there has been no direct ancient DNA identified from the two newfound lineages to connect with the marks they left behind in our genomes.
Now, scientists have developed a new method to rebuild these lost branches of the human family tree.
One of these human ancestors might have interbred with Homo sapiens in Africa more than 50,000 years ago. But the second lineage has a much more indirect and mysterious connection.
OnlyFans might help save this marmot study
After losing federal funding for a decades-long study on marmots, a group of UCLA scientists turned to OnlyFans to raise money for their research.
After losing funding for a long-running marmot study, scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, turned to an unlikely solution to continue their research: OnlyFans.
See how footage of scurrying yellow-bellied marmots shared on OnlyMarms, a safe-for-work alternative to the racier content on the subscription site, sometimes turns PG-rated due to scuffles between the roly-poly rodents.
Poke your head outside this weekend, and you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of August’s full moon.
The silvery orb’s full appearance also contributed to another celestial event. During a partial lunar eclipse that peaked just after midnight on Friday, Earth’s shadow darkened parts of the moon’s visible surface.
See images from the partial lunar eclipse as it created a moody spectacle in the night sky over North and South America.
The critically endangered Ganges shark has never been photographed alive.
The shark is only one of three shark species known to inhabit the murky waters of rivers. Scientists know of dwindling populations in parts of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Myanmar because the shark turns up as fishing bycatch.
But the elusive marine creature’s last stronghold may have been found in a remote part of Indonesia — and scientists are racing to save it.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will work in tandem with another premier observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope. See how Webb’s detailed images of the cosmos could help answer an enduring question: Are we alone in the universe?
Catch up on these stories you might have missed:
— China just postponed the launch of its Chang’e-7 mission, designed to hunt for water on the moon. The robotic spacecraft could be delayed for at least half a year.
— Louisiana’s coastline could soon host the “biggest launch site on Earth,” where SpaceX plans to enable more than 30 flights per day of its mega Starship rocket, according to CEO Elon Musk.
— People around the world are mourning the death of Dolly Parton this week. The iconic musician and humanitarian inspired the name for Dolly the Sheep, the world’s first mammal cloned from an adult cell, in 1996.
It’s time for an encore! A video showcasing the challenging efforts to vaccinate more than 5,000 fairy penguins against deadly bird flu was Wonder Theory’s top story last week.
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