Tag: Sun

NASA has never accidentally sent a probe into the Sun.

Last week, I was having lunch with some friends, which included a number of programmers.  One of them mentioned an old urban myth, that I hadn't heard in several years, which claims that, due to a programming bug (involving a misplaced semicolon), NASA once accidentally sent a probe into the Sun.  I pointed out to my friend how implausible this was. … Continue reading NASA has never accidentally sent a probe into the Sun. →

Voyager spacecraft might not have reached interstellar space

I have to say that I had no idea this was still being debated: Voyager spacecraft might not have reached interstellar space. In 2012, the Voyager mission team announced that the Voyager 1 spacecraft had passed into interstellar space, traveling further from Earth than any other manmade object. But, in the nearly two years since that … Continue reading Voyager spacecraft might not have reached interstellar space →

It’s time to look for life in Europa’s ocean

Lee Billings has a fascinating article up at Aeon asking why we continue to send missions to Mars when the best chance of life existing today is in Europa's underground ocean. If Europa is alive, if some biology dwells within those dark waters, the implications would be even more staggering than finding life on Mars. … Continue reading It’s time to look for life in Europa’s ocean →

Battle of the “Cosmos,” Round 3 – Out There | Discovermagazine.com

Corey Powell, and editor at Discover Magazine, and Steven Sotor, co-writer of the new Cosmos series, have been having a back and forth about Giordano Bruno, who was highlighted in the first Cosmos episode. Your suggestion that Giordano Bruno was not the first to realize that the stars are suns is mistaken. You cited his … Continue reading Battle of the “Cosmos,” Round 3 – Out There | Discovermagazine.com →