Space & Earth Science

1. The 'devil comet' 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?

   If you're a fan of all things space, you've doubtless heard about the "devil comet," which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the northern hemisphere for the past few weeks. Now it's our turn, as comet 12P/Pons–Brooks is creeping into view for the southern hemisphere.

2. Technical trials for easing the (cosmological) tension

   Thanks to the dizzying growth of cosmic observations and measurement tools and some new advancements (primarily the "discovery" of what we call dark matter and dark energy) all against the backdrop of General Relativity, the early 2000s were a time when nothing seemed capable of challenging the advancement of our knowledge about the cosmos, its origins, and its future evolution.

3. Cosmic rays streamed through Earth's atmosphere 41,000 years ago: New findings on the Laschamps excursion

   Earth's magnetic field protects us from the dangerous radiation of space, but it is not as permanent as we might believe. Scientists at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly present new information about an 'excursion' 41,000 years ago where our planet's magnetic field waned, and harmful space rays bombarded the planet.

4. Study suggests Io's volcanoes have been active for 4.5 billion years

   A team of geologists and planetary scientists from the California Institute of Technology, the University of California Santa Cruz, New York University, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center reports evidence that Io's volcanic activity has been ongoing since the beginning of the solar system. In their study, published in the journal Science, the group studied sulfur isotopes in Io's atmosphere to determine how long the moon has been volcanically active.