Author: Aarej Syed

Our attempts to decode the cosmos does not stem solely from our curiosity to explore distant galaxies or probe the nature of dark matter: we are reaching out to understand our own existence! And therefore, ensuring the survival of our species and our planet stands at the forefront of our efforts to understanding the universe. So imagine spotting a massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth and having the tools to nudge it off its deadly trajectory. It’s not science fiction—it’s the bold vision behind the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera mission. But Hera isn’t just about safeguarding Earth; it’s also about exploring cosmic mysteries and testing cutting-edge technology in our ever-expanding universe.

Read the full article on Geolog, the official blog of the European Geosciences Union

NASA’s Goldstone planetary radar system recently recorded two near-Earth asteroids, 2024 MK and 2011 UL21, flying by our planet. Perhaps a tad alarming, one was only detected 13 days before it safely bypassed Earth, but scientists at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California assure it never posed a threat. Still, the imagery they were able to collect has been extremely informative.

Read the full article on Space.com

An Austrian forest ranger picked up the rock in 1976. Decades later, scientists discovered the object’s origin story while digging through old photos.

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“I never thought I’d hold a piece of Mars.”

That quote could easily have been the tagline for a science fiction movie, but in this case, it’s from University of Texas at Dallas computer science junior Aarej Syed, who did, indeed, along with his classmates, hold a small piece of Mars during a spring class.

Researchers might have located the birthplace of 469219 Kamo‘oalewa, a small asteroid that has been described as Earth’s “mini-moon.” By analyzing Kamo‘oalewa’s geology and simulating different formation scenarios, they traced it back to a specific impact crater on the far side of the Moon.

Read the full article here