window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"science_1922137": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1922137",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1922137",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1922134,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-520x293.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 293
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/04/VSS_Unity_First_Powered_Flight-7.jpeg_cmyk-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1523038814,
"modified": 1523038840,
"caption": "VSS Unity First Powered Flight, April 5, 2018",
"description": null,
"title": "VSS Unity First Powered Flight, April 5, 2018",
"credit": "Virgin Galactic",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921779": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921779",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921779",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921776,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-520x293.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 293
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1deepspace-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1522258943,
"modified": 1522258986,
"caption": "Artist illustration of Voyager 1 in deep space, far from the sun and planets of the solar system. ",
"description": "Artist illustration of Voyager 1 in deep space, far from the sun and planets of the solar system. ",
"title": "voyager1deepspace",
"credit": "NASA",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921802": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921802",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921802",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921801,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-520x346.jpeg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 346
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-375x250.jpeg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 250
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-50x50.jpeg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-96x96.jpeg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-800x533.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-64x64.jpeg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-32x32.jpeg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-150x150.jpeg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-768x512.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-128x128.jpeg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/800-1-1-240x160.jpeg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 160
}
},
"publishDate": 1522340475,
"modified": 1522341357,
"caption": "This image made with the Hubble Space Telescope shows the diffuse galaxy NGC 1052-DF2, lighter area in center. Several other galaxies can be seen through it. The unusual galaxy’s stars are speeding around with no apparent influence from dark matter, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. ",
"description": null,
"title": "800 (1)",
"credit": "P van Dokkum/NASA/ESA",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921654": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921654",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921654",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921653,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-520x266.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 266
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-160x82.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 82
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-960x491.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 491
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-375x192.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 192
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 524
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-1020x522.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 522
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-800x409.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 409
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-768x393.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 393
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/GettyImages-473065264-1-240x123.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 123
}
},
"publishDate": 1521829566,
"modified": 1528409749,
"caption": "NASA’s Curiosity rover, pictured here, has found potential building blocks of life on the red planet. Experts describe the findings as “breakthroughs in astrobiology.”",
"description": null,
"title": "Curiosity Self-Portrait at 'Mojave' on Mount Sharp",
"credit": "NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921418": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921418",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921418",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921417,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-520x340.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 340
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-160x105.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 105
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-960x628.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 628
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-375x245.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 245
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist.jpg",
"width": 2522,
"height": 1649
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1020x667.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 667
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1180x772.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 772
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-800x523.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 523
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1920x1255.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1255
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1180x772.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 772
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-1920x1255.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1255
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-768x502.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 502
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/Oumuamua_artist-240x157.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 157
}
},
"publishDate": 1521494192,
"modified": 1521494243,
"caption": "Artist’s impression of ‘Oumuamua. ",
"description": null,
"title": "Oumuamua_artist",
"credit": "ESO / M. Kornmesser",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921048": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921048",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921048",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1920994,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-520x293.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 293
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-ar-sarah-stewart-ucdavis-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1520961464,
"modified": 1520961553,
"caption": "Artist concept based on a NASA rendering of a synestia: the vaporized planetary body bulging into a donut shape due to its rapid rotation. ",
"description": "Artist concept based on a NASA rendering of a synestia: the vaporized planetary body bulging into a donut shape due to its rapid rotation. ",
"title": "synestia-ar-sarah stewart-ucdavis",
"credit": "Sarah Stewart/UC Davis",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921143": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921143",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921143",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921142,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-520x292.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 292
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b.jpg",
"width": 1597,
"height": 898
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/artist-render_wide-22ba98a4be7caf5f10002ce95c8cab07bb9d438b-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1521065271,
"modified": 1521065271,
"caption": null,
"description": "This artist's-concept illustration depicts the spacecraft of NASA's Psyche mission near the mission's target, the metal asteroid Psyche.",
"title": "This artist's-concept illustration depicts NASA's Psyche spacecraft which will carry a deep-space laser communications system.",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1921134": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1921134",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921134",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1921133,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-520x390.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 390
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-949x576.jpg",
"width": 949,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-375x281.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 281
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a.jpg",
"width": 949,
"height": 712
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/gettyimages-517220950-78751c5e5b764316d2d5318b2c64c7552d9e1f6a-240x180.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
}
},
"publishDate": 1521058947,
"modified": 1521058947,
"caption": null,
"description": "Albert Einstein.",
"title": "Albert Einstein.",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1920622": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1920622",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920622",
"found": true
},
"parent": 0,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-520x293.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 293
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-1920x1080.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1080
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/cassini-burnup-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1520009063,
"modified": 1520009091,
"caption": "Artist concept of the Cassini spacecraft as it burned up in Saturn's atmosphere last Fall. ",
"description": "Artist concept of the Cassini spacecraft as it burned up in Saturn's atmosphere last Fall. ",
"title": "cassini-burnup",
"credit": "NASA/JPL-Caltech",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1920590": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1920590",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920590",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1920581,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-520x352.jpeg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 352
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-160x108.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 108
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-960x651.jpeg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 651
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-375x254.jpeg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 254
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview.jpeg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1388
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1020x691.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 691
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1180x800.jpeg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 800
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-50x50.jpeg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-96x96.jpeg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-800x542.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 542
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-64x64.jpeg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-32x32.jpeg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1920x1301.jpeg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1301
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1180x800.jpeg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 800
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-1920x1301.jpeg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1301
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-150x150.jpeg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-768x521.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 521
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-128x128.jpeg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/universehistory_NSF-highres_preview-240x163.jpeg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 163
}
},
"publishDate": 1519950479,
"modified": 1520993727,
"caption": "This updated timeline of the universe reflects the recent discovery that the first stars emerged by 180 million years after the Big Bang. ",
"description": null,
"title": "universehistory_NSF-highres_preview",
"credit": "N.R.Fuller/National Science Foundation",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1920042": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1920042",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920042",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1920040,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-520x292.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 292
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-375x211.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 211
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface.jpg",
"width": 985,
"height": 554
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/proximasurface-240x135.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 135
}
},
"publishDate": 1518931252,
"modified": 1520993849,
"caption": "This artist’s impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. The double star Alpha Centauri AB also appears in the image to the upper-right of Proxima itself. Proxima b is a little more massive than the Earth and orbits in the habitable zone around Proxima Centauri, where the temperature is suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface.",
"description": "This artist’s impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the solar system. The double star Alpha Centauri AB also appears in the image. Proxima b is a little more massive than the Earth and orbits in the habitable zone around Proxima Centauri, where the temperature is suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface.\n",
"title": "Artist's impression of the planet orbiting Proxima Centauri",
"credit": "M. Kornmesser/ESO",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_science_1922134": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1922134",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1922134",
"name": "The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921801": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921801",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921801",
"name": "Seth Borenstein\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921653": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921653",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921653",
"name": "Marcia Dunn\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921417": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921417",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921417",
"name": "Marcia Dunn\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921142": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921142",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921142",
"name": "Joe Palca\u003cbr />NPR All Tech Considered",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921133": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921133",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921133",
"name": "Marcelo Gleiser\u003cbr />NPR Cosmos & Culture",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1921090": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1921090",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1921090",
"name": "Joe Palca, NPR",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1920581": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1920581",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1920581",
"name": "Seth Borenstein\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"ben-burress": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "6180",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "6180",
"found": true
},
"name": "Ben Burress",
"firstName": "Ben",
"lastName": "Burress",
"slug": "ben-burress",
"email": "bburress@chabotspace.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "\u003cstrong>Benjamin Burress\u003c/strong> has been a staff astronomer at Chabot Space & Science Center since July 1999. He graduated from Sonoma State University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in physics (and minor in astronomy), after which he signed on for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps, where he taught physics and mathematics in the African nation of Cameroon. From 1989-96 he served on the crew of NASA’s Kuiper Airborne Observatory at Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. From 1996-99, he was Head Observer at the Naval Prototype Optical Interferometer program at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ.\r\n\r\nRead his \u003ca href=\"http://science.kqed.org/quest/author/ben-burress/\">previous contributions\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"http://science.kqed.org/quest/\">QUEST\u003c/a>, a project dedicated to exploring the Science of Sustainability.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8263bffa345b7e4923a0b8b9f0f6a161?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "quest",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Ben Burress | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8263bffa345b7e4923a0b8b9f0f6a161?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8263bffa345b7e4923a0b8b9f0f6a161?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ben-burress"
},
"dventon": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11088",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11088",
"found": true
},
"name": "Danielle Venton",
"firstName": "Danielle",
"lastName": "Venton",
"slug": "dventon",
"email": "dventon@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Science reporter",
"bio": "Danielle Venton is a reporter for KQED Science. She covers wildfires, space and oceans (though she is prone to sea sickness).\r\n\r\nBefore joining KQED in 2015, Danielle was a staff reporter at KRCB in Sonoma County and a freelancer. She studied science communication at UC Santa Cruz and formerly worked at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland where she wrote about computing. She lives in Sonoma County and enjoys backpacking.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ebaf11ee6cfb7bb40329a143d463829e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "DanielleVenton",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Danielle Venton | KQED",
"description": "Science reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ebaf11ee6cfb7bb40329a143d463829e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ebaf11ee6cfb7bb40329a143d463829e?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/dventon"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"science_category_astronomy": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_28",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "28",
"score": 12.936651
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Astronomy",
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"title": "Astronomy Articles | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30,
"slug": "astronomy",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Astronomy",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "science",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 17
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/company-paragraph",
"content": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space."
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/science?category=astronomy",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 17
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"science_1922134": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1922134",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1922134",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1523038989000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1523038989,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Virgin Galactic's New Spaceship Takes Off in 1st Powered Flight",
"headTitle": "Virgin Galactic’s New Spaceship Takes Off in 1st Powered Flight | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Virgin Galactic’s new spaceship climbed at supersonic speed over California’s Mojave Desert on Thursday in the company’s first powered flight since the fatal crash of its original rocketship in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The flight of VSS Unity was a major step forward, said the company, which plans to carry tourists on suborbital hops into the lower reaches of space where they can see the Earth far below and the stars beyond.[contextly_sidebar id=”E1QZ1TQPrLnMO0ErRd9wwd5iQjRfimf1″]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Virgin Galactic said the milestone marked the start of the final portion of Unity’s flight test program, which began after a 2014 test-flight crash of its predecessor, VSS Enterprise, that killed one of its two pilots and set back the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back on track … Space feels tantalisingly close now,” Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson tweeted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous test flights, Unity either remained attached to Virgin Mother Ship Eve, the specially designed jet that carries it aloft, or was released to glide back to the ground without lighting its engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pilots Mark “Forger” Stucky and Dave Mackay were in the cockpit of Unity as it took off from Mojave Air & Space Port at 8:02 a.m. attached to VMS Eve and climbed to an altitude of 46,500 feet over the Sierra Nevada.[contextly_sidebar id=”DUw5EDWpdF5tkWBDDUlOR5JTtvHYwBLM”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unity was released and a few seconds later its engine ignited. The spaceship climbed steeply and went supersonic — Mach 1.87 — during the 30-second rocket burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the engine shut down, Unity coasted upward to an apogee of 84,271 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilots raised the craft’s unique twin tail booms to a 60-degree angle to the fuselage to slow and stabilize Unity during the initial stages of descent, and then lowered them back to the conventional configuration lower in the atmosphere. The runway landing was described as smooth.[contextly_sidebar id=”0pvdoMrKaK3UpanxI7YILRPSvaSGBUnx”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tail booms are known as “feathers” because their function is likened to the feathers of a badminton shuttlecock. The Enterprise accident occurred when the co-pilot prematurely unlocked the “feathers” and the ship broke apart. Virgin Galactic noted that Unity has safety mechanisms resulting from the accident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “feathers” concept was developed by maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan and demonstrated during the 2004 suborbital flights of the experimental SpaceShipOne, which was funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and won the $10 million Ansari X Prize as the first privately developed, manned rocket to reach space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unity is a follow-on production model called SpaceShipTwo, built by The Spaceship Company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Virgin Galactic envisions a fleet operating from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The company also plans to offer flights for research and satellite deployment.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 469,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 15
},
"modified": 1704928034,
"excerpt": "The flight was a major step forward, said the company, which plans to carry tourists into space.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The flight was a major step forward, said the company, which plans to carry tourists into space.",
"title": "Virgin Galactic's New Spaceship Takes Off in 1st Powered Flight | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Virgin Galactic's New Spaceship Takes Off in 1st Powered Flight",
"datePublished": "2018-04-06T11:23:09-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:07:14-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "virgin-galactics-new-spaceship-takes-off-in-1st-powered-flight",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "The Associated Press",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"path": "/science/1922134/virgin-galactics-new-spaceship-takes-off-in-1st-powered-flight",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Virgin Galactic’s new spaceship climbed at supersonic speed over California’s Mojave Desert on Thursday in the company’s first powered flight since the fatal crash of its original rocketship in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The flight of VSS Unity was a major step forward, said the company, which plans to carry tourists on suborbital hops into the lower reaches of space where they can see the Earth far below and the stars beyond.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Virgin Galactic said the milestone marked the start of the final portion of Unity’s flight test program, which began after a 2014 test-flight crash of its predecessor, VSS Enterprise, that killed one of its two pilots and set back the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back on track … Space feels tantalisingly close now,” Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson tweeted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous test flights, Unity either remained attached to Virgin Mother Ship Eve, the specially designed jet that carries it aloft, or was released to glide back to the ground without lighting its engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pilots Mark “Forger” Stucky and Dave Mackay were in the cockpit of Unity as it took off from Mojave Air & Space Port at 8:02 a.m. attached to VMS Eve and climbed to an altitude of 46,500 feet over the Sierra Nevada.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unity was released and a few seconds later its engine ignited. The spaceship climbed steeply and went supersonic — Mach 1.87 — during the 30-second rocket burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the engine shut down, Unity coasted upward to an apogee of 84,271 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilots raised the craft’s unique twin tail booms to a 60-degree angle to the fuselage to slow and stabilize Unity during the initial stages of descent, and then lowered them back to the conventional configuration lower in the atmosphere. The runway landing was described as smooth.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tail booms are known as “feathers” because their function is likened to the feathers of a badminton shuttlecock. The Enterprise accident occurred when the co-pilot prematurely unlocked the “feathers” and the ship broke apart. Virgin Galactic noted that Unity has safety mechanisms resulting from the accident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “feathers” concept was developed by maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan and demonstrated during the 2004 suborbital flights of the experimental SpaceShipOne, which was funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and won the $10 million Ansari X Prize as the first privately developed, manned rocket to reach space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unity is a follow-on production model called SpaceShipTwo, built by The Spaceship Company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Virgin Galactic envisions a fleet operating from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The company also plans to offer flights for research and satellite deployment.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1922134/virgin-galactics-new-spaceship-takes-off-in-1st-powered-flight",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1922134"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_89",
"science_37",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_577",
"science_461"
],
"featImg": "science_1922137",
"label": "source_science_1922134"
},
"science_1921776": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921776",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921776",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1522426201000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1522426201,
"format": "image",
"title": "Voyager Is 13 Billion Miles Away and Needs a Repair: Here's What Happened",
"headTitle": "Voyager Is 13 Billion Miles Away and Needs a Repair: Here’s What Happened | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Trickling in through the giant radio dishes of NASA’s Deep Space Network, faint whispers from a distant robotic explorer deliver a message: \u003cem>I may not have much time left\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is Voyager 1, our most distant explorer, still functioning and communicating with NASA as it speeds ever farther into deep space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The message is not a literal S.O.S. signal, but data from Voyager’s engine system alerting NASA engineers that a problem is on the horizon: Voyager may soon lose the ability to align its radio dish — its communication lifeline — with Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loss of contact with Voyager would spell the end of a more than 40-year career of discovery, an odyssey that began with the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn and continued in a long-distance quest to find the very edge of interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades ago the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1215\">grand tour\u003c/a>” of Voyagers 1 and 2 brought us remarkable images and discoveries from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and their moons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921781\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-800x645.jpg\" alt='Image of Jupiter and its famous \"Great Red Spot,\" with the moon Europa set in the foreground. The dark circle in the upper right is the shadow of the moon Io. ' width=\"800\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-800x645.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-160x129.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-768x619.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-240x194.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-375x302.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-520x419.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image of Jupiter and its famous “Great Red Spot,” with the moon Europa set in the foreground. The dark circle in the upper right is the shadow of the moon Io. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They revealed active volcanoes on Io, hinted at a huge liquid-water ocean under Europa’s ice crust, and piqued our curiosity for Saturn’s mysterious, cloud-shrouded Titan. They showed us stunning pictures of Jupiter’s cloud belts and huge storm systems, and opened our eyes to exquisite details of Saturn’s rings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After traveling more than 13 billion miles, Voyager 1 has only recently crossed that threshold beyond the reach of our sun and entered interstellar space. With a vast, unexplored realm laid out ahead, an untimely end to Voyager’s mission now would be a tremendous loss. Scientists are hungry to learn more about what lies between the stars of our galaxy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voyager 1’s Check Engine Light Came On\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was inevitable that at some point, Voyager 1’s ability to keep in touch would start to fade. Operating such a remote space observatory presents several technical challenges, not the least of which is maintaining radio communications over great distance. NASA does this by keeping Voyager’s main radio dish aligned with Earth and the giant radio dishes of \u003ca href=\"https://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/\">NASA’s Deep Space Network\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921782\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921782\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-800x642.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a technician working on Voyager's main radio dish--it's primary lifeline of communication with Earth. \" width=\"800\" height=\"642\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-800x642.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-768x616.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1020x818.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1920x1540.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1180x947.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-960x770.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-240x193.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-375x301.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-520x417.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image of a technician working on Voyager’s main radio dish–it’s primary lifeline of communication with Earth. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Left to its own inertia, the spacecraft would slowly rotate out of alignment, reacting to the subtle but persistent forces of things like pressure from sunlight and the solar wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To date, Voyager 1 has used a set of “attitude control thrusters” that fire in tiny bursts to subtly steer the spacecraft to maintain alignment. But over the last few years, NASA has noticed that these thrusters are degrading, producing less and less thrust and requiring longer bursts to do their job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How To Take A Spaceship to the Mechanic\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You don’t keep driving your car when the engine begins to sputter, if you plan to keep driving it. You take it to a mechanic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since bringing Voyager in for a tune-up isn’t an option, NASA engineers had to imagine \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/voyager-1-fires-up-thrusters-after-37\">how to sustain Voyager’s mission health\u003c/a> using on-board resources. Remember that scene from Apollo 13 when the engineers had to figure out a way for the astronauts to fix the carbon dioxide removal system using plastic bags and duct tape?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”QRFnvPDcBNlG0xphBEYERUyo6QimXwwe”]The workaround for Voyager 1 was to attempt to reenlist a different set of engines that had been shut down for 37 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are Voyager’s “trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) thrusters.” They hadn’t been tested since NASA engineers last used them to help Voyager 1 maneuver through the Saturn system to make close flybys of the planet and its large moon, Titan. Once the Saturn flyby was over, the TCM thrusters were no longer needed, and were shut down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On November 28, 2017, NASA sent the command to Voyager to test-fire the TCM thrusters. That radio signal travelled through space for 19.5 hours to reach Voyager (that’s now far away it is), while NASA engineers waited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, after another 19.5 hours of silence, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gdscc.nasa.gov/\">NASA’s Goldstone radio antenna\u003c/a> in the Mojave Desert received word from Voyager 1 that the thrusters had fired!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA now has a path forward to keep Voyager 1’s communication dish facing Earth for at least another two or three years, by switching to the TCM system once the current thrusters have gone off-line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Voyager Legacy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Launched in 1977, Voyager 1’s primary mission was to make flybys of the Jupiter and Saturn systems before being flung by Saturn’s gravity onto a course that would take it out of the solar system, bound for interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Voyager 1 is \u003ca href=\"https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/\">the most distant human-made object\u003c/a> from Earth, and has been since it overtook the venerable Pioneer 10 in 1998. As of March 2018, Voyager 1 is over 13 billion miles away—or 141 times farther from the sun than Earth is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921783\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-800x604.jpg\" alt=\"Map showing the trajectories of Voyagers 1 and 2 and their predecessors, Pioneers 10 and 11. All four spacecraft continued along these courses after completing their tours of the outer solar system, and are bound for interstellar space.\" width=\"800\" height=\"604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-800x604.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-768x580.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-960x725.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-240x181.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-375x283.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-520x393.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers.jpg 971w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Map showing the trajectories of Voyagers 1 and 2 and their predecessors, Pioneers 10 and 11. All four spacecraft continued along these courses after completing their tours of the outer solar system, and are bound for interstellar space. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Voyager 2, now over 10 billion miles out, followed a different path from its twin, cruising on to Uranus and then Neptune after visiting Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 became the only spacecraft to visit all four gas giant planets, and the only one ever to visit Uranus or Neptune.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Interstellar Envoys\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After departing the realm of the gas giants, both Voyagers became de facto envoys to interstellar space, having achieved solar escape velocity during their planetary flybys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From that point on, the Voyagers’ mission switched from being planetary explorers to becoming remote outposts measuring properties of the space around them—the speed and direction of the solar wind and associated magnetic fields, the activity of electrically charged particles flying by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think of the Voyagers as extremely remote weather stations, reporting back the “space weather” conditions as they coast to ever greater distances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many years, Voyager mission scientists studied the trickle of data beamed back from both spacecraft, waiting for the day when one or both might report a change in the particle or magnetic environment—a “shift in the wind” indicating a probe had entered interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In August 2012, Voyager 1 \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQMsvQkISiE&feature=youtu.be\">officially crossed over\u003c/a>, detecting a large increase in charged particles coming from interstellar space—particles that are normally deflected by the solar wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The difference between interstellar space and the bubble of solar wind surrounding the sun is subtle, and you wouldn’t notice a change with any human senses. In fact, in either case, human senses would report only empty space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with its sensitive particle and magnetic field detectors, Voyager 1 is giving us our first taste of what lies between the stars. The longer it stays in communication with us, the deeper into the galaxy we will probe.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1244,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 33
},
"modified": 1704928057,
"excerpt": "There's no one on board, and it takes nearly 20 hours to get a message to Voyager's engines. But without the repair, Voyager might stop sending us messages.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "There's no one on board, and it takes nearly 20 hours to get a message to Voyager's engines. But without the repair, Voyager might stop sending us messages.",
"title": "Voyager Is 13 Billion Miles Away and Needs a Repair: Here's What Happened | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Voyager Is 13 Billion Miles Away and Needs a Repair: Here's What Happened",
"datePublished": "2018-03-30T09:10:01-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:07:37-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "voyager-is-13-billion-miles-away-and-needs-a-repair-heres-what-happened",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"WpOldSlug": "voyager-is-10-billion-miles-away-and-needs-a-repair-heres-what-happened",
"path": "/science/1921776/voyager-is-13-billion-miles-away-and-needs-a-repair-heres-what-happened",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Trickling in through the giant radio dishes of NASA’s Deep Space Network, faint whispers from a distant robotic explorer deliver a message: \u003cem>I may not have much time left\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is Voyager 1, our most distant explorer, still functioning and communicating with NASA as it speeds ever farther into deep space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The message is not a literal S.O.S. signal, but data from Voyager’s engine system alerting NASA engineers that a problem is on the horizon: Voyager may soon lose the ability to align its radio dish — its communication lifeline — with Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loss of contact with Voyager would spell the end of a more than 40-year career of discovery, an odyssey that began with the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn and continued in a long-distance quest to find the very edge of interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades ago the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1215\">grand tour\u003c/a>” of Voyagers 1 and 2 brought us remarkable images and discoveries from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and their moons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921781\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-800x645.jpg\" alt='Image of Jupiter and its famous \"Great Red Spot,\" with the moon Europa set in the foreground. The dark circle in the upper right is the shadow of the moon Io. ' width=\"800\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-800x645.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-160x129.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-768x619.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-240x194.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-375x302.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyager1-jupitereuropa-520x419.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image of Jupiter and its famous “Great Red Spot,” with the moon Europa set in the foreground. The dark circle in the upper right is the shadow of the moon Io. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They revealed active volcanoes on Io, hinted at a huge liquid-water ocean under Europa’s ice crust, and piqued our curiosity for Saturn’s mysterious, cloud-shrouded Titan. They showed us stunning pictures of Jupiter’s cloud belts and huge storm systems, and opened our eyes to exquisite details of Saturn’s rings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After traveling more than 13 billion miles, Voyager 1 has only recently crossed that threshold beyond the reach of our sun and entered interstellar space. With a vast, unexplored realm laid out ahead, an untimely end to Voyager’s mission now would be a tremendous loss. Scientists are hungry to learn more about what lies between the stars of our galaxy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voyager 1’s Check Engine Light Came On\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was inevitable that at some point, Voyager 1’s ability to keep in touch would start to fade. Operating such a remote space observatory presents several technical challenges, not the least of which is maintaining radio communications over great distance. NASA does this by keeping Voyager’s main radio dish aligned with Earth and the giant radio dishes of \u003ca href=\"https://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/\">NASA’s Deep Space Network\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921782\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921782\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-800x642.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a technician working on Voyager's main radio dish--it's primary lifeline of communication with Earth. \" width=\"800\" height=\"642\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-800x642.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-768x616.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1020x818.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1920x1540.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-1180x947.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-960x770.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-240x193.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-375x301.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagerdish-520x417.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image of a technician working on Voyager’s main radio dish–it’s primary lifeline of communication with Earth. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Left to its own inertia, the spacecraft would slowly rotate out of alignment, reacting to the subtle but persistent forces of things like pressure from sunlight and the solar wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To date, Voyager 1 has used a set of “attitude control thrusters” that fire in tiny bursts to subtly steer the spacecraft to maintain alignment. But over the last few years, NASA has noticed that these thrusters are degrading, producing less and less thrust and requiring longer bursts to do their job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How To Take A Spaceship to the Mechanic\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You don’t keep driving your car when the engine begins to sputter, if you plan to keep driving it. You take it to a mechanic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since bringing Voyager in for a tune-up isn’t an option, NASA engineers had to imagine \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/voyager-1-fires-up-thrusters-after-37\">how to sustain Voyager’s mission health\u003c/a> using on-board resources. Remember that scene from Apollo 13 when the engineers had to figure out a way for the astronauts to fix the carbon dioxide removal system using plastic bags and duct tape?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>The workaround for Voyager 1 was to attempt to reenlist a different set of engines that had been shut down for 37 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are Voyager’s “trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) thrusters.” They hadn’t been tested since NASA engineers last used them to help Voyager 1 maneuver through the Saturn system to make close flybys of the planet and its large moon, Titan. Once the Saturn flyby was over, the TCM thrusters were no longer needed, and were shut down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On November 28, 2017, NASA sent the command to Voyager to test-fire the TCM thrusters. That radio signal travelled through space for 19.5 hours to reach Voyager (that’s now far away it is), while NASA engineers waited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, after another 19.5 hours of silence, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gdscc.nasa.gov/\">NASA’s Goldstone radio antenna\u003c/a> in the Mojave Desert received word from Voyager 1 that the thrusters had fired!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA now has a path forward to keep Voyager 1’s communication dish facing Earth for at least another two or three years, by switching to the TCM system once the current thrusters have gone off-line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Voyager Legacy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Launched in 1977, Voyager 1’s primary mission was to make flybys of the Jupiter and Saturn systems before being flung by Saturn’s gravity onto a course that would take it out of the solar system, bound for interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Voyager 1 is \u003ca href=\"https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/\">the most distant human-made object\u003c/a> from Earth, and has been since it overtook the venerable Pioneer 10 in 1998. As of March 2018, Voyager 1 is over 13 billion miles away—or 141 times farther from the sun than Earth is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921783\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-800x604.jpg\" alt=\"Map showing the trajectories of Voyagers 1 and 2 and their predecessors, Pioneers 10 and 11. All four spacecraft continued along these courses after completing their tours of the outer solar system, and are bound for interstellar space.\" width=\"800\" height=\"604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-800x604.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-768x580.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-960x725.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-240x181.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-375x283.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers-520x393.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/voyagersandpioneers.jpg 971w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Map showing the trajectories of Voyagers 1 and 2 and their predecessors, Pioneers 10 and 11. All four spacecraft continued along these courses after completing their tours of the outer solar system, and are bound for interstellar space. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Voyager 2, now over 10 billion miles out, followed a different path from its twin, cruising on to Uranus and then Neptune after visiting Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 became the only spacecraft to visit all four gas giant planets, and the only one ever to visit Uranus or Neptune.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Interstellar Envoys\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After departing the realm of the gas giants, both Voyagers became de facto envoys to interstellar space, having achieved solar escape velocity during their planetary flybys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From that point on, the Voyagers’ mission switched from being planetary explorers to becoming remote outposts measuring properties of the space around them—the speed and direction of the solar wind and associated magnetic fields, the activity of electrically charged particles flying by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think of the Voyagers as extremely remote weather stations, reporting back the “space weather” conditions as they coast to ever greater distances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many years, Voyager mission scientists studied the trickle of data beamed back from both spacecraft, waiting for the day when one or both might report a change in the particle or magnetic environment—a “shift in the wind” indicating a probe had entered interstellar space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In August 2012, Voyager 1 \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQMsvQkISiE&feature=youtu.be\">officially crossed over\u003c/a>, detecting a large increase in charged particles coming from interstellar space—particles that are normally deflected by the solar wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The difference between interstellar space and the bubble of solar wind surrounding the sun is subtle, and you wouldn’t notice a change with any human senses. In fact, in either case, human senses would report only empty space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with its sensitive particle and magnetic field detectors, Voyager 1 is giving us our first taste of what lies between the stars. The longer it stays in communication with us, the deeper into the galaxy we will probe.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921776/voyager-is-13-billion-miles-away-and-needs-a-repair-heres-what-happened",
"authors": [
"6180"
],
"categories": [
"science_28"
],
"tags": [
"science_3370",
"science_3419",
"science_5175",
"science_1028"
],
"featImg": "science_1921779",
"label": "source_science_1921776"
},
"science_1921801": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921801",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921801",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1522341421000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1522341421,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Astronomers Baffled by Distant Galaxy Void of Dark Matter",
"headTitle": "Astronomers Baffled by Distant Galaxy Void of Dark Matter | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>It’s a double cosmic conundrum: Lots of stuff that was already invisible has gone missing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers have found a distant galaxy where there is no dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dark matter\u003c/a> is called “dark” because it can’t be seen. It is the mysterious and invisible skeleton of the universe that scientists figure makes up about 27 percent of the cosmos. Scientists only know dark matter exists because they can observe how it pushes and pulls things they can see, like stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s supposed to be everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Yale University astronomer Pieter van Dokkum and colleagues spied a vast, old galaxy with relatively few stars where what you see truly is what you get. The galaxy’s stars are speeding around with no apparent influence from dark matter, according to a study published in Wednesday’s journal \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nature\u003c/a>. [contextly_sidebar id=”MmOrYQwYfx8hE0OAUtultNbXo6r5N9sn”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of shaking the very foundations of physics, scientists say this absence of dark matter may help prove the existence of, wait for it, dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not sure what to make of it, but it is definitely intriguing,” wrote Case Western Reserve astronomer Stacy McGaugh, who was not part of the study, in an email. “This is a weird galaxy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Van Dokkum studies diffuse galaxies, ones that cover enormous areas but have relatively few stars. To look for them he and colleagues built their own makeshift telescope out of 48 telephoto lenses that he first tested by using a toy flashlight to shine a light on a paper clip. The bug-eyed telescope, called \u003ca href=\"http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/instrumentation/dragonfly/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dragonfly\u003c/a>, peers into the sky from New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Big Galaxy, Few Stars\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nUsing Dragonfly, van Dokkum and colleagues found a large, sparse galaxy called NGC1052-DF2 in the northern constellation Cetus, also known as the whale. It’s as big as the Milky Way but with only one percent of its stars. Then they used larger telescopes on Hawaii and eventually the Hubble Space Telescope to study the galaxy.[contextly_sidebar id=”a2JbIeEdh2fZdDuHyKWdt2JHZ5wdOIDX”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though the galaxy is mostly empty, they found clusters of densely grouped stars. With measurements from the telescopes, van Dokkum and colleagues calculated how fast those clusters moved. If there were a normal amount of dark matter those clusters would be speeding around at about 67,000 mph. Instead, the clusters were moving at about 18,000 mph. That’s about how fast they would move if there were no dark matter at all, van Dokkum said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The team also calculated the total mass of the galaxy and found the stars account for everything, with little or no room left for dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I find this unlikely in all possible contexts,” said McGaugh, who is a proponent of a “modified gravity” theory that excludes the existence of dark matter altogether. “That doesn’t make it wrong, just really weird.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How could this absence of dark matter help prove that it exists? By potentially disproving modified gravity theories that suggest gravity acts in a way that the cosmos makes sense without dark matter. But those alternative theories require stars in this galaxy to zip at least twice as fast as they were seen moving in this study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternative Theories\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOther outside scientists said the initial look at the calculations appear to be correct, though the results are confounding. A galaxy with so few stars should have more dark matter than others, not none.[contextly_sidebar id=”zGz0llw9lkWJnoPPdIFeyZJDrxrxhcsa”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are very strong scientists and so I take the results very seriously,” said Marc Kamionkowski, a physicist at Johns Hopkins University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One outsider suggested that perhaps the “galaxy” van Dokkum studied is so diffuse that it may not really be a galaxy. Another suggested that the dark matter might just be outside of the area that van Dokkum measured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Van Dokkum dismissed both possibilities. “It’s sort of non-negotiable. There’s nothing else, just the stars,” he said. The only way this can be explained is if dark matter exists in the universe, just not in that galaxy, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no good explanation for why and how this galaxy has no dark matter, van Dokkum said. He proposed four different possibilities — all unproven. His favorite: That the galaxy formed in the very early universe in a way astronomers have never seen or understood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not so often you get a true surprise,” van Dokkum said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 767,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 21
},
"modified": 1704928062,
"excerpt": "Scientists say the \"weird\" finding may actually help to prove the existence of the mysterious substance.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Scientists say the "weird" finding may actually help to prove the existence of the mysterious substance.",
"title": "Astronomers Baffled by Distant Galaxy Void of Dark Matter | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Astronomers Baffled by Distant Galaxy Void of Dark Matter",
"datePublished": "2018-03-29T09:37:01-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:07:42-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "astronomers-baffled-by-distant-galaxy-void-of-dark-matter",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Seth Borenstein\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"path": "/science/1921801/astronomers-baffled-by-distant-galaxy-void-of-dark-matter",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s a double cosmic conundrum: Lots of stuff that was already invisible has gone missing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers have found a distant galaxy where there is no dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dark matter\u003c/a> is called “dark” because it can’t be seen. It is the mysterious and invisible skeleton of the universe that scientists figure makes up about 27 percent of the cosmos. Scientists only know dark matter exists because they can observe how it pushes and pulls things they can see, like stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s supposed to be everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Yale University astronomer Pieter van Dokkum and colleagues spied a vast, old galaxy with relatively few stars where what you see truly is what you get. The galaxy’s stars are speeding around with no apparent influence from dark matter, according to a study published in Wednesday’s journal \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nature\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of shaking the very foundations of physics, scientists say this absence of dark matter may help prove the existence of, wait for it, dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not sure what to make of it, but it is definitely intriguing,” wrote Case Western Reserve astronomer Stacy McGaugh, who was not part of the study, in an email. “This is a weird galaxy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Van Dokkum studies diffuse galaxies, ones that cover enormous areas but have relatively few stars. To look for them he and colleagues built their own makeshift telescope out of 48 telephoto lenses that he first tested by using a toy flashlight to shine a light on a paper clip. The bug-eyed telescope, called \u003ca href=\"http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/instrumentation/dragonfly/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dragonfly\u003c/a>, peers into the sky from New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Big Galaxy, Few Stars\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nUsing Dragonfly, van Dokkum and colleagues found a large, sparse galaxy called NGC1052-DF2 in the northern constellation Cetus, also known as the whale. It’s as big as the Milky Way but with only one percent of its stars. Then they used larger telescopes on Hawaii and eventually the Hubble Space Telescope to study the galaxy.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though the galaxy is mostly empty, they found clusters of densely grouped stars. With measurements from the telescopes, van Dokkum and colleagues calculated how fast those clusters moved. If there were a normal amount of dark matter those clusters would be speeding around at about 67,000 mph. Instead, the clusters were moving at about 18,000 mph. That’s about how fast they would move if there were no dark matter at all, van Dokkum said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The team also calculated the total mass of the galaxy and found the stars account for everything, with little or no room left for dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I find this unlikely in all possible contexts,” said McGaugh, who is a proponent of a “modified gravity” theory that excludes the existence of dark matter altogether. “That doesn’t make it wrong, just really weird.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How could this absence of dark matter help prove that it exists? By potentially disproving modified gravity theories that suggest gravity acts in a way that the cosmos makes sense without dark matter. But those alternative theories require stars in this galaxy to zip at least twice as fast as they were seen moving in this study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternative Theories\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOther outside scientists said the initial look at the calculations appear to be correct, though the results are confounding. A galaxy with so few stars should have more dark matter than others, not none.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are very strong scientists and so I take the results very seriously,” said Marc Kamionkowski, a physicist at Johns Hopkins University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One outsider suggested that perhaps the “galaxy” van Dokkum studied is so diffuse that it may not really be a galaxy. Another suggested that the dark matter might just be outside of the area that van Dokkum measured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Van Dokkum dismissed both possibilities. “It’s sort of non-negotiable. There’s nothing else, just the stars,” he said. The only way this can be explained is if dark matter exists in the universe, just not in that galaxy, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no good explanation for why and how this galaxy has no dark matter, van Dokkum said. He proposed four different possibilities — all unproven. His favorite: That the galaxy formed in the very early universe in a way astronomers have never seen or understood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not so often you get a true surprise,” van Dokkum said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921801/astronomers-baffled-by-distant-galaxy-void-of-dark-matter",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921801"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_1073",
"science_1272",
"science_309",
"science_577"
],
"featImg": "science_1921802",
"label": "source_science_1921801"
},
"science_1921653": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921653",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921653",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521830143000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521830143,
"format": "standard",
"title": "NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Marks 2,000th Day on Red Planet",
"headTitle": "NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Marks 2,000th Day on Red Planet | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has now marked 2,000 days \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1921142/coming-soon-to-a-planet-near-you-live-high-definition-video-from-mars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on the red planet.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s 2,000 days by Martian standards. A Martian sol, or solar day, is equivalent to 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds. So 2,000 days on Mars equal 2,055 days here on Earth.[contextly_sidebar id=”ejeTb7QB8zMSBTnREoHLcHJVYhkJBtEe”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Either way, it’s a big milestone this week for scientists eager for \u003ca href=\"https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Curiosity\u003c/a> to begin drilling again, this time into potentially clay-rich rocks on the slopes of Mount Sharp. The six-wheeled rover has traveled 11.6 miles since its arrival in 2012.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rover Opportunity, though, has Curiosity beat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, NASA’s busy Opportunity surpassed its 5,000 day on Mars. It’s been exploring Mars since 2004. NASA plans to send another robotic geologist to Mars in May. Named InSight, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1919368/nasas-insight-lander-takes-a-step-closer-to-a-may-launch-and-november-landing-on-mars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the lander will stay in one place\u003c/a> as a heat-measuring device burrows deep into the Martian terrain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curiosity’s flight controllers, meanwhile, are testing a new drilling method. The rover’s drill stopped working properly in 2016, and so engineers devised another way to bore into Martian rocks and get the pulverized rock samples into the rover’s lab instruments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 216,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 8
},
"modified": 1704928071,
"excerpt": "The six-wheeled rover has traveled 11.6 miles since its arrival in 2012.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The six-wheeled rover has traveled 11.6 miles since its arrival in 2012.",
"title": "NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Marks 2,000th Day on Red Planet | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Marks 2,000th Day on Red Planet",
"datePublished": "2018-03-23T11:35:43-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:07:51-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "nasas-mars-rover-curiosity-marks-2000th-day-on-red-planet",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Marcia Dunn\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"path": "/science/1921653/nasas-mars-rover-curiosity-marks-2000th-day-on-red-planet",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has now marked 2,000 days \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1921142/coming-soon-to-a-planet-near-you-live-high-definition-video-from-mars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on the red planet.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s 2,000 days by Martian standards. A Martian sol, or solar day, is equivalent to 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds. So 2,000 days on Mars equal 2,055 days here on Earth.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Either way, it’s a big milestone this week for scientists eager for \u003ca href=\"https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Curiosity\u003c/a> to begin drilling again, this time into potentially clay-rich rocks on the slopes of Mount Sharp. The six-wheeled rover has traveled 11.6 miles since its arrival in 2012.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rover Opportunity, though, has Curiosity beat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, NASA’s busy Opportunity surpassed its 5,000 day on Mars. It’s been exploring Mars since 2004. NASA plans to send another robotic geologist to Mars in May. Named InSight, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1919368/nasas-insight-lander-takes-a-step-closer-to-a-may-launch-and-november-landing-on-mars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the lander will stay in one place\u003c/a> as a heat-measuring device burrows deep into the Martian terrain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curiosity’s flight controllers, meanwhile, are testing a new drilling method. The rover’s drill stopped working properly in 2016, and so engineers devised another way to bore into Martian rocks and get the pulverized rock samples into the rover’s lab instruments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921653/nasas-mars-rover-curiosity-marks-2000th-day-on-red-planet",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921653"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_35",
"science_38",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_5179",
"science_5175",
"science_1272",
"science_3543",
"science_577"
],
"featImg": "science_1921654",
"label": "source_science_1921653"
},
"science_1921417": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921417",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921417",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521494299000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521494299,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Our 1st Interstellar Visitor Likely Came From a 2-Star System",
"headTitle": "Our 1st Interstellar Visitor Likely Came From a 2-Star System | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Our first known interstellar visitor likely came from a two-star system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the latest from astronomers who were amazed by the mysterious cigar-shaped object, detected as it passed through our inner solar system last fall.[contextly_sidebar id=”nefUdheDSXHnOcJbt6vj7wZSFqG71Xpv”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of Toronto’s Alan Jackson reported Monday that the asteroid — the first confirmed object in our solar system originating elsewhere — is probably from a binary star system. That’s where two stars orbit a common center. According to Jackson and his team, the asteroid was likely ejected from its system as planets formed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has been wandering interstellar space for a long time since,” the scientists wrote in the Royal Astronomical Society’s journal, \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/mnrasl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monthly Notices\u003c/a> .\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Discovered in October by a telescope in Hawaii millions of miles away, the asteroid is called Oumuamua, Hawaiian for messenger from afar arriving first, or scout. The red-tinged rock is estimated to be possibly 1,300 feet long and zooming away from the Earth and sun at more than 16 miles per second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, a science team led by Wesley Fraser of Queen’s University Belfast reported that Oumuamua is actually tumbling through space, likely the result of a collision with another asteroid or other object that kicked it out of its home solar system. He expects it to continue tumbling for billions of more years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists originally thought it might be an icy comet, but now agree it is an asteroid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The same way we use comets to better understand planet formation in our own solar system, maybe this curious object can tell us more about how planets form in other systems.” Jackson said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Close binary star systems may be the source of the majority of interstellar objects out there, both icy comets and rocky asteroids, according to the researchers.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 322,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 11
},
"modified": 1704928089,
"excerpt": "Astronomers were amazed by the mysterious cigar-shaped object that passed through last fall.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Astronomers were amazed by the mysterious cigar-shaped object that passed through last fall.",
"title": "Our 1st Interstellar Visitor Likely Came From a 2-Star System | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Our 1st Interstellar Visitor Likely Came From a 2-Star System",
"datePublished": "2018-03-19T14:18:19-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:08:09-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "our-1st-interstellar-visitor-likely-came-from-2-star-system",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Marcia Dunn\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"path": "/science/1921417/our-1st-interstellar-visitor-likely-came-from-2-star-system",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Our first known interstellar visitor likely came from a two-star system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the latest from astronomers who were amazed by the mysterious cigar-shaped object, detected as it passed through our inner solar system last fall.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of Toronto’s Alan Jackson reported Monday that the asteroid — the first confirmed object in our solar system originating elsewhere — is probably from a binary star system. That’s where two stars orbit a common center. According to Jackson and his team, the asteroid was likely ejected from its system as planets formed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has been wandering interstellar space for a long time since,” the scientists wrote in the Royal Astronomical Society’s journal, \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/mnrasl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monthly Notices\u003c/a> .\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Discovered in October by a telescope in Hawaii millions of miles away, the asteroid is called Oumuamua, Hawaiian for messenger from afar arriving first, or scout. The red-tinged rock is estimated to be possibly 1,300 feet long and zooming away from the Earth and sun at more than 16 miles per second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, a science team led by Wesley Fraser of Queen’s University Belfast reported that Oumuamua is actually tumbling through space, likely the result of a collision with another asteroid or other object that kicked it out of its home solar system. He expects it to continue tumbling for billions of more years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists originally thought it might be an icy comet, but now agree it is an asteroid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The same way we use comets to better understand planet formation in our own solar system, maybe this curious object can tell us more about how planets form in other systems.” Jackson said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Close binary star systems may be the source of the majority of interstellar objects out there, both icy comets and rocky asteroids, according to the researchers.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921417/our-1st-interstellar-visitor-likely-came-from-2-star-system",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921417"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_144",
"science_1073",
"science_25",
"science_576",
"science_577",
"science_3416"
],
"featImg": "science_1921418",
"label": "source_science_1921417"
},
"science_1920994": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1920994",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920994",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521210611000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521210611,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Did the Moon Come From a Giant Space Donut?",
"headTitle": "Did the Moon Come From a Giant Space Donut? | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>A new explanation for the moon’s origin is making the rounds: the moon may have formed inside the hot maelstrom of a young, freshly vaporized Earth following a cataclysmic walloping by another planet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The collision would have taken place about 4.5 billion years ago and resulted in the formation of an object called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/synestia-new-type-planetary-object/\">synestia\u003c/a>,” a swirling, hot, donut-shaped cloud of molten and vaporized rock bulging outward from its rapid spinning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fledgling Luna Pops Out\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017JE005333/abstract\">new theory\u003c/a>, proposed by researchers from the University of California, Davis and Harvard University, has the infant Moon forming within the hot cloud of the synestia, with blobs of molten rock clumping together by gravity and snowballing to ever greater proportions. There may even have been two smaller moons that formed in this way, which eventually merged into one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921050\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-800x384.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram comparing a normal planet, a planet with a debris disk or ring, and a synestia. \" width=\"800\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-800x384.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-160x77.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-768x369.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1020x490.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1920x922.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1180x567.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-960x461.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-240x115.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-375x180.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-520x250.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diagram comparing a normal planet, a planet with a debris disk or ring, and a synestia. \u003ccite>(Simon Lock/Harvard University and Sarah Stewart/UC Davis)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conditions within this protoplanetary womb would have been intense, with temperatures as high as 6,000 degrees F (a steel mill’s blast furnace operates at about 2,000 degrees F) and gas pressures of 10 atmospheres (equivalent to water pressure in the ocean at a depth of 300 feet).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, the greater bulk of the synestia — which would later become the Earth — cooled and shrank, its vaporized rock and metal condensing into liquid lava and pooling toward the center. As the synestia’s gases pulled back, the fledgling liquid moon emerged from the mists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The image of a baby bird poised at the edge of its nest before flying away comes to mind — sort of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Challenge to the Big Whack\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new idea challenges — or at least greatly modifies — the current leading contender in moon-origin theories, the “Giant Impact Hypothesis” — often referred to as “\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/origins2.html\">the Big Whack.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921051\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1921051\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech.jpg\" alt=\"Artist concept of a collision between two planets--in this case a hypothetical Moon-sized world impacting a Mercury-sized planet. Such a collision is believed to have occurred between the young Earth and another planet named Theia, resulting in the formation of the Moon.\" width=\"750\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-240x192.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-375x300.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-520x416.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist concept of a collision between two planets, in this case a hypothetical Moon-sized world impacting a Mercury-sized planet. Such a collision is believed to have occurred between the young Earth and another planet named Theia, giving birth to the Moon. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the Big Whack tale goes, the moon formed after the young Earth was struck by another planet, a Mars-sized object named Theia (from \u003ca href=\"http://mythology.net/greek/greek-gods/theia/\">Greek mythology\u003c/a>, the titan mother of Selene, the moon goddess).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “splash” from the giant impact is thought to have sent a pall of material into space, which formed a disk of debris that later coalesced to become the young moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/\">Rock samples\u003c/a> from several Apollo landing missions tell us that some of the moon’s composition matches the chemistry of Earth rock, a fact that supports both competing theories. The large size of Earth’s iron core may also be explained by the collision of two planets, with each object’s core merging into one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Splash Versus Smash\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with any effort to piece together the puzzle of the past from scant clues, peering back almost five billion years to the solar system’s chaotic beginnings and imagining how the young Earth and Moon came into existence is not easy detective work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though both the Giant Impact (Big Whack) and Earth-Synestia smash-up theories rely on a collision of two planets, the newer Earth-synestia theory has a couple of things going for it that the Big Whack does not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, for a Big Whack to splash out debris into a moon-forming disk, the collision would need to be a special-case glancing blow, while a synestia can result from a wide range of impact styles, from glancing strikes to a head-on collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, just like rolling a seven on a pair of dice is the most probable outcome in craps — because there are more possible combinations of die faces that yield 7 — a synestia is more likely to result from any given planet-on-planet smash-up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921052\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921052\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-800x807.jpg\" alt=\"James B. Irwin, Apollo 15 astronaut, collecting a sample of lunar soil. Apollo rock and soil samples revealed that the Moon is composed largely of material from Earth. \" width=\"800\" height=\"807\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-800x807.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-160x161.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-768x775.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1020x1029.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1920x1937.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1180x1190.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-960x968.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-240x242.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-375x378.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-520x525.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-32x32.jpg 32w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-64x64.jpg 64w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-96x96.jpg 96w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-128x128.jpg 128w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Irwin, Apollo 15 astronaut, collecting a sample of lunar soil. Apollo rock and soil samples revealed that the Moon is composed largely of material from Earth. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another strength of the new theory is that it better explains the Moon’s chemical makeup. Forming within the high-temperature crucible of the synestia would have supplied Earth-based rock and metal, but more volatile elements would have been baked away, yielding the moon’s distinct composition identified from the Apollo samples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, the synestia premise may be the best model to explain the moon we know today, but who knows? Someday another theory may crop up that puts both current contenders on notice, opening our imaginations to a scenario even more compelling than the splash of a planet-sized whack or a lunar birth from a giant donut of rock vapor.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 828,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 21
},
"modified": 1704928102,
"excerpt": "The moon may have formed inside a young, freshly vaporized Earth -- a 'synestia' created by a major planetary smash-up.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The moon may have formed inside a young, freshly vaporized Earth -- a 'synestia' created by a major planetary smash-up.",
"title": "Did the Moon Come From a Giant Space Donut? | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Did the Moon Come From a Giant Space Donut?",
"datePublished": "2018-03-16T07:30:11-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:08:22-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "did-the-moon-come-from-a-giant-space-donut",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Astronomy",
"path": "/science/1920994/did-the-moon-come-from-a-giant-space-donut",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A new explanation for the moon’s origin is making the rounds: the moon may have formed inside the hot maelstrom of a young, freshly vaporized Earth following a cataclysmic walloping by another planet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The collision would have taken place about 4.5 billion years ago and resulted in the formation of an object called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/synestia-new-type-planetary-object/\">synestia\u003c/a>,” a swirling, hot, donut-shaped cloud of molten and vaporized rock bulging outward from its rapid spinning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fledgling Luna Pops Out\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017JE005333/abstract\">new theory\u003c/a>, proposed by researchers from the University of California, Davis and Harvard University, has the infant Moon forming within the hot cloud of the synestia, with blobs of molten rock clumping together by gravity and snowballing to ever greater proportions. There may even have been two smaller moons that formed in this way, which eventually merged into one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921050\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-800x384.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram comparing a normal planet, a planet with a debris disk or ring, and a synestia. \" width=\"800\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-800x384.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-160x77.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-768x369.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1020x490.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1920x922.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-1180x567.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-960x461.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-240x115.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-375x180.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/synestia-simon-lock-and-sarah-stewart-520x250.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diagram comparing a normal planet, a planet with a debris disk or ring, and a synestia. \u003ccite>(Simon Lock/Harvard University and Sarah Stewart/UC Davis)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conditions within this protoplanetary womb would have been intense, with temperatures as high as 6,000 degrees F (a steel mill’s blast furnace operates at about 2,000 degrees F) and gas pressures of 10 atmospheres (equivalent to water pressure in the ocean at a depth of 300 feet).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, the greater bulk of the synestia — which would later become the Earth — cooled and shrank, its vaporized rock and metal condensing into liquid lava and pooling toward the center. As the synestia’s gases pulled back, the fledgling liquid moon emerged from the mists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The image of a baby bird poised at the edge of its nest before flying away comes to mind — sort of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Challenge to the Big Whack\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new idea challenges — or at least greatly modifies — the current leading contender in moon-origin theories, the “Giant Impact Hypothesis” — often referred to as “\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/origins2.html\">the Big Whack.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921051\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1921051\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech.jpg\" alt=\"Artist concept of a collision between two planets--in this case a hypothetical Moon-sized world impacting a Mercury-sized planet. Such a collision is believed to have occurred between the young Earth and another planet named Theia, resulting in the formation of the Moon.\" width=\"750\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-240x192.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-375x300.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/giantimpact-nasa-jpl-caltech-520x416.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist concept of a collision between two planets, in this case a hypothetical Moon-sized world impacting a Mercury-sized planet. Such a collision is believed to have occurred between the young Earth and another planet named Theia, giving birth to the Moon. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the Big Whack tale goes, the moon formed after the young Earth was struck by another planet, a Mars-sized object named Theia (from \u003ca href=\"http://mythology.net/greek/greek-gods/theia/\">Greek mythology\u003c/a>, the titan mother of Selene, the moon goddess).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “splash” from the giant impact is thought to have sent a pall of material into space, which formed a disk of debris that later coalesced to become the young moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/\">Rock samples\u003c/a> from several Apollo landing missions tell us that some of the moon’s composition matches the chemistry of Earth rock, a fact that supports both competing theories. The large size of Earth’s iron core may also be explained by the collision of two planets, with each object’s core merging into one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Splash Versus Smash\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with any effort to piece together the puzzle of the past from scant clues, peering back almost five billion years to the solar system’s chaotic beginnings and imagining how the young Earth and Moon came into existence is not easy detective work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though both the Giant Impact (Big Whack) and Earth-Synestia smash-up theories rely on a collision of two planets, the newer Earth-synestia theory has a couple of things going for it that the Big Whack does not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, for a Big Whack to splash out debris into a moon-forming disk, the collision would need to be a special-case glancing blow, while a synestia can result from a wide range of impact styles, from glancing strikes to a head-on collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, just like rolling a seven on a pair of dice is the most probable outcome in craps — because there are more possible combinations of die faces that yield 7 — a synestia is more likely to result from any given planet-on-planet smash-up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1921052\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1921052\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-800x807.jpg\" alt=\"James B. Irwin, Apollo 15 astronaut, collecting a sample of lunar soil. Apollo rock and soil samples revealed that the Moon is composed largely of material from Earth. \" width=\"800\" height=\"807\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-800x807.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-160x161.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-768x775.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1020x1029.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1920x1937.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-1180x1190.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-960x968.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-240x242.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-375x378.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-520x525.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-32x32.jpg 32w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-64x64.jpg 64w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-96x96.jpg 96w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-128x128.jpg 128w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/03/jamesBIrwin-nasa-apollo15-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Irwin, Apollo 15 astronaut, collecting a sample of lunar soil. Apollo rock and soil samples revealed that the Moon is composed largely of material from Earth. \u003ccite>(NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another strength of the new theory is that it better explains the Moon’s chemical makeup. Forming within the high-temperature crucible of the synestia would have supplied Earth-based rock and metal, but more volatile elements would have been baked away, yielding the moon’s distinct composition identified from the Apollo samples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, the synestia premise may be the best model to explain the moon we know today, but who knows? Someday another theory may crop up that puts both current contenders on notice, opening our imaginations to a scenario even more compelling than the splash of a planet-sized whack or a lunar birth from a giant donut of rock vapor.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1920994/did-the-moon-come-from-a-giant-space-donut",
"authors": [
"6180"
],
"categories": [
"science_28"
],
"tags": [
"science_3370",
"science_351"
],
"featImg": "science_1921048",
"label": "source_science_1920994"
},
"science_1921142": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921142",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921142",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521070056000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521070056,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Coming Soon to A Planet Near You: Live High Definition Video From Mars",
"headTitle": "Coming Soon to A Planet Near You: Live High Definition Video From Mars | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Nothing conveys the excitement of space exploration like pictures from another planet. Now NASA is planning to go one better than pictures. The space agency is aiming to launch a probe carrying a communication system that will let future missions to Mars transmit live, high definition video to Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So when the first person walks on Mars, the live video should be far better than what the world saw when Neil Armstrong \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stepped onto\u003c/a> the moon.[contextly_sidebar id=”D2rTkMI6kqRyw2z1YmwhSnLNdynahV9X”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA has already demonstrated it can now send high definition video from the moon. In 2013, NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2013/09/06/219560326/communications-gear-hit-ride-with-lunar-probe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported\u003c/a> on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/llcdfactsheet.final_.web_.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration\u003c/a> project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the name suggests, the system used laser light to transmit \u003ca href=\"https://sgss.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.php/media/7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a video\u003c/a> from the moon to Earth in real time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using light to transmit information at high speeds is nothing new. You might have fiber optic cables carrying the Internet to your house. But in space, light doesn’t travel by cable. A laser is used to send the light signals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending a signal from the moon is one thing. Sending one from Mars is much harder.[contextly_sidebar id=”WWOyqrBVSSpGe3p4wdTAaEf16M9VnpIU”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The biggest challenges, by far, have to do with distance,” says Kevin Kelly, CEO of LGS Innovations in Herndon, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. The moon is only about 240,000 miles from Earth. Mars is on average 140 million miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly’s company is building a part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/dsoc/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Deep Space Optical Communications\u003c/a> package NASA is planning to put on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/psyche/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Psyche\u003c/a> mission that will travel out past Mars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From Mars, Earth appears as a small dot. “Keeping [a laser] pointed in the right direction and receiving a strong signal is going to be a physics challenge for sure,” Kelly says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Laser Hiccup\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nThere’s one curious problem when pointing a laser from such a great distance. Even travelling at the speed of light, a laser beam can take as long as 20 minutes to go from the Earth to Mars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You may receive the signal from the Earth, but you can just point back in the direction that you got the signal from,” says David Israel, principal investigator on NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because by the time your transmission gets to where the Earth is, the Earth has moved out of the beam. You have to point it to where the Earth is going to be when the light signal arrives. This “point ahead” system is like throwing a pass to a receiver in football. If the receiver is running down the field, the quarterback has to throw it to where the receiver is going to be when the ball gets there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1919375\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 563px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1919375\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1.jpg\" alt=\"The first color image from the surface of Mars, July 21st, 1976.\" width=\"563\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1.jpg 563w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-160x146.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-240x218.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-375x341.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-520x473.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first color image from the surface of Mars, July 21st, 1976. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the challenges of deep space laser communications is capturing all the light that’s sent. To do that, NASA will be using the historic 200-inch Hale telescope on Mt. Palomar in California. The captured light will go into a detector that’s being built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The detectors can measure a single photon of light. “With these detectors we can detect these very faint signals that are going to coming back from this laser transmitter,” says JPL physicist Matt Shaw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA’s not just interested in using laser communication from deep space. Laser systems can transmit much more data than a radio signal, so they could replace traditional radios on spacecraft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Space Communication\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nAt MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, engineers are building a miniature system they’re planning to send into low Earth orbit space next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The data rates that we’re aiming for this demonstration are 200 gigabits per second, 200 billion bits per second,” says Brian Robinson, associate group leader of the optical communications technology group at the lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with a laser in low Earth orbit, you don’t need a big telescope to capture the photons. “Between 4 to 8 inches,” he says, “maybe as large as a foot. In other words, about the size of a hobbyist’s telescope.”[contextly_sidebar id=”SWYTOm2eLVbfs5f1wY7m6XehYoyJ6bGM”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using light to transmit data and video may be the future of space communications, but it’s actually quite an old idea. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor who brought us the telephone, built something called the \u003ca href=\"http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=235496&idkey=NONE&homeurl=http%3A%252F%252Fpatft.uspto.gov%252Fnetahtml%252FPTO%252Fpatimg.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">photophone\u003c/a> in the 1880s that transmitted sound using light from the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Bell demonstrated it right here in Washington, D.C., between a laboratory that was on the roof of a school just near the White House over to his laboratory that was just a few blocks away,” says LGS Innovations’ Kelly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk about an inventor ahead of his time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA plans to launch its new deep space laser communication system in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http://www.npr.org/\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Live+High+Definition+Video+From+Mars%3F+NASA+Is+Getting+Ready&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 845,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 24
},
"modified": 1704928111,
"excerpt": "Sending a signal from the moon is one thing. Sending one from Mars is much harder.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Sending a signal from the moon is one thing. Sending one from Mars is much harder.",
"title": "Coming Soon to A Planet Near You: Live High Definition Video From Mars | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Coming Soon to A Planet Near You: Live High Definition Video From Mars",
"datePublished": "2018-03-14T16:27:36-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:08:31-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "coming-soon-to-a-planet-near-you-live-high-definition-video-from-mars",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=592910837&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprStoryDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:14:00 -0400",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:03:03 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2018/03/14/592910837/live-high-definition-video-from-mars-nasa-is-getting-ready?ft=nprml&f=592910837",
"nprAudio": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2018/03/20180314_atc_live_high_definition_video_from_mars_nasa_is_getting_ready.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1026&aggIds=156490415&d=224&p=2&story=592910837&ft=nprml&f=592910837",
"nprImageAgency": "JPL-Caltech/Arizona State Univ./Space Systems Loral/Peter Rubin/NASA",
"source": "Astronomy ",
"nprAudioM3u": "http://api.npr.org/m3u/1593609991-e603d9.m3u?orgId=1&topicId=1026&aggIds=156490415&d=224&p=2&story=592910837&ft=nprml&f=592910837",
"nprStoryId": "592910837",
"nprByline": "Joe Palca\u003cbr />NPR All Tech Considered",
"sticky": false,
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:06:00 -0400",
"path": "/science/1921142/coming-soon-to-a-planet-near-you-live-high-definition-video-from-mars",
"audioUrl": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2018/03/20180314_atc_live_high_definition_video_from_mars_nasa_is_getting_ready.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1026&aggIds=156490415&d=224&p=2&story=592910837&ft=nprml&f=592910837",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Nothing conveys the excitement of space exploration like pictures from another planet. Now NASA is planning to go one better than pictures. The space agency is aiming to launch a probe carrying a communication system that will let future missions to Mars transmit live, high definition video to Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So when the first person walks on Mars, the live video should be far better than what the world saw when Neil Armstrong \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stepped onto\u003c/a> the moon.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA has already demonstrated it can now send high definition video from the moon. In 2013, NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2013/09/06/219560326/communications-gear-hit-ride-with-lunar-probe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported\u003c/a> on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/llcdfactsheet.final_.web_.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration\u003c/a> project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the name suggests, the system used laser light to transmit \u003ca href=\"https://sgss.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.php/media/7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a video\u003c/a> from the moon to Earth in real time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using light to transmit information at high speeds is nothing new. You might have fiber optic cables carrying the Internet to your house. But in space, light doesn’t travel by cable. A laser is used to send the light signals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending a signal from the moon is one thing. Sending one from Mars is much harder.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The biggest challenges, by far, have to do with distance,” says Kevin Kelly, CEO of LGS Innovations in Herndon, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. The moon is only about 240,000 miles from Earth. Mars is on average 140 million miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly’s company is building a part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/dsoc/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Deep Space Optical Communications\u003c/a> package NASA is planning to put on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/psyche/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Psyche\u003c/a> mission that will travel out past Mars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From Mars, Earth appears as a small dot. “Keeping [a laser] pointed in the right direction and receiving a strong signal is going to be a physics challenge for sure,” Kelly says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Laser Hiccup\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nThere’s one curious problem when pointing a laser from such a great distance. Even travelling at the speed of light, a laser beam can take as long as 20 minutes to go from the Earth to Mars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You may receive the signal from the Earth, but you can just point back in the direction that you got the signal from,” says David Israel, principal investigator on NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because by the time your transmission gets to where the Earth is, the Earth has moved out of the beam. You have to point it to where the Earth is going to be when the light signal arrives. This “point ahead” system is like throwing a pass to a receiver in football. If the receiver is running down the field, the quarterback has to throw it to where the receiver is going to be when the ball gets there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1919375\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 563px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1919375\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1.jpg\" alt=\"The first color image from the surface of Mars, July 21st, 1976.\" width=\"563\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1.jpg 563w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-160x146.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-240x218.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-375x341.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/01/firstcolorimageviking1-520x473.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first color image from the surface of Mars, July 21st, 1976. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the challenges of deep space laser communications is capturing all the light that’s sent. To do that, NASA will be using the historic 200-inch Hale telescope on Mt. Palomar in California. The captured light will go into a detector that’s being built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The detectors can measure a single photon of light. “With these detectors we can detect these very faint signals that are going to coming back from this laser transmitter,” says JPL physicist Matt Shaw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA’s not just interested in using laser communication from deep space. Laser systems can transmit much more data than a radio signal, so they could replace traditional radios on spacecraft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Space Communication\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nAt MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, engineers are building a miniature system they’re planning to send into low Earth orbit space next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The data rates that we’re aiming for this demonstration are 200 gigabits per second, 200 billion bits per second,” says Brian Robinson, associate group leader of the optical communications technology group at the lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with a laser in low Earth orbit, you don’t need a big telescope to capture the photons. “Between 4 to 8 inches,” he says, “maybe as large as a foot. In other words, about the size of a hobbyist’s telescope.”\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using light to transmit data and video may be the future of space communications, but it’s actually quite an old idea. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor who brought us the telephone, built something called the \u003ca href=\"http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=235496&idkey=NONE&homeurl=http%3A%252F%252Fpatft.uspto.gov%252Fnetahtml%252FPTO%252Fpatimg.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">photophone\u003c/a> in the 1880s that transmitted sound using light from the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Bell demonstrated it right here in Washington, D.C., between a laboratory that was on the roof of a school just near the White House over to his laboratory that was just a few blocks away,” says LGS Innovations’ Kelly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk about an inventor ahead of his time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA plans to launch its new deep space laser communication system in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http://www.npr.org/\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Live+High+Definition+Video+From+Mars%3F+NASA+Is+Getting+Ready&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921142/coming-soon-to-a-planet-near-you-live-high-definition-video-from-mars",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921142"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_35",
"science_3151",
"science_3424",
"science_40",
"science_86"
],
"tags": [
"science_5179",
"science_351",
"science_5175",
"science_577",
"science_461"
],
"featImg": "science_1921143",
"label": "source_science_1921142"
},
"science_1921133": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921133",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921133",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521059818000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521059818,
"format": "standard",
"title": "The Universe According To Albert Einstein",
"headTitle": "The Universe According To Albert Einstein | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Albert Einstein \u003ca href=\"http://einsteinpapers.press.princeton.edu/vol1-doc/69\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">would have been 139 years old Wednesday\u003c/a>. Happy Birthday!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Einstein’s science, and general views on humanity, have profoundly changed the way we see ourselves and the world we live in. He was not faultless, as no human is. He was an absent father and unfaithful husband. He lived in very different times, and — right or wrong from our current standards — we must analyze facts within their cultural context. Einstein epitomizes the intellectual freedom and courageous creativity that, combined with an unbeatable work ethic, defines true genius.[contextly_sidebar id=”vN9YATQGU7BoSj3Jy3gO1Jf0zTYeouMY”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To shake the foundations of knowledge one needs at least two things: to believe deeply in his ideas and to have the courage to go against the established order. In the sciences, to be successful in shaking the foundations of knowledge so as to promote change, one also needs to be right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trailblazer\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhen Einstein came into the science scene at the turn of the 20th century, physics was in crisis. The physics developed from Galileo up to 1899 had three pillars: mechanics, electromagnetism and thermodynamics, the study of heat. And the three pillars were on shaky ground, as physicists couldn’t use them to explain a series of phenomena that had been recently discovered in the lab and in the skies. New ideas were badly needed, but not much was coming forth. It was the perfect moment for a trailblazer.[contextly_sidebar id=”qqjKekIIshGd4WKBMzxIowvPsormcqKm”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, there was trouble with light and its propagation. After a debate that lasted for centuries, people were convinced that light was a wave. (The other option, defended by Issac Newton, was that light was made of little bulletlike particles.) That being the case, and as with any other wave, light had to propagate in a material medium. Water waves, for example, travel in water; sound waves in air. Light? Well, for us to see light from distant stars, the medium had to be transparent. It also had to be very light so as not to slow down the orbits of planets. Finally, it had to be very rigid, so as to allow for the propagation of very fast waves: It was well-known by then that light traveled at about 186,000 miles per second in empty space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What kind of medium could this be? Stumped, the greatest physicists of the 19th century came up with a wild idea: Imagine that all of space is filled with an imponderable medium called the ether. What it was, no one knew. Its sole purpose was to allow light to propagate. With hindsight, we could call it magical stuff. Even as attempts to find it failed, physicists would not let go. The alternative, having light propagating in empty space, sounded even crazier.[contextly_sidebar id=”HXTnz2DVxc4UotpOF75lD1Q0EGQNgWjq”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enter Einstein. In 1905, he proposes his special theory of relativity, whereby he singlehandedly destroyed the notions of absolute space and time, and the need for an ether. According to the theory, now one of the greatest success stories in the history of thought, the notions of space as a rigid stage at which things just happen and of time as a steadily flowing river, are just an illusion caused by our myopic view of reality. And it’s all light’s fault.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Space would only be a rigid stage and time would only be a steady river if light could travel from Point A to Point B instantaneously. (That is if light traveled with an infinite speed.) But it doesn’t. Our illusion is corrected once we incorporate the fact that light has a finite speed of propagation, even if it’s so ridiculously high. (In fact, it is its enormous value that makes our illusions so persistent and convincing.) Once the correction is factored into our studies of motion, everything changes. An observer at rest that measures the length of a moving bus will obtain a different result from the passengers in the bus. To her, the moving bus will be shorter. If she also saw a clock attached to the bus, she would notice that the seconds pass slower for it than for the watch on her wrist. Amazed, she would conclude that moving objects shorten in the direction of their motion and that moving clocks tick slower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15531 alignnone\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2014/03/15530-thumb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"624\" height=\"415\">The effects, called length contraction and time dilation, become more pronounced as the speed of the moving object approaches the speed of light. Remarkably, Einstein also showed, in a second paper he wrote that same year, that no object with mass could ever reach the speed of light. Mass itself grows with speed and becomes infinitely large at the speed of light. Only light itself, or another entity with no mass, could travel at light speed. And by the way, all this is perfectly consistent with light traveling in empty space. No ether. Light is like nothing else in the cosmos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1915, Einstein expanded his theory to include motions with variable speeds (i.e., with acceleration). His theory of general relativity, arguably one of the towering achievements of the human intellect, imprinted the plasticity of space and time into the fabric of the universe itself. Now, the presence of any material object (or merely energy) could bend space and alter the flow of time. Space and time became literally pliable. For example, a light ray from a distant star would be deviated from a straight line as it passed by the sun. (It does as it passes by you, too, but the bending is so small as to be literally immeasurable.) In 1919, two expeditions were sent to test Einstein’s prediction of this phenomenon. Their data, despite bad weather and measurement issues, were conclusive: Einstein was right.[contextly_sidebar id=”kgXU8Ok5VQvxvsAezFDVnCbOYz2zhstN”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later on, Einstein’s prediction for the flow of time was also confirmed: Time slows down in strong gravity. A clock on the top of the Empire State Building ticks faster than one on the ground. But the effect is tiny: If you were to spend your lifetime on top of the Empire State Building \u003ca href=\"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8020988/Einsteins-theory-of-relativity-works-on-a-human-scale-the-higher-you-are-the-faster-you-age.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">you would lose 104 millionths of a second\u003c/a>. Even more fun: In a 79-year lifetime, the cells in your brain age faster than those in your feet by about 45 billionths of a second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Einstein was the first to apply his ideas of space and time plasticity to the universe as a whole. In 1919, he devised a model for the entire universe: a static, spherical, perfectly symmetric cosmos, with matter homogeneously distributed everywhere, reflecting a mix of Platonic perfection and of Ockham’s Razor. That first model, even if wrong, became the inspiration for all the work on modern cosmology that followed it, including the now widely-accepted \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/big-bang-model\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Big Bang\u003c/a> model, whereby the universe emerged from an event 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding and cooling ever since. \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/black-holes\">Black holes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/what-are-gw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gravitational waves\u003c/a>, all of this follows from Einstein’s general theory. Oh yes, and so does the accuracy of your GPS, which \u003ca href=\"http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast162/Unit5/gps.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">needs elements from both the special and the general theories\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remarkably, all this relativity stuff was only one of Einstein’s playgrounds. The other, his muse and demon, was quantum theory. Next week, I’ll take it up from here, and explain why Einstein got his Nobel prize for his ideas on the nature of light (being both a wave and a particle) and not for relativity. And why he was haunted by the quantum ghost to the end of his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Note:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cem> As this article was being edited, we learned of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/13/221053162/stephen-hawking-who-awed-both-scientists-and-the-public-dies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cem>Stephen Hawking’s passing\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. An uncanny coincidence, he was fond of telling that he was born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death; and now, he passes away on the 139th anniversary of Einstein’s birth.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Stephen Hawking was one of those rare life heroes who shone above all of us as a beacon. Not just as a brilliant physicist whose contributions to our understanding of the universe and of black holes will remain forever in the annals of science, but also as a life-loving, amazingly resilient person. He had the generosity of heart to share his knowledge and inspire millions of readers around the globe. His love for life must be celebrated and remembered by all of us, scientists or not.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marcelo Gleiser is a theoretical physicist and writer — and a professor of natural philosophy, physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. He is the director of the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://ice.dartmouth.edu\">Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement\u003c/a>\u003cem> at Dartmouth, co-founder of 13.7 and an active promoter of science to the general public. His latest book is \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://marcelogleiser.com/books/the-simple-beauty-of-the-unexpected-a-natural-philosophers-quest-for-trout-and-the-meaning-of-everything\">The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected: A Natural Philosopher’s Quest for Trout and the Meaning of Everything\u003c/a>\u003cem>. You can keep up with Marcelo on \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://goo.gl/93dHI\">Facebook\u003c/a>\u003cem> and Twitter: \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/#!/mgleiser\">@mgleiser\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+Universe+According+To+Albert+Einstein%3A+Relativity&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1503,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 18
},
"modified": 1704928113,
"excerpt": "When Einstein, born 139 years ago on Wednesday, came onto the science scene, physics was in crisis. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "When Einstein, born 139 years ago on Wednesday, came onto the science scene, physics was in crisis. ",
"title": "The Universe According To Albert Einstein | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Universe According To Albert Einstein",
"datePublished": "2018-03-14T13:36:58-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:08:33-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-universe-according-to-albert-einstein",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=593156411&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprByline": "Marcelo Gleiser\u003cbr />NPR Cosmos & Culture",
"nprStoryDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 11:17:00 -0400",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:28:27 -0400",
"sticky": false,
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2018/03/14/593156411/the-universe-according-to-albert-einstein-relativity?ft=nprml&f=593156411",
"nprImageAgency": "Bettmann Archive",
"nprImageCredit": "Bettmann",
"source": "Physics",
"nprStoryId": "593156411",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:28:00 -0400",
"path": "/science/1921133/the-universe-according-to-albert-einstein",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Albert Einstein \u003ca href=\"http://einsteinpapers.press.princeton.edu/vol1-doc/69\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">would have been 139 years old Wednesday\u003c/a>. Happy Birthday!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Einstein’s science, and general views on humanity, have profoundly changed the way we see ourselves and the world we live in. He was not faultless, as no human is. He was an absent father and unfaithful husband. He lived in very different times, and — right or wrong from our current standards — we must analyze facts within their cultural context. Einstein epitomizes the intellectual freedom and courageous creativity that, combined with an unbeatable work ethic, defines true genius.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To shake the foundations of knowledge one needs at least two things: to believe deeply in his ideas and to have the courage to go against the established order. In the sciences, to be successful in shaking the foundations of knowledge so as to promote change, one also needs to be right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trailblazer\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhen Einstein came into the science scene at the turn of the 20th century, physics was in crisis. The physics developed from Galileo up to 1899 had three pillars: mechanics, electromagnetism and thermodynamics, the study of heat. And the three pillars were on shaky ground, as physicists couldn’t use them to explain a series of phenomena that had been recently discovered in the lab and in the skies. New ideas were badly needed, but not much was coming forth. It was the perfect moment for a trailblazer.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, there was trouble with light and its propagation. After a debate that lasted for centuries, people were convinced that light was a wave. (The other option, defended by Issac Newton, was that light was made of little bulletlike particles.) That being the case, and as with any other wave, light had to propagate in a material medium. Water waves, for example, travel in water; sound waves in air. Light? Well, for us to see light from distant stars, the medium had to be transparent. It also had to be very light so as not to slow down the orbits of planets. Finally, it had to be very rigid, so as to allow for the propagation of very fast waves: It was well-known by then that light traveled at about 186,000 miles per second in empty space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What kind of medium could this be? Stumped, the greatest physicists of the 19th century came up with a wild idea: Imagine that all of space is filled with an imponderable medium called the ether. What it was, no one knew. Its sole purpose was to allow light to propagate. With hindsight, we could call it magical stuff. Even as attempts to find it failed, physicists would not let go. The alternative, having light propagating in empty space, sounded even crazier.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enter Einstein. In 1905, he proposes his special theory of relativity, whereby he singlehandedly destroyed the notions of absolute space and time, and the need for an ether. According to the theory, now one of the greatest success stories in the history of thought, the notions of space as a rigid stage at which things just happen and of time as a steadily flowing river, are just an illusion caused by our myopic view of reality. And it’s all light’s fault.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Space would only be a rigid stage and time would only be a steady river if light could travel from Point A to Point B instantaneously. (That is if light traveled with an infinite speed.) But it doesn’t. Our illusion is corrected once we incorporate the fact that light has a finite speed of propagation, even if it’s so ridiculously high. (In fact, it is its enormous value that makes our illusions so persistent and convincing.) Once the correction is factored into our studies of motion, everything changes. An observer at rest that measures the length of a moving bus will obtain a different result from the passengers in the bus. To her, the moving bus will be shorter. If she also saw a clock attached to the bus, she would notice that the seconds pass slower for it than for the watch on her wrist. Amazed, she would conclude that moving objects shorten in the direction of their motion and that moving clocks tick slower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15531 alignnone\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2014/03/15530-thumb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"624\" height=\"415\">The effects, called length contraction and time dilation, become more pronounced as the speed of the moving object approaches the speed of light. Remarkably, Einstein also showed, in a second paper he wrote that same year, that no object with mass could ever reach the speed of light. Mass itself grows with speed and becomes infinitely large at the speed of light. Only light itself, or another entity with no mass, could travel at light speed. And by the way, all this is perfectly consistent with light traveling in empty space. No ether. Light is like nothing else in the cosmos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1915, Einstein expanded his theory to include motions with variable speeds (i.e., with acceleration). His theory of general relativity, arguably one of the towering achievements of the human intellect, imprinted the plasticity of space and time into the fabric of the universe itself. Now, the presence of any material object (or merely energy) could bend space and alter the flow of time. Space and time became literally pliable. For example, a light ray from a distant star would be deviated from a straight line as it passed by the sun. (It does as it passes by you, too, but the bending is so small as to be literally immeasurable.) In 1919, two expeditions were sent to test Einstein’s prediction of this phenomenon. Their data, despite bad weather and measurement issues, were conclusive: Einstein was right.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later on, Einstein’s prediction for the flow of time was also confirmed: Time slows down in strong gravity. A clock on the top of the Empire State Building ticks faster than one on the ground. But the effect is tiny: If you were to spend your lifetime on top of the Empire State Building \u003ca href=\"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8020988/Einsteins-theory-of-relativity-works-on-a-human-scale-the-higher-you-are-the-faster-you-age.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">you would lose 104 millionths of a second\u003c/a>. Even more fun: In a 79-year lifetime, the cells in your brain age faster than those in your feet by about 45 billionths of a second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Einstein was the first to apply his ideas of space and time plasticity to the universe as a whole. In 1919, he devised a model for the entire universe: a static, spherical, perfectly symmetric cosmos, with matter homogeneously distributed everywhere, reflecting a mix of Platonic perfection and of Ockham’s Razor. That first model, even if wrong, became the inspiration for all the work on modern cosmology that followed it, including the now widely-accepted \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/big-bang-model\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Big Bang\u003c/a> model, whereby the universe emerged from an event 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding and cooling ever since. \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/black-holes\">Black holes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/what-are-gw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gravitational waves\u003c/a>, all of this follows from Einstein’s general theory. Oh yes, and so does the accuracy of your GPS, which \u003ca href=\"http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast162/Unit5/gps.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">needs elements from both the special and the general theories\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remarkably, all this relativity stuff was only one of Einstein’s playgrounds. The other, his muse and demon, was quantum theory. Next week, I’ll take it up from here, and explain why Einstein got his Nobel prize for his ideas on the nature of light (being both a wave and a particle) and not for relativity. And why he was haunted by the quantum ghost to the end of his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Note:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cem> As this article was being edited, we learned of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/13/221053162/stephen-hawking-who-awed-both-scientists-and-the-public-dies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cem>Stephen Hawking’s passing\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. An uncanny coincidence, he was fond of telling that he was born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death; and now, he passes away on the 139th anniversary of Einstein’s birth.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Stephen Hawking was one of those rare life heroes who shone above all of us as a beacon. Not just as a brilliant physicist whose contributions to our understanding of the universe and of black holes will remain forever in the annals of science, but also as a life-loving, amazingly resilient person. He had the generosity of heart to share his knowledge and inspire millions of readers around the globe. His love for life must be celebrated and remembered by all of us, scientists or not.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marcelo Gleiser is a theoretical physicist and writer — and a professor of natural philosophy, physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. He is the director of the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://ice.dartmouth.edu\">Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement\u003c/a>\u003cem> at Dartmouth, co-founder of 13.7 and an active promoter of science to the general public. His latest book is \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://marcelogleiser.com/books/the-simple-beauty-of-the-unexpected-a-natural-philosophers-quest-for-trout-and-the-meaning-of-everything\">The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected: A Natural Philosopher’s Quest for Trout and the Meaning of Everything\u003c/a>\u003cem>. You can keep up with Marcelo on \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://goo.gl/93dHI\">Facebook\u003c/a>\u003cem> and Twitter: \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/#!/mgleiser\">@mgleiser\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+Universe+According+To+Albert+Einstein%3A+Relativity&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921133/the-universe-according-to-albert-einstein",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921133"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_33",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_42"
],
"tags": [
"science_672",
"science_309",
"science_577"
],
"featImg": "science_1921134",
"label": "source_science_1921133"
},
"science_1921090": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1921090",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1921090",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1521001500000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1521001500,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Scientists and the Public, Dies at 76",
"headTitle": "Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Scientists and the Public, Dies at 76 | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>There aren’t very many scientists who achieved rock-star status. Stephen Hawking, who has died at the age of 76, family members told British media early Wednesday, was definitely a contender.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” the family statement said, according to The Guardian. “His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world. He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him for ever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hawking was probably the best-known scientist in the world. He was a theoretical physicist whose early work on black holes transformed how scientists think about the nature of the universe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But his fame wasn’t just a result of his research. Hawking, who suffered from a debilitating neurological disease that made it impossible for him to move his limbs or speak, was also a popular public figure and best-selling author. There was even a biopic about his life, The Theory of Everything, that won an Oscar for the actor, Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Hawking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wide Appeal And A Sense Of Humor\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he came to scientific conferences, the audience hung on every word. And it wasn’t just the scientists who stood in awe: the general public flocked to him as well. His popular book about his work was a huge best-seller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He agreed that that book, Brief History of Time, was probably the least-read, most-bought book ever,” says Leonard Mlodinow, a physicist and science writer at the California Institute of Technology. Mlodinow collaborated with Hawking on a less technical version of Hawking’s first book, called A Briefer History of Time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That title hints at what Mlodinow says was a central part of his character — Hawking’s sense of humor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As hard as it was for him to communicate, he would sit there sometimes, and would take five or six minutes to be typing something out,” Mlodinow says. “And then when he hit speak, and his system voices his words, it would be a joke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That sense of humor, along with his fame, allowed Hawking to land some pretty unusual gigs for a physicist. He appeared on The Simpsons several times — as well as on a number of other popular shows, including Futurama and Star Trek, The Next Generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one episode of The Simpsons, Hawking showed a willingness to poke fun at himself — and, in a way, the entire culture of science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your theory of a donut-shaped universe is intriguing, Homer,” Hawking tells Homer Simpson. “I may have to steal it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Changing Our Understanding Of Physics\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what did this man who re-envisioned the universe really do? What was his science all about?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at the Arizona State University and a friend and colleague of Hawking’s, says that at a young age, Hawking discovered something “truly remarkable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Karuss says before Hawking, physicists thought that the immense gravity of a black hole would draw everything in and nothing could escape. But by combining quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity, Hawking showed something astonishing: That theoretically, at least, some kind of particle had to defy what physicists classically expected from gravity, and radiate out of black holes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That radiation is now called Hawking radiation,” Krauss told NPR in 2012. “And it changed everything about the way we think about gravity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krauss says Hawking pointed out a fundamental problem with the way physicists understand our world — a problem that Krauss says has yet to be resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And therefore,” Krauss says, “his influence and his legacy is quite profound.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Toward the end of his life, Hawking’s disease left him virtually paralyzed. It took an enormous effort for Hawking to communicate, using the tiny movements he could make to control a computer interface. It’s tempting to say that Hawking achieved his fame in spite of his physical challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a way, Hawking’s physical challenges may have contributed to his mental prowess, says Kip Thorne, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology who frequently collaborated with Hawking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was because of this handicap that he developed new ways of thinking,” Thorne says, “new ways of wrapping his brain around things that enabled him to out-think anybody else in the field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And he out-thought people with great regularity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Free From Gravity\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout his life, Hawking was up for a challenge. For example, in 2007, he accepted an offer from Zero G Corporation to experience weightlessness. The company uses a plane that climbs and then dives in such a way that for 25 seconds at a time, everyone inside the plane is weightless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a news conference before his flight, Hawking said, “I have been wheelchair-bound for almost four decades, and the chance to float in zero-G will be wonderful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pictures taken during the flight show what appears to be a very happy physicist floating, chair-free, around the plane’s cabin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fitting, really, for the scientist who changed the way we think of gravity to spend a few minutes of his life without it. [Copyright 2018 NPR]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Image Credit: Sion Touhig/Getty Images\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 929,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 31
},
"modified": 1704928119,
"excerpt": "The rock star scientist inspired people the world over with his brilliance and humor.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The rock star scientist inspired people the world over with his brilliance and humor.",
"title": "Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Scientists and the Public, Dies at 76 | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Scientists and the Public, Dies at 76",
"datePublished": "2018-03-13T21:25:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:08:39-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "stephen-hawking-who-awed-scientists-and-the-public-dies-at-76",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Joe Palca, NPR",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Science News",
"path": "/science/1921090/stephen-hawking-who-awed-scientists-and-the-public-dies-at-76",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There aren’t very many scientists who achieved rock-star status. Stephen Hawking, who has died at the age of 76, family members told British media early Wednesday, was definitely a contender.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” the family statement said, according to The Guardian. “His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world. He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him for ever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hawking was probably the best-known scientist in the world. He was a theoretical physicist whose early work on black holes transformed how scientists think about the nature of the universe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But his fame wasn’t just a result of his research. Hawking, who suffered from a debilitating neurological disease that made it impossible for him to move his limbs or speak, was also a popular public figure and best-selling author. There was even a biopic about his life, The Theory of Everything, that won an Oscar for the actor, Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Hawking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wide Appeal And A Sense Of Humor\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he came to scientific conferences, the audience hung on every word. And it wasn’t just the scientists who stood in awe: the general public flocked to him as well. His popular book about his work was a huge best-seller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He agreed that that book, Brief History of Time, was probably the least-read, most-bought book ever,” says Leonard Mlodinow, a physicist and science writer at the California Institute of Technology. Mlodinow collaborated with Hawking on a less technical version of Hawking’s first book, called A Briefer History of Time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That title hints at what Mlodinow says was a central part of his character — Hawking’s sense of humor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As hard as it was for him to communicate, he would sit there sometimes, and would take five or six minutes to be typing something out,” Mlodinow says. “And then when he hit speak, and his system voices his words, it would be a joke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That sense of humor, along with his fame, allowed Hawking to land some pretty unusual gigs for a physicist. He appeared on The Simpsons several times — as well as on a number of other popular shows, including Futurama and Star Trek, The Next Generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one episode of The Simpsons, Hawking showed a willingness to poke fun at himself — and, in a way, the entire culture of science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your theory of a donut-shaped universe is intriguing, Homer,” Hawking tells Homer Simpson. “I may have to steal it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Changing Our Understanding Of Physics\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what did this man who re-envisioned the universe really do? What was his science all about?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at the Arizona State University and a friend and colleague of Hawking’s, says that at a young age, Hawking discovered something “truly remarkable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Karuss says before Hawking, physicists thought that the immense gravity of a black hole would draw everything in and nothing could escape. But by combining quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity, Hawking showed something astonishing: That theoretically, at least, some kind of particle had to defy what physicists classically expected from gravity, and radiate out of black holes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That radiation is now called Hawking radiation,” Krauss told NPR in 2012. “And it changed everything about the way we think about gravity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krauss says Hawking pointed out a fundamental problem with the way physicists understand our world — a problem that Krauss says has yet to be resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And therefore,” Krauss says, “his influence and his legacy is quite profound.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Toward the end of his life, Hawking’s disease left him virtually paralyzed. It took an enormous effort for Hawking to communicate, using the tiny movements he could make to control a computer interface. It’s tempting to say that Hawking achieved his fame in spite of his physical challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a way, Hawking’s physical challenges may have contributed to his mental prowess, says Kip Thorne, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology who frequently collaborated with Hawking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was because of this handicap that he developed new ways of thinking,” Thorne says, “new ways of wrapping his brain around things that enabled him to out-think anybody else in the field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And he out-thought people with great regularity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Free From Gravity\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout his life, Hawking was up for a challenge. For example, in 2007, he accepted an offer from Zero G Corporation to experience weightlessness. The company uses a plane that climbs and then dives in such a way that for 25 seconds at a time, everyone inside the plane is weightless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a news conference before his flight, Hawking said, “I have been wheelchair-bound for almost four decades, and the chance to float in zero-G will be wonderful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pictures taken during the flight show what appears to be a very happy physicist floating, chair-free, around the plane’s cabin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fitting, really, for the scientist who changed the way we think of gravity to spend a few minutes of his life without it. [Copyright 2018 NPR]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Image Credit: Sion Touhig/Getty Images\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1921090/stephen-hawking-who-awed-scientists-and-the-public-dies-at-76",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1921090"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_40",
"science_42"
],
"tags": [
"science_3370"
],
"label": "source_science_1921090"
},
"science_1920458": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1920458",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920458",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1520004641000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1520004641,
"format": "image",
"title": "Cassini May Be Gone, But The Adventure Continues",
"headTitle": "Cassini May Be Gone, But The Adventure Continues | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Five months after the \u003ca href=\"https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/\">Cassini\u003c/a> spacecraft’s fiery burnup in Saturn’s atmosphere, the mission continues to make remarkable discoveries about the gas giant planet and its entourage of fascinating moons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A trove of data sent back to Earth over Cassini’s productive 13-year career remain as digital unexplored territory that scientists continue to investigate. It will be many years before \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/science/saturn-cassini-return.html\">another Saturn mission\u003c/a> is mounted, and Cassini’s posthumous bequest of data will not only deliver further rewards, it may help shape that next mission’s scientific goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest discovery comes from Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and adds to an \u003ca href=\"http://www.techtimes.com/articles/62131/20150622/how-similar-is-saturns-moon-titan-to-earth-let-us-count-the-ways-polar-winds-liquid-on-surface-and-more.htm\">impressive list of similarities\u003c/a> between this small world and the planet Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920467\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 580px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1920467 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl.jpg\" alt=\"Artist concept of possible future missions to Titan, including an orbiter, a "floating" probe designed to drift around Titan's methane seas, and a balloon-borne robotic explorer. \" width=\"580\" height=\"370\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl.jpg 580w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-240x153.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-375x239.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-520x332.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist concept of possible future missions to Titan, including an orbiter, a “floating” probe designed to drift around Titan’s methane seas, and a balloon-borne robotic explorer. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”qstjFGYeLO0pSJOpXWXFB0OYZU2E1DxO”]Precision measurements of the surface elevations of Titan’s three large liquid-methane seas reveal that they share a common “sea level.” That may not sound remarkable — until you learn that these three seas, unlike the four contiguous oceans on Earth, are not physically connected on the surface, but separated by dry land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Titan’s Liquid Surprises\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It may sound like a page from a far-out science fiction novel, but the fact that there is liquid flowing on Titan’s surface (and falling from its skies) is not new information. Inspiring to the imagination, yes, but not new.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”Im6Ln0SzC3PeVrYv6PMxj6EysrXSaKmb”]Early in Cassini’s mission following its 2004 arrival at Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft, as well as the European Huygens probe it sent to Titan’s surface, discovered networks of what looked like drainage channels feeding into wide, flat areas — later confirmed to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/cassini-explores-a-methane-sea-on-titan\">lakes and seas\u003c/a>. At Titan’s surface temperature of minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit, it was obvious that these were not rivers and seas of liquid water, but cryogenic liquid hydrocarbons, mainly methane and ethane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920468\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1920468\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-800x400.jpg\" alt=\"Sunlight reflecting off of Titan's liquid methane seas, as seen through Cassini. \" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-1180x590.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-960x480.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-240x120.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-375x188.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-520x260.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sunlight reflecting off of Titan’s liquid methane seas, as seen through Cassini. \u003ccite>( NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/University of Idaho)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/18dec_titanglint\">Flashes of sunlight\u003c/a> reflecting from sea surfaces also helped confirm the presence of the surface liquid. Further measurements of Titan’s atmosphere and its thick layer of hydrocarbon haze (natural smog) revealed a complete liquid cycle of precipitation (methane rain!), runoff, and pooling. In addition to the larger lakes and seas, smaller \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/08/19/where-else-in-the-universe-can-you-find-fjords-on-this-distant-moon/\">“alpine” lakes\u003c/a> were detected at higher elevations, in Titan’s mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Is Titan’s Crust Porous, Like a Sponge?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after over 13 years and 127 flybys of Titan, Cassini has revealed that Titan’s three large seas, Kraken Mare, Ligeia Mare, and Punga Mare, all share a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/cassini-finds-saturn-moon-has-sea-level-like-earth\">common surface sea level\u003c/a>, even though they appear physically separated by dry land—bedrock of water ice and frozen hydrocarbon compounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earth’s oceans are physically connected at the surface, forming one global body of water whose surface naturally seeks a common “equipotential surface” \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/geoid.html\">shaped by the forces\u003c/a> of Earth’s gravity and rotation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920469\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1920469\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-800x428.jpg\" alt=\"Cassini map of Titan's three large seas, and surrounding smaller lakes. \" width=\"800\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-800x428.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-768x411.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-240x128.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-375x201.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-520x278.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares.jpg 860w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassini map of Titan’s three large seas, and surrounding smaller lakes. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/USGS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Explaining Titan’s common sea level requires scratching beneath the surface a bit. Lacking any visible connections on the surface, Titan’s seas must be connected underground, maybe through a system of aquifers or networks of caves. \u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”OIs0CJLzkJl9od8bvIYzaCNTbmLdN2Sn”]While this liquid-leveling interaction between Titan’s seas may function differently than in Earth’s oceans, there is a connection to be made to some of Earth’s lakes. While lakes can be found at many different elevations above sea level on Earth (and Titan, for that matter), some pairs and groups of adjacent terrestrial lakes share common surface levels by “communicating” with each other through underground caves, aquifers, and ground water tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So not only has Cassini revealed something new about Titan from beyond the grave, the implications of the discovery tell us something about the composition and structure in Titan’s crust, beneath the surface: it is liquid-permeable over the vast region on which its three large seas rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also a reminder that while Titan may \u003ca href=\"http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2018/01/saturns-moon-titan-sports-earth-features\">resemble Earth in several ways\u003c/a>, it’s also a very alien world whose bedrock is water ice and frozen hydrocarbons and whose clouds, rain, rivers, lakes and seas are a frigid liquefied form of natural gas.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 783,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 17
},
"modified": 1704928151,
"excerpt": "Five months after Cassini's termination, the mission continues to make discoveries about the Saturn system.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Five months after Cassini's termination, the mission continues to make discoveries about the Saturn system.",
"title": "Cassini May Be Gone, But The Adventure Continues | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Cassini May Be Gone, But The Adventure Continues",
"datePublished": "2018-03-02T07:30:41-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:09:11-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "cassini-may-be-gone-but-the-adventure-continues",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1920458/cassini-may-be-gone-but-the-adventure-continues",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Five months after the \u003ca href=\"https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/\">Cassini\u003c/a> spacecraft’s fiery burnup in Saturn’s atmosphere, the mission continues to make remarkable discoveries about the gas giant planet and its entourage of fascinating moons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A trove of data sent back to Earth over Cassini’s productive 13-year career remain as digital unexplored territory that scientists continue to investigate. It will be many years before \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/science/saturn-cassini-return.html\">another Saturn mission\u003c/a> is mounted, and Cassini’s posthumous bequest of data will not only deliver further rewards, it may help shape that next mission’s scientific goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest discovery comes from Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and adds to an \u003ca href=\"http://www.techtimes.com/articles/62131/20150622/how-similar-is-saturns-moon-titan-to-earth-let-us-count-the-ways-polar-winds-liquid-on-surface-and-more.htm\">impressive list of similarities\u003c/a> between this small world and the planet Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920467\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 580px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1920467 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl.jpg\" alt=\"Artist concept of possible future missions to Titan, including an orbiter, a "floating" probe designed to drift around Titan's methane seas, and a balloon-borne robotic explorer. \" width=\"580\" height=\"370\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl.jpg 580w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-240x153.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-375x239.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/possiblefuturemissions-nasajpl-520x332.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist concept of possible future missions to Titan, including an orbiter, a “floating” probe designed to drift around Titan’s methane seas, and a balloon-borne robotic explorer. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>Precision measurements of the surface elevations of Titan’s three large liquid-methane seas reveal that they share a common “sea level.” That may not sound remarkable — until you learn that these three seas, unlike the four contiguous oceans on Earth, are not physically connected on the surface, but separated by dry land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Titan’s Liquid Surprises\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It may sound like a page from a far-out science fiction novel, but the fact that there is liquid flowing on Titan’s surface (and falling from its skies) is not new information. Inspiring to the imagination, yes, but not new.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>Early in Cassini’s mission following its 2004 arrival at Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft, as well as the European Huygens probe it sent to Titan’s surface, discovered networks of what looked like drainage channels feeding into wide, flat areas — later confirmed to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/cassini-explores-a-methane-sea-on-titan\">lakes and seas\u003c/a>. At Titan’s surface temperature of minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit, it was obvious that these were not rivers and seas of liquid water, but cryogenic liquid hydrocarbons, mainly methane and ethane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920468\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1920468\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-800x400.jpg\" alt=\"Sunlight reflecting off of Titan's liquid methane seas, as seen through Cassini. \" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-1180x590.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-960x480.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-240x120.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-375x188.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight-520x260.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/flashesofsunlight.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sunlight reflecting off of Titan’s liquid methane seas, as seen through Cassini. \u003ccite>( NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/University of Idaho)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/18dec_titanglint\">Flashes of sunlight\u003c/a> reflecting from sea surfaces also helped confirm the presence of the surface liquid. Further measurements of Titan’s atmosphere and its thick layer of hydrocarbon haze (natural smog) revealed a complete liquid cycle of precipitation (methane rain!), runoff, and pooling. In addition to the larger lakes and seas, smaller \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/08/19/where-else-in-the-universe-can-you-find-fjords-on-this-distant-moon/\">“alpine” lakes\u003c/a> were detected at higher elevations, in Titan’s mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Is Titan’s Crust Porous, Like a Sponge?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after over 13 years and 127 flybys of Titan, Cassini has revealed that Titan’s three large seas, Kraken Mare, Ligeia Mare, and Punga Mare, all share a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/cassini-finds-saturn-moon-has-sea-level-like-earth\">common surface sea level\u003c/a>, even though they appear physically separated by dry land—bedrock of water ice and frozen hydrocarbon compounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earth’s oceans are physically connected at the surface, forming one global body of water whose surface naturally seeks a common “equipotential surface” \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/geoid.html\">shaped by the forces\u003c/a> of Earth’s gravity and rotation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920469\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1920469\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-800x428.jpg\" alt=\"Cassini map of Titan's three large seas, and surrounding smaller lakes. \" width=\"800\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-800x428.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-768x411.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-240x128.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-375x201.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares-520x278.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/titans-mares.jpg 860w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassini map of Titan’s three large seas, and surrounding smaller lakes. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/USGS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Explaining Titan’s common sea level requires scratching beneath the surface a bit. Lacking any visible connections on the surface, Titan’s seas must be connected underground, maybe through a system of aquifers or networks of caves. \u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>While this liquid-leveling interaction between Titan’s seas may function differently than in Earth’s oceans, there is a connection to be made to some of Earth’s lakes. While lakes can be found at many different elevations above sea level on Earth (and Titan, for that matter), some pairs and groups of adjacent terrestrial lakes share common surface levels by “communicating” with each other through underground caves, aquifers, and ground water tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So not only has Cassini revealed something new about Titan from beyond the grave, the implications of the discovery tell us something about the composition and structure in Titan’s crust, beneath the surface: it is liquid-permeable over the vast region on which its three large seas rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also a reminder that while Titan may \u003ca href=\"http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2018/01/saturns-moon-titan-sports-earth-features\">resemble Earth in several ways\u003c/a>, it’s also a very alien world whose bedrock is water ice and frozen hydrocarbons and whose clouds, rain, rivers, lakes and seas are a frigid liquefied form of natural gas.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1920458/cassini-may-be-gone-but-the-adventure-continues",
"authors": [
"6180"
],
"categories": [
"science_28"
],
"tags": [
"science_498",
"science_3370",
"science_5175",
"science_502"
],
"featImg": "science_1920622",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1920581": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1920581",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920581",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1519951644000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1519951644,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Astronomers Glimpse Cosmic Dawn — When the Stars First Switched On",
"headTitle": "Astronomers Glimpse Cosmic Dawn — When the Stars First Switched On | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>After the Big Bang, it was cold and black. And then there was light. Now, for the first time, astronomers have glimpsed that dawn of the universe 13.6 billion years ago when the earliest stars were turning on the light in the cosmic darkness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if that’s not enough, they may have detected mysterious dark matter at work, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘If confirmed, this discovery deserves two Nobel Prizes.’\u003ccite>Avi Loeb, Astronomer\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>The glimpse consisted of a faint radio signal from deep space, picked up by an antenna that is slightly bigger than a refrigerator and costs less than $5 million but in certain ways can go back much farther in time and distance than the celebrated, multibillion-dollar Hubble Space Telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judd Bowman of Arizona State University, lead author of a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature, said the signal came from the very first objects in the universe as it was emerging out of darkness 180 million years after the Big Bang.[contextly_sidebar id=”jYUPSkU2tZwLi55vgQcexrim3lcYquVw”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing the universe just lighting up, even though it was only a faint signal, is even more important than the Big Bang because “we are made of star stuff, and so we are glimpsing at our origin,” said astronomer Richard Ellis, who was not involved in the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The signal showed unexpectedly cold temperatures and an unusually pronounced wave. When astronomers tried to figure out why, the best explanation was that elusive dark matter may have been at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If verified, that would be the first confirmation of its kind of dark matter, which is a substantial part of the universe that scientists have been searching for over decades.[contextly_sidebar id=”PmBWerFeR4tVqYlsxbEMobhjwtBFs999″]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If confirmed, this discovery deserves two Nobel Prizes” for both capturing the signal of the first stars and potential dark matter confirmation, said Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who wasn’t part of the research team. Cautioning that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” he said independent tests are needed to verify the findings.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘The only thing we know from this signal is that something very weird is going on.’\u003ccite>Rennan Barkana, Astrophysicist\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Bowman agreed independent tests are needed even though his team spent two years double- and triple-checking their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a time of the universe we really don’t know anything about,” Bowman said. He said the discovery is “like the first sentence” in an early chapter of the history of the cosmos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is nothing that astronomers could actually see. In fact, it’s all indirect, based on changes in the wavelengths produced by radio signals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Our Cosmic Origin\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nThe early universe was dark and cold, filled with just hydrogen and helium. Once stars formed, they emitted ultraviolet light into the dark areas between them. That ultraviolet light changes the energy signature of hydrogen atoms, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers looked at a specific wavelength. If there were stars and ultraviolet light, they would see one signature. If there were no stars, they would see another. They saw a clear but faint signal showing there were stars, probably many of them, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding that trace signal wasn’t easy because the Milky Way galaxy alone booms with radio wave noise 10,000 times louder, said Peter Kurczynski, advanced program technology director for the National Science Foundation, which helped fund the research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Finding the impact of the first stars in that cacophony would be like trying to hear the flap of a hummingbird’s wing from inside a hurricane,” Kurczynski said in an NSF video.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because the high end of the frequency they were looking in is the same as FM radio, the astronomers had to go to the Australian desert to escape interference. That was where they installed their antennas.[contextly_sidebar id=”XxM9A254Z8TSh5SKWxJ62eObPNsddh6D”]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They then labored to confirm what they found, in part by testing it against dummy signals in the lab, and it all showed that what they spotted was the existence of the first stars, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, the scientists know little about these early stars. They were probably hotter and simpler than modern stars, Ellis and Bowman said. But now that astronomers know where and how to look, others will confirm this and learn more, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The research does not establish exactly when these stars turned on, except that at 180 million years after the Big Bang, they were on. Scientists had come up with many different time periods for when the first stars switched on, and 180 million years fits with current theory, said Ellis, a professor at University College London.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When this signal was found and examined, it showed that the hydrogen between stars was “even colder than the coldest we thought possible,” said Rennan Barkana, a Tel Aviv University astrophysicist who wrote a companion study on the dark matter implications of the discovery. The researchers expected temperatures to be 10 degrees above absolute zero, but they were 5 degrees above absolute zero (minus 451 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 268 degrees Celsius).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only thing we know from this signal is that something very weird is going on,” Barkana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Enter Dark Matter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat seems likely is dark matter — which scientists have never seen interacting with anything — may be cooling that hydrogen, he said. Dark matter makes up about 27 percent of the universe, but scientists know little about it except that it’s not made of normal matter particles called baryons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have known dark matter exists, indirectly, through measurements based on gravity. If this interpretation of the data is correct, it would be the first confirmation of dark matter outside of gravity calculations, Barkana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also potentially reveals something new about the nature of dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the result is correct it constitutes an indirect detection of dark matter and, moreover suggests something of fundamental importance (its interaction with baryons),” Johns Hopkins University astrophysicist Marc Kamionkowski, who wasn’t part of the study, said in an email. “This therefore is about as important as you can get in cosmology.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1044,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 27
},
"modified": 1704928153,
"excerpt": "Astronomers have captured the signal of the very first stars while also possibly confirming dark matter. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Astronomers have captured the signal of the very first stars while also possibly confirming dark matter. ",
"title": "Astronomers Glimpse Cosmic Dawn — When the Stars First Switched On | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Astronomers Glimpse Cosmic Dawn — When the Stars First Switched On",
"datePublished": "2018-03-01T16:47:24-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:09:13-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "marking-breakthrough-astronomers-glimpse-cosmic-dawn-when-the-stars-switched-on",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Seth Borenstein\u003cbr />The Associated Press",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1920581/marking-breakthrough-astronomers-glimpse-cosmic-dawn-when-the-stars-switched-on",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After the Big Bang, it was cold and black. And then there was light. Now, for the first time, astronomers have glimpsed that dawn of the universe 13.6 billion years ago when the earliest stars were turning on the light in the cosmic darkness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if that’s not enough, they may have detected mysterious dark matter at work, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘If confirmed, this discovery deserves two Nobel Prizes.’\u003ccite>Avi Loeb, Astronomer\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>The glimpse consisted of a faint radio signal from deep space, picked up by an antenna that is slightly bigger than a refrigerator and costs less than $5 million but in certain ways can go back much farther in time and distance than the celebrated, multibillion-dollar Hubble Space Telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judd Bowman of Arizona State University, lead author of a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature, said the signal came from the very first objects in the universe as it was emerging out of darkness 180 million years after the Big Bang.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing the universe just lighting up, even though it was only a faint signal, is even more important than the Big Bang because “we are made of star stuff, and so we are glimpsing at our origin,” said astronomer Richard Ellis, who was not involved in the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The signal showed unexpectedly cold temperatures and an unusually pronounced wave. When astronomers tried to figure out why, the best explanation was that elusive dark matter may have been at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If verified, that would be the first confirmation of its kind of dark matter, which is a substantial part of the universe that scientists have been searching for over decades.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If confirmed, this discovery deserves two Nobel Prizes” for both capturing the signal of the first stars and potential dark matter confirmation, said Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who wasn’t part of the research team. Cautioning that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” he said independent tests are needed to verify the findings.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘The only thing we know from this signal is that something very weird is going on.’\u003ccite>Rennan Barkana, Astrophysicist\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Bowman agreed independent tests are needed even though his team spent two years double- and triple-checking their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a time of the universe we really don’t know anything about,” Bowman said. He said the discovery is “like the first sentence” in an early chapter of the history of the cosmos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is nothing that astronomers could actually see. In fact, it’s all indirect, based on changes in the wavelengths produced by radio signals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Our Cosmic Origin\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nThe early universe was dark and cold, filled with just hydrogen and helium. Once stars formed, they emitted ultraviolet light into the dark areas between them. That ultraviolet light changes the energy signature of hydrogen atoms, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers looked at a specific wavelength. If there were stars and ultraviolet light, they would see one signature. If there were no stars, they would see another. They saw a clear but faint signal showing there were stars, probably many of them, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding that trace signal wasn’t easy because the Milky Way galaxy alone booms with radio wave noise 10,000 times louder, said Peter Kurczynski, advanced program technology director for the National Science Foundation, which helped fund the research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Finding the impact of the first stars in that cacophony would be like trying to hear the flap of a hummingbird’s wing from inside a hurricane,” Kurczynski said in an NSF video.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because the high end of the frequency they were looking in is the same as FM radio, the astronomers had to go to the Australian desert to escape interference. That was where they installed their antennas.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They then labored to confirm what they found, in part by testing it against dummy signals in the lab, and it all showed that what they spotted was the existence of the first stars, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, the scientists know little about these early stars. They were probably hotter and simpler than modern stars, Ellis and Bowman said. But now that astronomers know where and how to look, others will confirm this and learn more, Bowman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The research does not establish exactly when these stars turned on, except that at 180 million years after the Big Bang, they were on. Scientists had come up with many different time periods for when the first stars switched on, and 180 million years fits with current theory, said Ellis, a professor at University College London.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When this signal was found and examined, it showed that the hydrogen between stars was “even colder than the coldest we thought possible,” said Rennan Barkana, a Tel Aviv University astrophysicist who wrote a companion study on the dark matter implications of the discovery. The researchers expected temperatures to be 10 degrees above absolute zero, but they were 5 degrees above absolute zero (minus 451 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 268 degrees Celsius).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only thing we know from this signal is that something very weird is going on,” Barkana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Enter Dark Matter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat seems likely is dark matter — which scientists have never seen interacting with anything — may be cooling that hydrogen, he said. Dark matter makes up about 27 percent of the universe, but scientists know little about it except that it’s not made of normal matter particles called baryons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have known dark matter exists, indirectly, through measurements based on gravity. If this interpretation of the data is correct, it would be the first confirmation of dark matter outside of gravity calculations, Barkana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also potentially reveals something new about the nature of dark matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the result is correct it constitutes an indirect detection of dark matter and, moreover suggests something of fundamental importance (its interaction with baryons),” Johns Hopkins University astrophysicist Marc Kamionkowski, who wasn’t part of the study, said in an email. “This therefore is about as important as you can get in cosmology.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1920581/marking-breakthrough-astronomers-glimpse-cosmic-dawn-when-the-stars-switched-on",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1920581"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_32",
"science_35",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_1073",
"science_1272",
"science_577",
"science_3416"
],
"featImg": "science_1920590",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1920040": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1920040",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1920040",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1518996756000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1518996756,
"format": "image",
"title": "We'll Find A Planet Like Earth in the Next Decade, Say Astronomers",
"headTitle": "We’ll Find A Planet Like Earth in the Next Decade, Say Astronomers | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>The hunt for exoplanets has mostly been an exercise in counting pale, barely distinguishable dots spinning anonymously in space — until now. New and soon-to-come telescopes will have the ability to recognize signals of possible life on planetary cousins outside our solar system, without ever leaving Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘We have to admit the possibility that life may be more common than we guessed.’\u003ccite>Deborah Fisher, Yale University\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>At a panel of the \u003ca href=\"http://meetings.aaas.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting\u003c/a> in Austin, Texas this weekend, astronomers spoke wistfully of technological capabilities just around the corner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the first time,” said Aki Roberge, research astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, “we actually have the information to design an experiment that can answer an ages old question, like, ‘Are there worlds like Earth among the stars and do any of them have life?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roberge is the chief scientist helping design a space observatory called \u003ca href=\"http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LUVOIR\u003c/a> that would be a sort of super-charged Hubble, able to study the chemistry of planetary atmospheres outside our solar system — exoplanets — in the clearest detail yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920046\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1920046\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-520x293.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Conceptual illustration of the LUVOIR space telescope. \u003ccite>(NASA / LUVOIR )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While LUVOIR would also be tasked with other astronomical quests (such as studying the formation and evolution of galaxies) the \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission\u003c/a> would, for the first time, be specially designed to directly image, with an optical/infrared space-based telescope, Earth-like exoplanets. If built, it will be the most sensitive instrument yet to detect signatures of habitability, such as water, on Earth-sized planets around Sun-like stars. If HabEx or LUVOIR can find carbon dioxide, methane, water or oxygen in planetary atmospheres it could indicate the planet is hosting life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Planning teams for these possible future missions will submit interim studies to NASA in March. The studies will be available to the public shortly after.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Deluge of Exoplanet Data\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once upon a time, the existence of planets beyond our solar system was an open question. Now, instruments like the Kepler Space Telescope find so many planets so frequently that astronomers are struggling to keep up.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/interactable/11/\">For a primer on how exoplanets are discovered visit NASA’s “5 Ways to Find a Planet”\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>“There are more observations than we can actually get to in real time,” said Jessie Christiansen, staff scientist at NASA’s \u003ca href=\"http://nexsci.caltech.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Exoplanet Science Institute\u003c/a> in Pasadena, Calif.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For instance, Christiansen told the audience at the AAAS meeting, NASA’s K2 mission had just (on Thursday, February 15) \u003ca href=\"https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2018/02/15/95-new-exoplanets-discovered-during-NASAs-K2-mission/3011518722771/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">confirmed 95 new exoplanets\u003c/a>. But those discoveries, she said, were based on data from the first two and a half years of K2 data — the current mission of the Kepler Space Telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And we’re actually at the end of year four,” she said. “So you can see we’re getting a bit behind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920043\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1920043\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1020x598.jpg\" alt=\"An artist's illustration of a young, sun-like star encircled by its disk of gas and dust. The gas and dust will in time form exoplanets. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle\" width=\"640\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1020x598.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-800x469.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-768x450.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1180x691.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-960x563.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-240x141.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-375x220.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-520x305.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist’s illustration of a young, sun-like star surrounded by a disc of gas and dust. The gas and dust will in time condense and form exoplanets. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The growing menagerie of exoplanets — \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/\">3,700 at latest count\u003c/a> — almost beggars belief. (And the estimation of \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2018/02/16/first-detection-of-exoplanets-outside-the-milky-way-you-wont-believe-how-many-or-how-far/\">possible trillions of free-wandering “rogue” planets\u003c/a> is beyond what researchers like Christiansen and Roberge expected when they set out in their careers.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s absolutely amazing, the reality of what exists out there in worlds among the stars,” said Roberge. “They’re far more abundant, far more diverse than even, I think, the dreams of science fiction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out there, spinning in the dark expanse of space, are large rocky planets known as \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2014/06/13/kepler-10c-an-unexpected-heavyweight-earth/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">super-earths\u003c/a>, aquatic \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/20728-new-alien-planets-oceans-life.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">water worlds\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/26087-gas-dwarf-alien-planets-aas224.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gas dwarfs\u003c/a> or superdense \u003ca href=\"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/121011-diamond-planet-space-solar-system-astronomy-science/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diamond planets\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”AaaKAI88165SOz5iyMhSSlFqvX5i2Fgh”]We now know there are multi-planet systems aside from our own. Seven Earth-size planets, \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1481/new-clues-to-compositions-of-trappist-1-planets/\">all mostly made of rock\u003c/a>, huddle around the star TRAPPIST-1. Since the announcement of their discovery last year in \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1419\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 2017\u003c/a>, scientists have taken a closer look at the system. Research released early this month suggests some of the planets in the system \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1481/new-clues-to-compositions-of-trappist-1-planets/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">could harbor liquid water\u003c/a>, perhaps far more than the oceans of Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first confirmed extra-solar planet was 51 Pegasi b; it was then an entirely new class of planet called a “hot Jupiter.” Based on their density and size, astronomers believe planets like 51 Pegasi b are large and gassy (similar to Jupiter) but based on their closeness to stars, the surface should be feverishly hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920044\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1920044\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist’s concept TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf, which has seven Earth-sized planets orbiting it. Some may hold liquid water. \u003ccite>(This artist's concept appeared on the Feb. 23, 2017 cover of the journal Nature announcing that the nearby star TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf, has seven Earth-sized planets orbiting it. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Yet our characterizations of these planets is still relatively primitive. Researchers make educated guesses about the composition of a planet based on their density and closeness to their star. Whether they have liquid water or signs of microbial activity is unknown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has tried to \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1483/hubble-probes-atmospheres-of-exoplanets-in-trappist-1-habitable-zone/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">take an early look at the atmospheres\u003c/a> of these planets, but it’s not exactly designed for the job, being a general purpose (\u003ca href=\"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150423-hubble-anniversary-webb-telescope-space/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">though phenomenally successful\u003c/a>) telescope. It was able to rule out the presence of hydrogen in three of the TRAPPIST-1 planets, but not able to search for heavier gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water, and oxygen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=”lNYaT38dkFWze9UGDlACdJ7iMveIvY4B”]NASA’s \u003ca href=\"https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite\u003c/a>, slated to launch in the coming weeks, will primarily be a tool for counting and locating exoplanets. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">James Webb Space Telescope\u003c/a>, scheduled to launch in 2019, will follow up on exoplanets of interest and characterize atmospheric gases to a degree. To really see Earth-sized exoplanets up close and personal, though, astronomers will have to wait for LUVOIR or HabEx.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now we can say most stars have planets,” said Yale astronomy professor Deborah Fisher at AAAS. “We have to admit the possibility that life may be more common than we guessed.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1066,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 22
},
"modified": 1704928195,
"excerpt": "New telescopes will soon show us details about the planets beyond our solar system -- details about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "New telescopes will soon show us details about the planets beyond our solar system -- details about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.",
"title": "We'll Find A Planet Like Earth in the Next Decade, Say Astronomers | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "We'll Find A Planet Like Earth in the Next Decade, Say Astronomers",
"datePublished": "2018-02-18T15:32:36-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-10T15:09:55-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "well-find-a-planet-like-earth-in-the-next-decade-say-astronomers",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1920040/well-find-a-planet-like-earth-in-the-next-decade-say-astronomers",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The hunt for exoplanets has mostly been an exercise in counting pale, barely distinguishable dots spinning anonymously in space — until now. New and soon-to-come telescopes will have the ability to recognize signals of possible life on planetary cousins outside our solar system, without ever leaving Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">‘We have to admit the possibility that life may be more common than we guessed.’\u003ccite>Deborah Fisher, Yale University\u003c/cite>\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>At a panel of the \u003ca href=\"http://meetings.aaas.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting\u003c/a> in Austin, Texas this weekend, astronomers spoke wistfully of technological capabilities just around the corner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the first time,” said Aki Roberge, research astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, “we actually have the information to design an experiment that can answer an ages old question, like, ‘Are there worlds like Earth among the stars and do any of them have life?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roberge is the chief scientist helping design a space observatory called \u003ca href=\"http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/luvoir/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LUVOIR\u003c/a> that would be a sort of super-charged Hubble, able to study the chemistry of planetary atmospheres outside our solar system — exoplanets — in the clearest detail yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920046\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1920046\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923-520x293.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/LUVOIR-concept_rsz-1600x1035-e1511130779923.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Conceptual illustration of the LUVOIR space telescope. \u003ccite>(NASA / LUVOIR )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While LUVOIR would also be tasked with other astronomical quests (such as studying the formation and evolution of galaxies) the \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission\u003c/a> would, for the first time, be specially designed to directly image, with an optical/infrared space-based telescope, Earth-like exoplanets. If built, it will be the most sensitive instrument yet to detect signatures of habitability, such as water, on Earth-sized planets around Sun-like stars. If HabEx or LUVOIR can find carbon dioxide, methane, water or oxygen in planetary atmospheres it could indicate the planet is hosting life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Planning teams for these possible future missions will submit interim studies to NASA in March. The studies will be available to the public shortly after.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Deluge of Exoplanet Data\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once upon a time, the existence of planets beyond our solar system was an open question. Now, instruments like the Kepler Space Telescope find so many planets so frequently that astronomers are struggling to keep up.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/interactable/11/\">For a primer on how exoplanets are discovered visit NASA’s “5 Ways to Find a Planet”\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>“There are more observations than we can actually get to in real time,” said Jessie Christiansen, staff scientist at NASA’s \u003ca href=\"http://nexsci.caltech.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Exoplanet Science Institute\u003c/a> in Pasadena, Calif.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For instance, Christiansen told the audience at the AAAS meeting, NASA’s K2 mission had just (on Thursday, February 15) \u003ca href=\"https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2018/02/15/95-new-exoplanets-discovered-during-NASAs-K2-mission/3011518722771/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">confirmed 95 new exoplanets\u003c/a>. But those discoveries, she said, were based on data from the first two and a half years of K2 data — the current mission of the Kepler Space Telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And we’re actually at the end of year four,” she said. “So you can see we’re getting a bit behind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920043\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1920043\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1020x598.jpg\" alt=\"An artist's illustration of a young, sun-like star encircled by its disk of gas and dust. The gas and dust will in time form exoplanets. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle\" width=\"640\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1020x598.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-800x469.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-768x450.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-1180x691.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-960x563.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-240x141.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-375x220.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h-520x305.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/109_protodisklowest750h.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist’s illustration of a young, sun-like star surrounded by a disc of gas and dust. The gas and dust will in time condense and form exoplanets. \u003ccite>(NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The growing menagerie of exoplanets — \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/\">3,700 at latest count\u003c/a> — almost beggars belief. (And the estimation of \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2018/02/16/first-detection-of-exoplanets-outside-the-milky-way-you-wont-believe-how-many-or-how-far/\">possible trillions of free-wandering “rogue” planets\u003c/a> is beyond what researchers like Christiansen and Roberge expected when they set out in their careers.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s absolutely amazing, the reality of what exists out there in worlds among the stars,” said Roberge. “They’re far more abundant, far more diverse than even, I think, the dreams of science fiction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out there, spinning in the dark expanse of space, are large rocky planets known as \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2014/06/13/kepler-10c-an-unexpected-heavyweight-earth/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">super-earths\u003c/a>, aquatic \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/20728-new-alien-planets-oceans-life.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">water worlds\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/26087-gas-dwarf-alien-planets-aas224.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gas dwarfs\u003c/a> or superdense \u003ca href=\"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/121011-diamond-planet-space-solar-system-astronomy-science/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diamond planets\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>We now know there are multi-planet systems aside from our own. Seven Earth-size planets, \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1481/new-clues-to-compositions-of-trappist-1-planets/\">all mostly made of rock\u003c/a>, huddle around the star TRAPPIST-1. Since the announcement of their discovery last year in \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1419\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 2017\u003c/a>, scientists have taken a closer look at the system. Research released early this month suggests some of the planets in the system \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1481/new-clues-to-compositions-of-trappist-1-planets/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">could harbor liquid water\u003c/a>, perhaps far more than the oceans of Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first confirmed extra-solar planet was 51 Pegasi b; it was then an entirely new class of planet called a “hot Jupiter.” Based on their density and size, astronomers believe planets like 51 Pegasi b are large and gassy (similar to Jupiter) but based on their closeness to stars, the surface should be feverishly hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1920044\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1920044\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/02/1483_STSCI-H-p1807a-m-1600x900-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist’s concept TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf, which has seven Earth-sized planets orbiting it. Some may hold liquid water. \u003ccite>(This artist's concept appeared on the Feb. 23, 2017 cover of the journal Nature announcing that the nearby star TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf, has seven Earth-sized planets orbiting it. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Yet our characterizations of these planets is still relatively primitive. Researchers make educated guesses about the composition of a planet based on their density and closeness to their star. Whether they have liquid water or signs of microbial activity is unknown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has tried to \u003ca href=\"https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1483/hubble-probes-atmospheres-of-exoplanets-in-trappist-1-habitable-zone/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">take an early look at the atmospheres\u003c/a> of these planets, but it’s not exactly designed for the job, being a general purpose (\u003ca href=\"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150423-hubble-anniversary-webb-telescope-space/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">though phenomenally successful\u003c/a>) telescope. It was able to rule out the presence of hydrogen in three of the TRAPPIST-1 planets, but not able to search for heavier gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water, and oxygen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>NASA’s \u003ca href=\"https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite\u003c/a>, slated to launch in the coming weeks, will primarily be a tool for counting and locating exoplanets. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">James Webb Space Telescope\u003c/a>, scheduled to launch in 2019, will follow up on exoplanets of interest and characterize atmospheric gases to a degree. To really see Earth-sized exoplanets up close and personal, though, astronomers will have to wait for LUVOIR or HabEx.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now we can say most stars have planets,” said Yale astronomy professor Deborah Fisher at AAAS. “We have to admit the possibility that life may be more common than we guessed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1920040/well-find-a-planet-like-earth-in-the-next-decade-say-astronomers",
"authors": [
"11088"
],
"categories": [
"science_28",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_3370",
"science_5175",
"science_813",
"science_25",
"science_577"
],
"featImg": "science_1920042",
"label": "science"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/science?category=astronomy": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 192,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 531,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"science_1922134",
"science_1921776",
"science_1921801",
"science_1921653",
"science_1921417",
"science_1920994",
"science_1921142",
"science_1921133",
"science_1921090",
"science_1920458",
"science_1920581",
"science_1920040"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science_category_astronomy": {
"isLoading": true
},
"science_28": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_28",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "28",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Astronomy",
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"title": "Astronomy Articles | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30,
"slug": "astronomy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/astronomy"
},
"source_science_1922134": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1922134",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921776": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921776",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921801": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921801",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921653": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921653",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921417": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921417",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1920994": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1920994",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921142": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921142",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Astronomy ",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921133": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921133",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Physics",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1921090": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1921090",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Science News",
"isLoading": false
},
"science_89": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_89",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "89",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Engineering",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Engineering Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 92,
"slug": "engineering",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/engineering"
},
"science_37": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_37",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "37",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Events",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Events Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 39,
"slug": "events",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/events"
},
"science_40": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_40",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "40",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 42,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/news"
},
"science_577": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_577",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "577",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "space",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "space Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 583,
"slug": "space",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/space"
},
"science_461": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_461",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "461",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "technology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "technology Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 467,
"slug": "technology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/technology"
},
"science_3370": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3370",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3370",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3370,
"slug": "featured",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured"
},
"science_3419": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3419",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3419",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "interstellar",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "interstellar Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3419,
"slug": "interstellar",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/interstellar"
},
"science_5175": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5175",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5175",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "NASA",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "NASA Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5175,
"slug": "nasa",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/nasa"
},
"science_1028": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1028",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1028",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "voyager",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "voyager Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1036,
"slug": "voyager",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/voyager"
},
"science_1073": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1073",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1073",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "astronomy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "astronomy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1081,
"slug": "astronomy-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/astronomy-2"
},
"science_1272": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1272",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1272",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "planets",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "planets Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1281,
"slug": "planets",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/planets"
},
"science_309": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_309",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "309",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 314,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/science"
},
"science_35": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_35",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "35",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 37,
"slug": "environment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/environment"
},
"science_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Geology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Geology Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 40,
"slug": "geology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/geology"
},
"science_5179": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5179",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5179",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Mars",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Mars Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5179,
"slug": "mars",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/mars"
},
"science_3543": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3543",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "research",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "research Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3543,
"slug": "research",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/research"
},
"science_144": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_144",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "144",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "asteroid",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "asteroid Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 148,
"slug": "asteroid",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/asteroid"
},
"science_25": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_25",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "25",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "planet",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "planet Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26,
"slug": "planet",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/planet"
},
"science_576": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_576",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "576",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "solar system",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "solar system Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 582,
"slug": "solar-system",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/solar-system"
},
"science_3416": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3416",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3416",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "stars",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "stars Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3416,
"slug": "stars",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/stars"
},
"science_351": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_351",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "351",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "moon",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "moon Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 357,
"slug": "moon",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/moon"
},
"science_3151": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3151",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3151",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Future of You",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Future of You Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3151,
"slug": "future-of-you",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/future-of-you"
},
"science_3424": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3424",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3424",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "KQED Future of You",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "KQED Future of You Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3424,
"slug": "kqed-future-of-you",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/kqed-future-of-you"
},
"science_86": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_86",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "86",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Video",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Video Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 89,
"slug": "video",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/video"
},
"science_33": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_33",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "33",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Energy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Energy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 35,
"slug": "energy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/energy"
},
"science_42": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_42",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "42",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Physics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Physics Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 44,
"slug": "physics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/physics"
},
"science_672": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_672",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "672",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "physics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "physics Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 678,
"slug": "physics-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/physics-2"
},
"science_498": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_498",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "498",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cassini",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cassini Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 504,
"slug": "cassini",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/cassini"
},
"science_502": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_502",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "502",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "titan",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "titan Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 508,
"slug": "titan",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/titan"
},
"science_32": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_32",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "32",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 34,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/education"
},
"science_813": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_813",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "813",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 820,
"slug": "news-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/news-2"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
