The irregular galaxy NGC 4485 shows all the signs of having been involved in a hit-and-run accident with a bypassing galaxy. Rather than destroying the galaxy, the chance encounter is spawning a new generation of stars, and presumably planets. To source
Tag Archives | image
Take a deep breath
With air pollution a global concern, satellites provide vital information about air quality to help understand how to keep our planet breathable To source
Hypergravity and microgravity exhibited reversal effects on the bone and muscle mass in mice
Abstract Spaceflight is known to induce severe systemic bone loss and muscle atrophy of astronauts due to the circumstances of microgravity. We examined the influence of artificially produced 2G hypergravity on mice for bone and muscle mass with newly developed centrifuge device. We also analyzed the effects of microgravity (mostly 0G) and artificial produced 1G […]
The air we breathe
Air pollution is a global environmental health problem, especially for those living in urban areas. Not only does it negatively impact our ecosystems, it considerably affects our health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 8 million premature deaths per year are linked to air pollution, more than double of previous estimates. To source
Where science meets art
New exhibition ‘Fragility and Beauty – taking the pulse of our planet from space’ opens in Milan, Italy To source
From canals to craters
Mars was once believed to be criss-crossed by a system of irrigation canals – dark troughs that sliced across the planet’s surface, excavated by an intelligent society of thirsty martians. The astronomer who promoted this idea lends his name to the crater shown in this image from ESA’s Mars Express: Lowell crater. To source
Jonny Kim: NASA's 2017 Astronaut Class
Jonny Kim was selected as a member of NASA’s 2017 astronaut class, nicknamed “the Turtles.” To source
Monitoring Earth’s shifting land
The monitoring of land subsidence is of vital importance for low-lying countries, but also areas which are prone to peculiar ground instability. To source
Reprogrammable satellite takes shape
The payload and platform of the first European satellite that can be completely reprogrammed after launch have been successfully joined together. The assembly of Eutelsat Quantum took place in the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, on 10 May. To source
3D Earth in the making
A thorough understanding of the ‘solid Earth’ system is essential for deciphering the links between processes occurring deep inside Earth and those occurring nearer the surface that lead to seismic activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the rise of mountains and the location of underground natural resources. Thanks to gravity and magnetic data from […]
Proba-V is six
Technology image of the week: the snow-capped peaks of New Zealand’s South Island, taken by ESA’s Earth-observing minisatellite, into its sixth year in orbit To source
Water cycle wrapped
As our climate changes, the availability of freshwater is a growing issue for many people around the world. Understanding the water cycle and how the climate and human usage is causing shifts in natural cycling processes is vital to safeguarding supplies. While numerous satellites measure individual components of the water cycle, it has never been […]
Downstream Gateway: bringing space down to Earth
ESA is launching its Downstream Gateway, a ‘one-stop shop’ service for all downstream opportunities, creating links between new and emerging business sectors and the capabilities being developed in ESA programmes. To source