Space & Aviation

Astronomers have mapped the distribution of heavy elements around a supermassive black hole in unprecedented detail, and the results show that metal‑rich gas is closely linked to the black hole’s powerful activity.

Sugars are crucial components of RNA and DNA, the basis of all known organisms alive today. In a new study, the sugar erythrulose was detected in a gas- and dust-filled cloud near the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

The exact timeline for the spacecraft’s display hasn’t been announced, but the artifact will fit into an upcoming exhibition on how humans have built a long-term presence in Earth orbit and laid the groundwork for farther space travel.

Scientists using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) directly measured the magnetic fields of PSR J1101−6101, a pulsar located within what is often referred to as the “Lighthouse” Nebula, for the first time.

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum joins the aviation and spaceflight communities in mourning the loss of Wally Funk, who was a remarkable pilot, flight instructor, Air Safety Investigator, and record-setting commercial astronaut.

The National Air and Space Museum’s building in downtown Washington DC just turned 50 years old, but the Museum’s story began long before the ribbon-cutting in 1976. In this episode, we’re going way back in time for some deep Air and Space lore.