Aurorae once classified by human eyes are now being sorted by machines. The change may help astronomers understand how the mysterious features are powered.
unsolved mysteries
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Explaining the Missing Energy in Mars’s Electrons
Electrons energized and trapped at Mars were thought to lose energy inside the planet’s magnetosheath, but new research suggests a different explanation of spacecraft data.
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Brazil’s Oil Spill Is a Mystery, so Scientists Try Oil Forensics
Thousands of barrels of oil have been tarring Brazil’s beaches since September, and no one knows why. An oil spill scientist is running oil forensics to find out.
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What Inflates the Solar Bubble? Voyagers Count What’s Missing
The first in situ measurement of the pressure at the edge of the solar system reveals that there’s still a lot we don’t know about what sets the size of the heliosphere.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Holistic Views of the Nighttime Ionosphere
The nightside ionosphere, at latitudes away from the auroral zone, should have very little charged particle density, but it doesn’t. A new comprehensive study of satellite data explains why.
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The Mystery of the Moon’s Missing Metals
For decades, scientists have tried to figure out why the Moon has a thousand times less precious metals than Earth. Turns out the metals may not have been delivered after all.
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The Search for the Impact That Cratered Ancient Scotland
Great Britain’s largest impact crater likely lies in the Scottish Highlands. Scientists dispute whether it’s to the west or the east.
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Fireballs Could Provide Clues to an Outstanding Meteor Mystery
Fireballs in the summer sky may signify a chance to probe their mysterious origin.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Paleomagnetism Indicators May Be Flawed
A new study finds that magnetism in volcanic ash tuff forms through varied processes, calling into question previously reliable signatures used to study variations in Earth’s magnetic field.
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Mysterious Coral Reef Halos Can Be Seen from Space
Grazing rings around reefs have the potential to be used as a tool for monitoring reef health, but first, scientists have to figure out what factors govern halo size differences.