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EARLY EARTH LIFE
A strange partnership between two ancient microbes could explain one of evolution’s biggest mysteries — how simple cells first joined forces to create complex lifeResearchers found an unusual archaeon physically linked to a bacterium in Shark Bay. Tiny tube-like structures connect these ancient microb...
In 1948, a male rhesus monkey named Albert was launched on a V-2 rocket by the US towards space but the mission failed and the animal did not survive the flightIn 1948, a male rhesus monkey named Albert was launched on a V-2 rocket by the US towards space in an early animal flight test. Albert I re...
In 1947, the military sent fruit flies 67 miles into space to test radiation risks. 11 years later, NASA was founded in 1958, with animal flights underway in America now1947 mission was part of a larger American effort to understand whether living organisms could survive the journey into space. Beginning in...
In 2021, NASA grew Hatch chile peppers on the International Space Station; over 137 days, the plants produced harvestable fruit with unusually straight stemsIn 2021, NASA astronauts successfully cultivated Hatch chile peppers aboard the International Space Station, observing that the lack of gra...
In 1983, NASA flew Neurospora bread mold on STS-9 to test its body clock; the rhythm persisted, but faded out in 25% of flight tubes before light restored itIn 1983, NASA conducted research on fungal circadian rhythms aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, observing the bread mold Neurospora crassa....
How did insects conquer land? A 324-million-year-old fossil with 24 legs and paddle-like abdominal limbs suggests some of their earliest ancestors may have lived in water before becoming terrestrialA 324-million-year-old fossil from Texas offers new insights into early insect evolution. This ancient creature possessed an unusual 24-leg...
In 1976, a theoretical physicist pushed Caltech toward building a machine to detect Einstein’s gravitational waves - 39 years later, black-hole-hunting LIGO heard their ripples, and by 2017, the Interstellar science adviser wept before the man who predicted them while receiving the Nobel PrizeKip Thorne, an illustrious physicist, chased the elusive gravitational waves predicted by Einstein for many years. His commitment yielded t...
415 million years ago, giant scorpions the size of a Golden Retreiver prowled Britain — and its story is now rewriting prehistoric historyScientists identified Praearcturus gigas as the largest known scorpion, measuring one meter long. This ancient predator lived approximately...
Nasa scientists grew corn seeds in space and found something strange: How microgravity confused roots & shoots that normally know exactly which way to growNasa scientists grew corn seeds in space: NASA conducted an intriguing experiment on corn seeds grown in the absence of gravity’s guiding f...
A 4.4-billion-year-old Zircon grain found in Western Australia may reveal how early earth took shape – The oldest known terrestrial mineral grain offers clues about earth’s first crust, surface water and the moon’s formationA zircon crystal found in Australia, dating back 4.4 billion years, indicates that early Earth was likely to have been covered in water. Ad...
Around 1600, a pioneering English physician and natural philosopher invented versorium, the first electroscope, and detected the presence of static electric chargesAround 1600, William Gilbert invented the versorium, the first electroscope, to detect static electric charges. The English physician and n...
In 1974, Skylab 4 astronauts returned after 84 days in orbit; flipped circuit breakers cut pitch-and-yaw control before Carr used backup mode for reentryThe Skylab 4 mission set a new record with astronauts spending 84 days in space, where they conducted crucial scientific experiments while ...
In 1951, Soviet space dog Bobik escaped before launch; scientists found a stray near the canteen, named her ZIB, and sent her 100 km up before a safe returnA stray dog known as ZIB unexpectedly filled in for a canine that went missing just before a Soviet rocket launch. With no training at all,...
In 1962, NASA packed 22,900 gallons of water into a Saturn I rocket and deliberately released it 65 miles above Earth to see how water behaved in the upper atmosphereNASA scientists have long explored recycling resources for extended space travel. Plants and microorganisms could help regenerate vital sup...
In 1992, Endeavour carried 4 female African clawed frogs into orbit; their eggs were fertilized in microgravity and developed into apparently normal tadpolesIn 1992, four frogs embarked on a journey aboard the space shuttle Endeavour as part of a groundbreaking reproductive experiment. Their egg...
ET Startup Awards 2026 | Best on Campus: Armatrix slithers to success with snake-like robotic armsArmatrix has won the Best on Campus award at the ET Startup Awards 2026 for its snake-like robotic arms designed to work in narrow, hazardo...
In 2023, NASA grew tomatoes for 100 days aboard the space station; ground plants produced more than 100, while the space crop yielded 12 and was not eatenNASA's tomato experiment on the International Space Station faced major hurdles in microgravity, where watering issues resulted in uneven m...
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, headed to the Moon without a traditional life insuranceIn 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, headed to the Moon without traditional life insurance. NASA...
In 2011, a 320-gram Martian meteorite discovered in Sahara Desert reveals red planet Mars once had waterIn 2011, a 320-gram Martian meteorite discovered in Sahara Desert revealed evidence that Mars once had water. Known as Black Beauty or Nort...
In 1988, scientists began quantifying the ocean's global productivity. 38 years later, microscopic phytoplankton produce roughly 50% of Earth's oxygenScientists began measuring the ocean’s global productivity in 1988, revealing a hidden force behind Earth’s oxygen cycle. Nearly four decad...