More than a hundred years ago, astronomer Percival Lowell made the case for the existence of canals on Mars designed to redistribute water from the Martian ice caps to its lower, drier latitudes. This necessarily meant the existence of Martians to build the canals.

While Lowell was proven wrong by better telescopes, the question of whether there’s liquid water on Mars continues to tantalize researchers. Liquid water is a critical precondition for a habitable planet. Yet the combination of low temperature, atmospheric pressure and water vapor pressure on Mars means any liquid water found there would likely freeze, boil or evaporate immediately, making its presence unlikely.

Still, researchers continue to make the case for the presence of liquid water on Mars.

The Cold Moon, named for the frigid temperatures of December in the Northern Hemisphere, is also known as the Long Nights Moon, a nod to the extended hours of darkness this time of year.

It’s also called the Moon Before Yule, which refers to ancient Pagan winter solstice celebrations. The Celts also called it the Oak Moon. Native American names for December’s full moon include the Drift Clearing Moon and the Winter Maker Moon.

The next full moon, the Wolf Moon, will rise on Jan. 13, 2025.

NASA’s DAVINCI probe will be first in 21st century to brave Venus’ atmosphere as it descends from above the planet down to its surface.

Could there be billions of Earth-like planets in our galaxy? A groundbreaking study by researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) estimates that the Milky Way might host as many as 6 billion planets similar to Earth. This calculation is based on data collected during NASA’s Kepler mission, which observed over 200,000 stars from 2009 to 2018.

Recent studies have successfully observed magnetic shockwaves in the cosmic web by examining radio emissions between galaxy clusters.

This achievement, confirmed by comparing polarized light patterns with advanced simulations, opens new avenues for understanding cosmic magnetic fields and their role in the Universe’s structure.

Understanding the Cosmic Web.

Imagine humanity achieving type 7 civilization – a level beyond our wildest dreams. What does it mean to be in control of not just our galaxy, but the entire universe? Would we become gods – or bring about our own demise?