Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Secret Antarctic ice canyons revealed

Ice shelves in Antarctica are like conveyor belts, continually carrying ice to the sea. Scientists have found hidden canyons on their undersides that may affect the shelves fragility.

Deborah Byrd

October 11, 2017

Red sprite over Oklahoma

Photographer Paul Smith said he thinks this may be the 1st documented capture of a red sprite over Oklahoma. They're large-scale electrical discharges - high above thunderstorm clouds - flickering in the night.

Deborah Byrd

October 11, 2017

This region on Mars may hold clues to earthly life

Evidence for deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Eridania basin of southern Mars. Even if Mars never had life, this region may tell us about the type of environment where life on Earth may have begun.

Deborah Byrd

October 10, 2017

Fall colors in New Hampshire

"Fall colors are back," wrote photographer Manish Mamtani.

Deborah Byrd

October 10, 2017

Penetrating the mystery of why we age

Researchers in Germany call the aging process "a quirk of evolution" and take a step forward in understanding why we didn't evolve to live forever.

Deborah Byrd

October 9, 2017

Forecast for Mercury: Morning micro-meteor showers

Mercury - with only the thinnest of atmospheres - has a continuous rain of micro-meteors wherever on the planet dawn is breaking.

Deborah Byrd

October 9, 2017

5 faint Draconid meteors

The naysayers were wrong. Some did catch some Draconid meteors this weekend, in the narrow window between sunset and moonrise.

Deborah Byrd

October 9, 2017

Did the moon once have air?

We know that ancient lunar volcanos spewed lava. Gases rising from the lava might have accumulated around the moon to form a temporary atmosphere, 3 to 4 billion years ago.

Deborah Byrd

October 8, 2017

5 new pairs of merging supermassive black holes

Merging black holes are the sorts of catastrophic events that produce the strongest gravitational waves. Scientists just announced 5 new pairs, in the centers of distant galaxies.

Deborah Byrd

October 8, 2017

Close encounters of the planet kind

Brilliant Venus and faint Mars swept close last week, in the east before sunup. Check out these awesome photos!

Deborah Byrd

October 7, 2017

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.