Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Killer asteroids struck Earth 1.8 to 3.8 billion years ago

Rocks in Australia contain sand-sized circles and particles, thought to be formerly molten droplets ejected into space when killer asteroids struck Earth.

Deborah Byrd

April 26, 2012

Ocean currents, not warm air, are driving Antarctic ice loss

West Antarctica loses ice to the sea even if a summer isn't warm enough to melt snow on top of the glaciers. The oceans do the work from below, a study shows.

Deborah Byrd

April 25, 2012

Best image yet of ongoing activity at Popocatépetl volcano

Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano has been active since mid-April 2012, and now NASA has produced the best image yet of this spectacular volcano.

Deborah Byrd

April 24, 2012

Boom and fireball over California and Nevada on April 22, 2012 caused by large asteroid

The object's estimated mass was around 70 metric tons. It broke up over the Sierra Nevadas, after creating a loud boom and fireball, and even shaking some houses.

Deborah Byrd

April 24, 2012

Mine asteroids for water and precious metals

Meet the new forty-niners, the first to rush to the rich fields and mine asteroids for water and precious metals found in near-Earth asteroids.

Deborah Byrd

April 24, 2012

Which side of your face looks better? The left, research says

Scientists say the left side of you face is most appealing, because we show more emotion on that side.

Deborah Byrd

April 23, 2012

Early spring in eastern North America compared to rest of globe

New NASA map depicts an early spring in eastern two-thirds of North America in March 2012, when temperatures approached 18 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.

Deborah Byrd

April 17, 2012

6.7-magnitude earthquake in central Chile

The earthquake took place 26 miles NNE of Valparaiso and 112 kilometers (69 miles) NW of Santiago. No tsunami warning issued. No immediate reports of injuries.

Deborah Byrd

April 17, 2012

Viking landers: Did they find life on Mars in 1976?

Researchers take a numerical approach to analyzing results of the Viking landers experiments from 1976 and say the Vikings did find life on Mars 36 years ago.

Deborah Byrd

April 15, 2012

Tornado outbreak leaves six dead in Oklahoma

At least six people died early Sunday after a tornado outbreak hit in Woodward, Oklahoma. Most of last night's tornadoes struck in Kansas.

Matt Daniel

Deborah Byrd

April 15, 2012

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.