Posts by 

Kelly Kizer Whitt

Lightning storm largest in California in 5 years

A 2-day lightning storm pummeled California this week with more than 66,000 lightning events, bringing little rain but sparking wildfires.

Magnetic pole flip on Earth? Probably not soon

Is the South Atlantic Anomaly a sign that a magnetic pole flip on Earth is imminent? No, say researchers who analyzed 9,000 years of magnetic field history.

A meltwater imbalance from Earth’s 3rd Pole

An imbalance in runoff from melting glaciers at Earth's 3rd Pole - aka the Asian Water Tower - may mean more water in the north and less in the south.

Ocean rings’ mystery stems from shape of seafloor

Researchers explain why some ocean rings, or eddies, last for months, while other last for years. The secret is the seafloor, they said.

Could homeless aliens hitch a ride on rogue planets?

An astronomer explains how homeless aliens might hitch a ride on rogue planets, to travel through interstellar space and colonize new planetary systems.

Westerlund 1: Our galaxy’s most massive young star cluster

Scientists have gotten a better look at Westerlund 1, the most massive cluster in the galaxy. They learned more about its size and distance.

Mars and Jupiter conjunction on May 29

The Mars and Jupiter conjunction on May 29, 2022, will bring these 2 worlds about a full moon's width apart.

Sharkcano, an undersea volcano where sharks live

The underwater Kavachi volcano in the Solomon Islands is being called a "sharkcano" because scientists found sharks living in its crater.

See the best Milky Way photos of 2022

See 10 of Capture the Atlas's Best Milky Way photos of 2022. This annual edition showcases 25 of the best Milky Way photos from around the world.

You can hear an aurora (even when you can’t see it)

A researcher recorded sounds of the aurora - cracks and pops - during moderate geomagnetic activity even when there was no aurora visible.