October birthstone: Colorful opal and tourmaline

Take your pick: the October birthstone is either the striking iridescent opal or the many-colored tourmaline. Learn the lore of these pretty gemstones here.

Biobots are a 3rd state between life and death

Biobots are tiny, multicellular robots powered by living cells to perform tasks, and they're a third state between life and death.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4

Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a category 4 storm near Perry. The storm surge has washed away homes and winds have caused power outages. More here.

Will you see colors in aurora? Or do you need a camera?

If you live below 50 degrees N. latitude, any aurora visible is likely to be low on your horizon, and you're less likely to see vivid colors.

SKA telescope gets its ‘1st fringes’

The SKA telescope SKA-Low has successfully measured a correlated signal using 2 of its stations. Astronomers call such a measurement "1st fringes."

Did humans drive Cyprus dwarf hippos and elephants extinct?

A new study shows that now-extinct dwarf hippos and elephants on the island of Cyprus were likely driven to extinction by humans about 14,000 years ago.

Equinox shadows trace a straight line from west to east

Equinox shadows are unique. On this day - and only this day - the tip of an upright stick's shadow follows a straight path, west to east, all day long.

Did social isolation drive Neanderthals to extinction?

New DNA studies of a Neanderthal from France support a theory that Neanderthals became extinct because their populations were isolated, leading to inbreeding.

LIVE MONDAY: Space junk with Jonathan McDowell

Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell will discuss humans' unexpected impacts on space LIVE with EarthSky at 12:15 p.m. (17:15 UTC) on Monday, September 16. Join us!

Happy Friday the 13th: It’s the 1st of 2 in 2024

When a year with 366 days starts on a Monday, it's inevitable Friday the 13th will occur twice. In 2024 Friday the 13th comes in September and December.

Matching Donation Campaign

Exciting news! EarthSky received a $50,000 gift, with a request that it be used to collect matching funds. Please help us meet this match by donating to EarthSky today!

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