Showing titles in Astronomy & Space Science

It was Christmas Eve 1968. And the astronauts of Apollo 8 - Commander Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders - were participants in a mission that took them faster (24,000 mph) and farther from the Earth (240,000 miles) than any human had ever traveled. Apollo 8 was the mission that broke humanity's absolute bond to the Earth: it was the first manned vehicle to leave the Earth's orbit. Confined within a tiny spaceship, the astronauts were aided in their journey by a computer less powerful than one of today's handheld calculators.

It is now known that we live in a galaxy with more planets than stars. The Milky Way alone encompasses 30 trillion potential home planets. Scientists Trefil and Summers bring listeners on a marvelous experimental voyage through the possibilities of life-unlike anything we have experienced so far - that could exist on planets outside our own solar system.

Prepare to journey beyond our world and embark on an unforgettable adventure through the cosmos with The Abyss Above: Mind-Blowing Facts About Astronomy, the Cosmos, and Outer Space. This captivating book opens up the universe in a way you've never imagined, transcending the ordinary and taking you on an extraordinary exploration of the outer space.

Too often, textbooks obscure the beauty and wonder of outer space with tedious discourse that even Galileo would oppose. Astronomy 101 cuts out the boring details and lengthy explanations, and instead, gives you a lesson in astronomy that keeps you engaged as you discover what's hidden beyond our starry sky. From the Big Bang and nebulae to the Milky Way and Sir Isaac Newton, this celestial primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining astronomy facts you won't be able to get anywhere else.

Astrobiology is an exciting new subject, and one, arguably, more interdisciplinary than any other. Astrobiologists seek to understand the origin and evolution of life on Earth in order to illuminate and guide the search for life on other planets. In this Very Short Introduction, David C. Catling introduces the subject through our understanding of the factors that allowed life to arise and persist on our own planet, and for the signs we are looking for in the search for extraterrestrial life.

In this astonishing rediscovery of the final Apollo moon landings, the acclaimed author of Chesapeake Requiem reveals that these extraordinary yet overshadowed missions - distinguished by the use of the revolutionary lunar roving vehicle - deserve to be celebrated as the pinnacle of human adventure and exploration.

Have you ever wondered how robots learn to think like humans? Or why the human brain is more powerful than any supercomputer? What about the secrets hidden in your favorite foods or the mysteries of the universe beyond our galaxy? Find the answers to these questions and so much more in The Amazing Big Book of Fun Facts! This ultimate trivia book is packed with engaging and educational tidbits to entertain curious minds of all ages while expanding your knowledge about the world and beyond.

Once a month, Purdue University's Professor Paul Duffell discusses astronomy and astrophysics with experts from around the world. Duffell and guests discuss supernovae, galaxies, planets, black holes, and the nature of space and time.Supported by the National Science Foundation under grant AAG-2206299.Music by Brittain Ashford.Produced in beautiful Lafayette, Indiana by Paul Duffell.Follow us on BlueSky!

Today's mission: Challenge your knowledge of planets, comets, stars, and more with this exciting quiz. The three-book series is now all in one! If you're looking for a fun, engaging way to challenge your knowledge of outer space, then you need this fact-filled trivia book! You can quiz friends and family during a galactic trivia night. If a question stumps you, we include the answer and multiple facts with every quiz so you can also brush up on your knowledge.

In the mid-19th century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or 'human computers', to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the women turned to studying images of the stars captured on glass photographic plates, making extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim.

In his latest work, former senior computer systems designer and bestselling author Gregg Braden merges these ancient and modern world views into a powerful new model of time. Marrying the modern laws of fractal patterns to the ancient concept of cycles, he demonstrates how everything from the war and peace between nations to our most joyous relationships and personal crises are the returning patterns of our past.

One of the leading physicists of her generation, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is also one of fewer than one hundred Black American women to earn a PhD from a department of physics. Her vision of the cosmos is vibrant, buoyantly nontraditional, and grounded in Black and queer feminist lineages. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is rife with racism, misogyny, and other forms of oppression. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society, beginning with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky.

Humanity's first reusable spacecraft and the most complex machine ever built, NASA's space shuttle debuted with great promise and as a dependable source of wonder and national pride. But with the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, the whole space shuttle program came into question, as did NASA itself, so long an institution that was seemingly above reproach. Wheels Stop tells the stirring story of how, after the Challenger disaster, the space shuttle not only recovered but went on to perform its greatest missions.

The biggest ideas in physics, broken down. Join theoretical physicist Dan Hooper and co-host Shalma Wegsman as they answer your questions about dark matter, black holes, quantum mechanics, and more. Part of The University of Chicago Podcast Network.

The best-selling series, Drones, is back with Drones: The Complete Collection, a comprehensive collection which contains incredibly relevant information that any prospective UAV/drone pilot requires in order to go from beginner to master UAV pilot. The three books contained within this collection work in unison through direct information and simple-to-follow how-to guides that cover all aspects of UAV aviation. The collection begins with Drones: The Professional Drone Pilot’s Manual.

Join us on a journey through the wonders of our Solar System. Explore the mysteries of each planet and learn about their unique features, history and significance. From the massive Jupiter to the fiery inferno of Mercury, we will delve into the depths of space and uncover the secrets of our celestial neighborhood. Get ready to be transported to a world beyond our imagination as we bring you the latest discoveries, facts and theories about Our Solar System. Subscribe now and don't miss an episode of this exciting and educational podcast.https://www.solgood.org - Check out our Streaming Service ...

The study of life and its existence in the universe, known as astrobiology, is now one of the hottest areas of both popular science and serious academic research, fusing biology, chemistry, astrophysics, and geology. Lewis Dartnell tours its latest findings, and explores some of the most fascinating questions in science. Could life emerge on other planets or moons? Could alien cells be based on silicon rather than carbon, or need ammonia instead of water?

Astronomers have determined that our universe is 13.7 billion years old. How exactly did they come to this precise conclusion? How Old Is the Universe? tells the incredible story of how astronomers solved one of the most compelling mysteries in science and, along the way, introduces listeners to fundamental concepts and cutting-edge advances in modern astronomy.

This “accessible and always entertaining” (Booklist) combination of history, pop science, and in-depth reporting offers a fascinating account of the asteroids that hit Earth long ago and those streaming toward us now, as well as how prepared we are against asteroid-caused catastrophe.

Are we alone in the universe? It's a fundamental question for Earth-dwelling humankind. Are there other worlds like ours, out there somewhere? In Hidden in the Heavens, Jason Steffen, a former scientist on NASA's Kepler mission, describes how that mission searched for planets orbiting Sun-like stars—especially Earth-like planets circulating in Earth-like orbits.