January 31, 2019

Where are the hottest and coldest places on earth?

California’s Death Valley holds the record for the highest reliably reported air temperature in the world, 56.7°C in July, 1913. In midsummer the desert region averages […]
February 2, 2019

What is a comet?

Like asteroids, comets are leftovers from the formation of our solar system, but they’re made of different stuff. Each is an irregular ball of icy slush, […]
February 2, 2019

Where do comets come from?

Comets originate far out in the solar system – some from the Kuiper belt of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune, and others from a […]
February 2, 2019

How could we defend Earth from a large asteroid or comet?

In 2013, NASA announced its “Grand Challenge” to locate any nasty asteroids heading our way and prevent their impact. Rock-stopping options include: Nuking it: Attack the […]