Omer Tarsuslu/Anadolu/Getty Images
Scientists say a lunar timescale is needed before astronauts can return to the moon, seen in the evening sky in Kars, Turkey, on May 18.
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CNN
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It’s easy to take the moon for granted as a silver orb in the night sky, providing a soft glow on most evenings. But have you ever wondered what time it is on the moon?
As many countries race to establish a human presence on the lunar surface, experts say it’s time to set a timeline for Earth’s natural satellite. Otherwise, things can get messy.
Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity decades ago changed the way we understand time, and time even passes differently depending on where the clock is located on Earth. Determining a lunar time scale will be even more challenging.
The new measurement system that NASA and its international partners must agree on will have to account for the fact that seconds on the Moon pass more quickly. Over time, those seconds add up.
But it will be crucial for astronauts living in lunar habitats and traveling in lunar rovers, who need to know exactly what time it is.
Joe Skipper/Reuters
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore (left) and Suni Williams prepared to launch Saturday, but officials canceled the Boeing Starliner mission moments before liftoff.
Boeing officials cleared the long-awaited first crew ride of the Starliner spacecraft shortly before liftoff on Saturday.
An automatic shutdown was triggered by the ground launch sequencer, the computer that essentially launches the rocket, minutes before the scheduled launch time of 12:25 p.m. ET, and mission teams are still assessing the cause of the problem.
It is possible that the Starliner will be ready to launch again as soon as Sunday if the issue can be easily resolved.
Veteran NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore remain safe and have exited the capsule and will be ready for the next Starliner launch attempt when all systems are ready to go.
The groups of sunspots responsible for the May 10 solar storm that painted skies around the world with colorful auroras are coming back around.
Experts predict auroras could dance over the northern and upper Midwest states on Saturday, but there’s also a chance for more dazzling displays over the next week as sunspots directly face Earth.
Meanwhile, a “planet parade” will soon take place in which six planets appear to be lined up in the sky, with optimal views over North America and Europe just before sunrise on Sunday. Expect to see Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, but Uranus, Mercury and Neptune will likely not be visible to the naked eye.
And the “devil’s comet” will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday as well, but will likely only be seen by those in the southern hemisphere with the help of binoculars or a telescope.
Perth Museum, Perth & Kinross Culture/Chris Rynn
A digital reconstruction of the face of a Bronze Age woman has gone on display at the Perth Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland.
About 4,000 years ago, a woman living in Bronze Age Scotland likely took an accidental bump to the head, causing her death in her 30s.
Now, visitors to the Perth Museum and Art Gallery can see a digital version of her glowing, expressive face, thanks to a recreation by Dr. Chris Rynn, a craniofacial anthropologist and forensic artist who studied her skull.
Other facial reconstructions on display at the museum include an Iron Age man who may have belonged to a group called the Picts and a young murder victim who lived in medieval Scotland.
In addition, scientists have discovered evidence that ancient Egyptian doctors tried to remove a cancerous tumor from the skull of a young man more than 4,000 years ago.
The remains of 28 horses buried nearly 2,000 years ago at Villedieu-sur-Indre in central France are puzzling archaeologists — especially because the cause of the horses’ deaths is still a mystery.
The nine graves date between 100 BC and 100 AD, and the horses were all carefully placed in the same position at the same time.
The adult mammals may have been killed in battle during the Gallic Wars, when Julius Caesar invaded Gaul, or perhaps they were part of a ritual sacrifice, according to researchers.
Separately, an unusually complete Stegosaurus fossil is going up for auction this summer, but paleontologists have concerns about where it will end up.
Ari Kankainen
People first noticed “salty licorice” cats with a distinctive white fur pattern in the Finnish village of Petäjävesi more than 15 years ago.
When people began observing cats with striking fur patterns living in the Finnish village of Petäjävesi in 2007, scientists sat up and took notice.
The cats had ombre hair strands that were dark at the roots and faded to white. And now, researchers know what creates their unusual fur pattern: a mutation affecting a gene called KIT, which controls hair color.
The cats are called “salted licorice cats”, named after salmiak, a popular Finnish treat of black licorice stained with white salt.
Explore these intriguing new findings:
– Archaeologists excavating Pompeii in southern Italy have discovered children’s sketches depicting scenes of gladiators and hunters fighting animals, suggesting young children witnessed the violent spectacle firsthand.
– Observations of asteroid Dinkinesh captured by NASA’s Lucy mission reveal that a solar-driven earthquake may have created a striking two-lobed moon orbiting the space rock.
– The modern cockroach has a surprising history that began more than 2,000 years ago, and the insect’s path to becoming a pest involved hitchhiking in the lunch baskets of soldiers and travelers.
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