Our Planet

The first Uranus flyby was performed by Voyager 2 on January 24, 1986

On January 24, 1986, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft performed the first (and as of 2023, the only so far) Uranus flyby in the history of space exploration.

Neptune became the outermost planet on January 21, 1979

Between 1979 and 1999, Neptune was the outermost planet in the Solar System. Pluto and Neptune orbits

On January 21, 1979, a rare phenomenon occurred in our solar system: Neptune, the 8th planet from the Sun, took over Pluto and became the outermost planet as Pluto moved closer due to their highly elliptical orbits. Pluto was still a planet back then (good old days!).

The first soft landing on Titan was performed by the Huygens spacecraft on January 14, 2005

Huygens spacecraft on Titan [artist concept]

On January 14, 2005, the Huygens spacecraft, the atmospheric entry robotic probe part of the Casini-Huygens mission performed the first soft landing on Titan. As of 2023, it is the only one accomplished in the outer Solar System and was also the first on a moon other than Earth’s, and the most distant landing ever.

10 amazing Uranus facts [the most underrated planet in the solar system]

Uranus photo by the Hubble Space Telescope (2004)

Uranus looks like a featureless blue-green marble from space. Because of this, most people consider the gas giant “boring” and as a result, it receives the least attention from science enthusiasts. But, actually, the planets in our solar system are all fascinating in their own way, and each one has unique features that make it worth studying. Uranus has a number of interesting features and it is an important part of our solar system. It offers many opportunities for scientific discovery.

With a radius of 25,362±7 km (about 15,760 miles), Uranus is the third-largest planet in the solar system, after Jupiter and Saturn. It’s the fourth, behind Neptune, by mass, though.

Its average distance from the Sun is roughly 20 AU (3 billion km or 2 billion miles, see notes 1). 1 Uranus year is about 84 earth years. One day on Uranus takes about 17 hours and 14 minutes.

Here are the 10 amazing facts about Uranus, (probably) the most underrated planet in the solar system.

10 Biggest Spiders in the World

Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is the biggest spider in the world

Here are the top 10 biggest spiders in the world, based on leg span:

What are the Dangers of Pharmaceutical Drug Production?

Most people know illicit drug production poses many dangers. Flammability, improper disposal, and toxic fumes are just a few, especially in drugs like methamphetamine. But what about other drugs like pharmaceuticals? Are these drugs entirely safe, or do they come with their share of production dangers? Here’s what you need to know.

9 Myths and Facts About Environmental Toxins

Learning about environmental toxins can be frightening, but there’s also a lot of misinformation about what they are and how they affect humans. By definition, environmental toxins are substances that can negatively affect our health and include a variety of chemicals or organisms including carcinogens, BPA, and volatile organic compounds.

Given the wide range of substances out there, it’s not surprising that there’s a lot to unpack when you hear people discussing different toxins. What’s an exaggeration or piece of misinformation and what’s fact? Here are 9 myths and facts about environmental toxins you should know.

Spirit Rover landed on Mars on January 4, 2004

Artist imagination of Spirit Rover on the Martian surface

On January 4, 2004, NASA’s Spirit Rover landed on Mars. It was a robotic Mars exploration vehicle, and with its twin Opportunity, studied the history of climate and water at sites on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life. Operational from January 4, 2004, to March 22, 2010, Spirit far outlasted her planned 90-day mission.

The first soft landing on the far side of the Moon was performed on January 3, 2019, by China’s Chang’e 4

Panorama of the far side of the moon (cropped)

On January 3, 2019, China’s lunar lander and rover Chang’e 4 achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon in the history of humanity’s space exploration. It’s a space exploration success no nation or space agency (including NASA) has accomplished even as of January 2023.

How long do great white sharks live?

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) can live for a very long time, with an estimated lifespan of 70 years or more. However, it is difficult to determine the exact lifespan of the great whites because they are not easy to study in the wild. And they cannot be kept in captivity, they start to weaken when they are put in a pool or a tank – even a big one. They constantly run into the glass until they get exhausted and die.