Science

A pint-sized helicopter is making the trip to Mars alongside the Perseverance rover. The helicopter will conduct autonomous flight tests in the thin Martian atmosphere. If successful, the helicopter could be used as a proof of concept for drone missions to Mars. NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover is obviously the star …

A refueling oiler, on the left, fuels a naval ship at sea. The University of Rochester Porosoff research group has shown that a potassium-promoted molybdenum carbide catalyst can help the US Navy achieve its goal of converting seawater into fuel, effectively eliminating the need from traditional refueling operations. Credit: US …

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend cloth face masks for the general public. These masks are not as protective as surgical masks or N95 respirators, but some are highly efficient at filtering viral particles. This is how scientists have classified mask materials so …

Eager sky watchers are turning to the heavens as Comet NEOWISE, one of the brightest comets in a generation, begins to climb higher and higher among the evening stars. Most comets fly through the solar system invisible to humans, generally too small and dark to be seen with the naked …

California reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections in a single day on Tuesday, hospitalizations peaked, and deaths reached record levels as the state continued to lose ground in its battle against COVID-19. The 11,142 cases recorded Tuesday were the most confirmed on any day since the pandemic began, …