science
Topics and developments in science and medicine, presented by Futurism.
Venus Returns: Why the “Hell Planet” Is Back in the Spotlight of Science
For much of the space age, Venus was treated as a cautionary tale rather than a destination of hope. Nearly identical to Earth in size and composition, it once seemed like our planet’s twin. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most hostile worlds in the Solar System. Surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead, crushing atmospheric pressure, clouds of sulfuric acid, and a landscape shaped by catastrophic forces earned Venus its grim nickname: the hell planet.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Children in Space: Science Fiction or an Inevitable Reality?
For decades, the idea of children being born in space belonged firmly to the realm of science fiction. From futuristic novels to blockbuster movies, space-born humans were portrayed as exotic symbols of humanity’s cosmic future. Yet today, this question is slowly moving from imagination into serious scientific and ethical discussion. As plans for long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and even permanent space settlements gain momentum, one unavoidable issue emerges: if humans are going to live in space for years or generations, what happens to reproduction and childhood beyond Earth?
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Exploring the Vast Universe of Perry Rhodan
I first stumbled upon Perry Rhodan on a rainy Saturday afternoon in a tiny secondhand bookstore in Berlin. I wasn’t looking for it—I was just hiding from the cold—but the neon orange spines on the shelf called to me like a secret. I picked up the first issue and found myself staring at a cover depicting gleaming spaceships, alien landscapes, and a man who somehow looked both heroic and terrified.
By John Smithabout a month ago in Futurism
New Missions to Pluto: What Awaits Future Explorers
For decades, Pluto was a distant point of light at the edge of the Solar System—mysterious, poorly understood, and largely ignored. Even after its reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto never truly lost its scientific importance. On the contrary, the historic flyby of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015 transformed Pluto from an abstract concept into a complex, dynamic world. Mountains of water ice, vast nitrogen glaciers, layered hazes, and signs of ongoing geological activity stunned scientists and raised a crucial question: was that brief encounter enough?
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Discovering Subsurface Oceans on Jupiter’s Moons: A New Frontier in the Search for Life
For much of modern astronomy, the search for life beyond Earth focused on planets orbiting within the so-called “habitable zone” of their stars — regions where liquid water could exist on the surface. However, discoveries made over the past few decades have dramatically expanded this view. One of the most profound revelations in planetary science is the discovery of vast subsurface oceans hidden beneath the icy shells of Jupiter’s moons. These concealed oceans have transformed frozen, distant worlds into some of the most promising environments for extraterrestrial life in our Solar System.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Private Orbital Cities in the 2030s: How Humanity May Begin Living Above Earth
By the 2030s, the concept of private orbital cities is expected to move decisively from visionary speculation to practical implementation. What once belonged exclusively to the domain of science fiction and government-funded space programs is now being actively explored by private aerospace companies, investors, and architects. These orbital settlements will not merely host astronauts on short missions; they are designed to support long-term human presence, economic activity, and even emerging space-based communities.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
The Infrastructure of the Interplanetary Internet: Building a Network Beyond Earth
For most people, the internet is an invisible and instant utility. We send messages, stream videos, and store data in the cloud without thinking about the immense infrastructure that makes it possible. But what happens when humanity moves beyond Earth? As space exploration accelerates and missions to the Moon and Mars become increasingly ambitious, scientists and engineers face a fundamental challenge: how do we build an internet that works across planets?
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Experimental Propulsion Systems Redefining Interplanetary Travel
For more than half a century, humanity’s journey into space has relied primarily on chemical rocket engines. These powerful yet short-lived systems made it possible to reach orbit, land on the Moon, and send robotic explorers to the outer edges of the Solar System. However, as ambitions shift toward sustained human presence on Mars, asteroid mining, and deep-space exploration, it has become increasingly clear that traditional propulsion technologies are reaching their practical limits. To move farther, faster, and more efficiently, space agencies and private companies are now turning their attention to a new generation of experimental engines designed specifically for interplanetary travel.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
How Solar Winds Are Reshaping the Surface of Mercury
Mercury, the innermost planet of our Solar System, is often described as a silent, lifeless world — a scorched sphere of rock orbiting perilously close to the Sun. For a long time, scientists assumed that its surface was largely static, shaped mainly by ancient volcanic activity and impacts billions of years ago. Recent space missions, however, have revealed a far more dynamic reality. Mercury’s surface is constantly changing, sculpted by one of the most powerful and relentless forces in the Solar System: the solar wind.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Exploring New Frontiers: Innovative Methods to Find Exoplanets Around Red Dwarfs
In the quest to understand our place in the universe, one of the most exciting frontiers is the search for planets beyond our solar system. Among the most promising targets are red dwarf stars, also known as M-dwarfs.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
