Brandon is the space / physics editor at Live Science. With more than 20 years of editorial experience, his writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Reader's Digest, CBS.com, the Richard Dawkins Foundation website and other outlets. He holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona, with minors in journalism and media arts. His interests include black holes, asteroids and comets, and the search for extraterrestrial life.
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SETI scientists reveal 100 'signals of interest' from collapsed Arecibo ObservatoryA crowd-sourced search for alien intelligence called SETI@Home is in its final stages, analyzing 100 'signals of interest' with the world's largest radio telescope.
By Brandon Specktor Published
10 Commentsextraterrestrial-life -
NASA spacecraft takes milestone 100,000th image of Mars (photo)NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft has just taken its milestone 100,000th photo of the Red Planet using its high-definition camera. It reveals a dark region of moving sand dunes.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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NASA eyes 3I/ATLAS with alien-hunting Clipper spacecraft in new imageNASA's alien-hunting Europa Clipper spacecraft took seven hours of ultraviolet observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS while both objects zoom toward Jupiter.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Comet 3I/ATLAS is getting greener and brighter as it approaches EarthNew images taken with the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii confirm that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has gotten brighter and greener since its close flyby of the sun in October.
By Brandon Specktor Published
3 Commentscomets -
New 3I/ATLAS images show the comet getting active ahead of close encounter with EarthNASA and ESA both shared new images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS this week, as the agencies gear up for the mysterious object's closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19.
By Brandon Specktor Published
16 Commentscomets -
When is the next full moon?When does the next full moon rise? Find out exactly when to see the full moons of 2025, including the full 'Cold Moon' supermoon in December.
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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That was the week in science: Soyuz launch pad seriously damaged | 'Holy Grail' of shipwrecks | Interstellar object dangersLive blog Friday, Nov. 28, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
By Ben Turner Last updated
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Watch live: New images of comet 3I/ATLAS revealed by NASA today (Nov. 19)NASA will finally share long-awaited images of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS taken during the comet's close flyby of Mars. A live stream has been set for today (Nov. 19).
By Brandon Specktor Last updated
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'Severe' solar storm brings auroras as far south as Florida — and more are on the way tonightThe most powerful solar flare of 2025 has launched a ball of energy toward Earth that could trigger widespread auroras across the United States tonight.
By Brandon Specktor Last updated
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'Colder and deader from now on': Euclid telescope confirms the universe has already peaked in star formationAstronomers using data from ESA's Euclid and Herschel space telescopes have confirmed that star formation has already peaked in the cosmos, and that the universe is bound to get steadily 'colder and deader' from here on.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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'Miracle' photo captures Comet Lemmon and meteor seemingly entwined over EarthAn astronomer in Italy caught a fortuitous image of the bright comet Lemmon seemingly entwined with the glowing trail of a "shooting star."
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is about to get very active — Space photo of the weekThe interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is barreling toward its closest point to the sun as perihelion looms on Oct. 29. How different will it look when it reappears on the other side?
By Brandon Specktor Published
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New images of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS show giant 'jet' shooting toward the sunNew telescope images show that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is shooting a giant jet of gas and dust toward the sun. This is normal behavior for comets, an expert told Live Science.
By Brandon Specktor Published
9 Commentscomets -
'Closest view' yet of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS captured by Mars orbiterThe European Space Agency's ExoMars orbiter has captured the closest view yet of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. The images reveal the comet's bright coma but show no signs of a tail.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Sneaky asteroid zooms past Antarctica closer than a satellite — and astronomers didn't catch it until hours afterA small, giraffe-size asteroid called 2025 TF came closer to Earth than some satellites on Wednesday (Oct. 1), stunning astronomers who first spotted it hours later.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS may come from the mysterious frontier of the early Milky Way, new study hintsThe interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS does not come from our corner of the Milky Way, and may be a time capsule of the early galaxy, new research into its trajectory hints.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Artemis Program: NASA's plan to send humans back to the moonBasic information about the Artemis program's Space Launch System and Orion capsule.
By Adam Mann Last updated
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'Shocking': Black hole found growing at 2.4 times the theoretical limitScientists spotted an enormous black hole in the early universe that's growing at 2.4 times the theoretical Eddington limit. Studying it further could help answer one of the biggest questions in astrophysics.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Will the James Webb telescope finally lead us to alien life?Three years into its mission, the James Webb Space Telescope has advanced the search for alien life more than any machine before it. What will it find next?
By Brandon Specktor Published
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How to stream Sunday's 'blood moon' total lunar eclipseThe final 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse of 2025 is coming this Sunday (Sept. 7-8). Here's where the celestial spectacle will be visible — and how to watch it if you're not in the path.
By Brandon Specktor Last updated
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'Butterfly Nebula' spreads its wings in dazzling new James Webb telescope imageIn a dazzling new photo, the James Webb Space Telescope zooms in on the Butterfly Nebula — the dying gasps of one of the hottest stars in the sky, which could hold clues to Earth's origins.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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James Webb telescope pinpoints brightest FRB ever detectedAstronomers using the James Webb telescope alongside Canada's CHIME telescope have pinpointed the origin of one of the brightest blasts of radio energy ever detected in Earth's skies.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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Autumn equinox 2025: When does fall begin?REFERENCE Equinoxes occur twice a year, with night and day being almost the exact same length all across the world. The next equinox is the September fall equinox, beginning on Sept. 22, 2025 in North America.
By Sarah Wild Last updated
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Scientists scan famous 'Earthrise' crater on mission to find alien life in our solar systemA large lunar crater featured in the iconic 'Earthrise' photo has just helped the European JUICE spacecraft hone its alien-hunting instruments during a once-in-a-lifetime flyby.
By Brandon Specktor Published
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