
Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell was staff reporter at Space.com between 2022 and 2024 and a regular contributor to Live Science and Space.com between 2012 and 2022. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.
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What's up with this weird green rock on Mars? Perseverance rover is trying to find out.Perseverance's laser hasn't yet penetrated the mystery of a strange Martian rock near the rover's new digs.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
mars -
Infamous asteroid Apophis poses no threat to Earth for at least 100 years, NASA saysThe notorious Apophis space rock just shed its hazardous status — for the next 100 years at least — after fresh observations of the near-Earth asteroid.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
asteroids -
Satellite spots SpaceX's Starship SN9 from space ahead of explosive test flightBy Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
Largest sea on Titan could be more than 1,000 feet deepData from one of Cassini's last flybys of Titan probed the depths of Kraken Mare to better understand the moon's alien chemistry.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
astronomy -
Red Bull skydivers recreate mysterious Marfa lights for winter solstice 2020An epic nighttime skydive saw Red Bull Air Force's Amy Chmelecki and teammates don pyrotechnics to highlight – literally – the importance of astronomy and dark skies in a rural region of Texas.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
physics-mathematics -
These photos of the Arecibo Observatory telescope collapse are just heartbreakingGut-wrenching pictures and video documented the beginning of the end for the Arecibo Observatory, one of the world's most iconic telescopes.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
astronomy -
A Thanksgiving sun treat: Big sunspot rotates into viewA group of sunspots has emerged on the Earth-facing side of the sun, just in time for Thanksgiving.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
the-sun -
Stratolaunch starts building Talon hypersonic plane for Mach 6 flightsStratolaunch has started construction on a prototype of a Mach 6 vehicle designed to launch from the world's biggest airplane.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space -
Asteroid Apophis is speeding up as scientists recalculate odds of 2068 impactAstronomers say they'll have to keep an eye on the near-Earth asteroid Apophis to see how much of a danger the space rock poses to our planet during a close pass in 2068.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
asteroids -
China's reusable experimental spacecraft returns to Earth after two-day mystery missionA Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft has safely landed after two days in orbit, according to state media, and may have deployed a satellite during its mysterious, brief journey in space.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
How NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will get to the Red PlanetHere are all the major milestones of the Mars 2020 mission to the Red Planet, from launch to landing.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
mars -
China launches final Beidou satellite to complete GPS-like navigation systemIt completes a navigation satellite constellation decades in the making.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
The 'ring of fire' solar eclipse of 2020 occurs Sunday. Here's how to watch online.A "ring of fire" solar eclipse will briefly appear in parts of Africa and Asia this weekend, and if you aren't out there in person, you can take in the spectacular show online.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
astronomy -
Trump campaign pulls 'Make Space Great Again' video that may have violated NASA regulationsNASA was unaware of the video before its release on June 3.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space -
These Lego 'Star Wars' helmets are perfect for your Dark Side lifeIt's time to suit up for "Star Wars Day" — that annual May the Fourth (be with you) fan celebration that happens on Monday (May 4). Lego has three new helmet sets to help you get in the mood.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space -
Weird! Mercury's scorching temps may actually lead to ice.Could Mercury's close orbit to the sun help the planet generate ice? This sounds like a paradox, but a new study shows how it could happen.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
mercury -
'Dyson sphere' legacy: Freeman Dyson's wild alien megastructure idea will live foreverFreeman Dyson may be gone, but his famous alien-hunting idea will likely persist far into the future.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
extraterrestrial-life -
Satellite images show Iran's mass graves for coronavirus victimsBy Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
DARPA's hypersonic 'Glide Breaker' could blast missile threats out of the skyAerojet Rocketdyne will develop "enabling technologies" for DARPA's Glide Breaker program under a newly announced contract, which is worth up to $19.6 million.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
engineering -
The Greatest Spaceflight Moments of 2019Three lunar missions, commercial spaceflight milestones, the first all-woman spacewalk — 2019 was a busy year in space for public and private entities alike.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
The Force of 'Star Wars': The Staying Power of a Sci-Fi Icon ExplainedWhat is it about the "Star Wars" franchise that gives it staying power throughout a generation and a half of change?
By Elizabeth Howell Published
arts-entertainment -
NASA's 'Treasure Map' of Water Ice on Mars Shows Where Humans Should LandNASA's wish to follow the water on Mars just got a helping hand.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
mars -
Russian Military Launches Secret Surveillance Satellite Into OrbitA Russian Soyuz rocket launched a top-secret military satellite designed to scope out other satellites in space on Monday (Nov. 25), according to government reports.
By Elizabeth Howell Published
space-exploration -
Rare Mercury Transit, the Last Until 2032, Thrills Skywatchers Around the WorldThe tiny planet Mercury scooted across the sun's face today (Nov. 11) for the last time until 2032, and skywatchers around the world had the chance to witness the rare celestial event.
By Hanneke Weitering Published
mercury