
Harry Baker
Harry is a U.K.-based senior staff writer at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. He covers a wide range of topics including space exploration, planetary science, space weather, climate change, animal behavior and paleontology. His recent work on the solar maximum won "best space submission" at the 2024 Aerospace Media Awards and was shortlisted in the "top scoop" category at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence in 2023. He also writes Live Science's weekly Earth from space series.
Latest articles by Harry Baker

Mega-iceberg A23a, formerly the world's largest, turns into bright 'blue mush' as it finally dies after 40 years at sea
By Harry Baker published
New satellite photos reveal that one of the world's largest and longest-lived icebergs, A23a, has developed vibrant blue striations on its surface. The striking snaps hint that the "megaberg" will soon disappear forever, ending a surprisingly eventful four-decade-long saga.

Ethereal ice structures swirl alongside Chicago during extreme cold snap fueled by polar vortex
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2025 satellite image shows a series of ghostly ice swirls sculpted on the surface of Lake Michigan by strong winds during an extreme cold snap that covered Chicago in a blanket of snow.

Astronomers may have already spotted the 'Great Comet of 2026' — and it could soon be visible to the naked eye
By Harry Baker published
Recently discovered Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) will make its closest approach to the sun and Earth in late April and could potentially be visible to the naked eye. It may end up being the brightest comet of the year.

Live Science crossword puzzle #25: Ancient hominin species famous for their 'upright' posture — 11 across
By Harry Baker published
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!

Giant sunspot that triggered recent solar 'superstorm' shot out nearly 1,000 flares and a secret X-rated explosion, record-breaking study reveals
By Harry Baker published
The massive sunspot that sparked an "extreme" geomagnetic storm in May 2024 unleashed hundreds of other dangerous solar flares, including a hidden X-class outburst, a new paper reveals. The study sets a record for the longest continuous observation of a single active region on our home star.

Orbiting satellites could start crashing into one another in less than 3 days, theoretical new 'CRASH Clock' reveals
By Harry Baker published
Researchers have proposed a theoretical timepiece, dubbed the "CRASH Clock," which tells us how quickly satellites would start colliding if they lost the ability to avoid each other, such as during a powerful solar storm. And its value is rapidly decreasing.

Advanced alien civilizations could be communicating 'like fireflies' in plain sight, researchers suggest
By Harry Baker published
A new paper posits that advanced alien civilizations may communicate through subtle flashes, like fireflies do on Earth. The thought experiment suggests that we need to avoid human biases in our search for extraterrestrial life.

The moon has been secretly feasting on Earth's atmosphere for billions of years
By Harry Baker published
A new study reveals that tiny fragments of Earth's atmosphere are transported to and absorbed by the moon via gusts of solar wind and our planet's magnetic field, upending a 20-year-old theory based on NASA's Apollo lunar samples.

Submerged sandbanks shine like underwater auroras in astronaut's view of the Bahamas
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2016 astronaut photo of the Bahamas shows a series of luminous, rippling sandbanks partly carved out by a coral reef. The image also reveals subtle differences in the ocean's surface caused by a steep, hidden ocean drop-off.

Tractor beams inspired by sci-fi are real, and could solve the looming space junk problem
By Harry Baker published
Researchers are developing a real-life tractor beam, with the goal of pulling defunct satellites out of geostationary orbit to alleviate the space junk problem.

See the exact point where a glacier, a lake and a river 'touch' in Argentina
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2021 astronaut photo shows a triple valley system in Argentina's Los Glaciares National Park where a massive climate-resilient glacier, a pristine turquoise lake and a murky green "river" come together at a single point.

Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest place on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A satellite photo from July shows intricate snowy stripes painted across the Atacama Desert in Chile. The icy weather temporarily put the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory into "survival mode."

Best space photos of 2025
By Harry Baker published
An alien comet, a Martian volcano, a man’s fall from the sun and a groundbreaking telescope’s first images: Here are the most jaw-dropping space photos of 2025.

Live Science crossword puzzle #24: Elemental particle associated with light — 11 down
By Harry Baker published
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is rapidly moving away from us. Can we 'intercept' it before it leaves us forever?
By Harry Baker published
3I/ATLAS has passed its closest point to Earth, meaning we will soon lose sight of it for good. Some scientists want to send a spacecraft to chase down the alien comet — or the next interstellar object.

Spiders on Jupiter? Scientists uncover secret origins of arachnid-like 'demon' lurking on gas giant's moon.
By Harry Baker published
A new study reveals the likely origin of a mysterious spider-like pattern first spotted on Jupiter's moon Europa in 1998. The finding could have implications for a NASA spacecraft en route to the frozen world.

City-size 'cosmic butterfly' carved into Mars' surface contains traces of ancient water
By Harry Baker published
The European Space Agency has released new images of a rare "butterfly" crater on the Red Planet. The bug-like structure sports a pair of smooth, rocky wings, which were likely "fluidized" by buried Martian ice.

Deep snow blanket transforms Yellowstone Lake into a giant white void
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2022 astronaut photo shows a thick blanket of snow covering Yellowstone Lake, transforming the frozen body of water into a featureless white void. But below the ice lie some of Earth's hottest hydrothermal vents.

Live Science crossword puzzle #23: Distance around the edge of a circle — 6 down
By Harry Baker published
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!

'Necessary for the future of humankind': Who was honored at the first-ever Global Space Awards?
By Harry Baker published
The winners of the inaugural Global Space Awards were recently announced at a star-studded ceremony at London's Natural History Museum. The event championed innovation and sustainability, while also celebrating the life of a late NASA astronaut.

Rare 'sunglint' transforms Alabama River into a giant 'golden dragon'
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2023 astronaut photo shows the moment the Alabama River briefly morphed into an undulating golden serpent, similar in shape to a Chinese dragon. This temporary transformation was the result of a rare mirror-like phenomenon known as a "sunglint."

Live Science crossword puzzle #22: Subatomic particle with a positive charge — 13 across
By Harry Baker published
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!

Giant sunspot on par with the one that birthed the Carrington Event has appeared on the sun — and it's pointed right at Earth
By Harry Baker published
A massive new sunspot complex, dubbed AR 4294-4296, has emerged on the sun and is facing directly at Earth. The dark patch is on par with the infamous sunspot that birthed the 1859 Carrington Event — but, for now, it's staying quiet.

Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2023 astronaut photo shows three dark hills, or mesas, towering above part of the Sahara desert in southern Mauritania. The structures are remnants of a single Paleozoic era formation, and have helped to create a series of striking sand dunes.

Russia accidentally destroys its only working launch pad as astronauts lift off to ISS
By Harry Baker published
The recent launch of a Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station has caused significant damage to Russia's only launch pad capable of sending humans into space.
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