How do astronauts get a good night’s sleep in space? Erin Flynn-Evans, director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, joined this week’s Planetary Radio to explore how her team studies sleep, fatigue, and circadian rhythms to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready. Pictured: Astronaut Marsha Ivins taking a nap on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Image credit: NASA.
When you wish on a shooting star, you don’t usually wish for it to land on you. But there have been several documented cases of meteorites falling right onto people or their property. In some cases, these space rocks were gifts from above. But in others, they wrought terrible destruction. Read our review of some of the most noteworthy eyewitness accounts of meteorite encounters.
We’re organizing a special Day of Action to oppose the proposed NASA cuts. In response to the unprecedented attack on NASA’s science activities in the FY 2026 budget proposal, The Planetary Society and nearly a dozen partner organizations are holding a joint Day of Action on Oct. 5 and 6 in Washington, D.C. Sign up today, and we’ll train you and set up your meetings with elected officials to push back against the drastic cuts proposed to NASA science.
Dava Sobel has a wonderful talent for writing about the people of science. That’s one of the reasons why The Planetary Society honored her with our 2025 Cosmos Award for the Outstanding Public Presentation of Science. Sobel will join the next meeting of the Society’s virtual, members-only book club on Aug. 5 to talk about her life’s work and answer members’ questions. Not yet a Planetary Society member? Join today.
Matching gift challenge — one week only! Did you know that you can help advance the search for near-Earth objects? With a gift of any amount, you can help power the asteroid hunters who protect our planet. Plus, for one week only, your gift will be matched up to $6,000 thanks to a group of generous Society members who have come together to issue a matching gift challenge!