Chinese space probe carrying lunar samples returned to Earth: state media

An unmanned Chinese spacecraft carrying rocks and soil from the Moon returned safely to Earth early Thursday in the first mission in four decades to collect lunar samples, the Xinhua news agency said. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-chinese-space-probe-lunar-samples.html…

Chinese craft returns to Earth with Moon rocks

An unmanned Chinese spacecraft carrying rocks and soil from the Moon returned safely to Earth early Thursday, completing another chapter in China’s effort to become a space superpower. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-chinese-space-probe-lunar-samples.html…

China prepares for return of lunar probe with moon samples

Chinese ground crews are standing by for the return of a lunar probe bringing back the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 45 years. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-china-lunar-probe-moon-samples.html…

Researchers demonstrate nondestructive mid-infrared imaging using entangled photons

Researchers have shown that entangled photons can be used to improve the penetration depth of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in highly scattering materials. The method represents a way to perform OCT with mid-infrared wavelengths and could be useful for non-destructive testing and analysis of materials such as ceramics and paint samples. …

Capsule with asteroid samples arrives in Japan for research

Japanese space agency officials were delighted Tuesday by the return of a small capsule containing asteroid soil samples obtained by their Hayabusa2 spacecraft and they are anxiously waiting to look inside after preparations are complete. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-capsule-asteroid-samples-japan.html…

Japan space agency hails return of asteroid dust on Earth

Japan space agency officials on Sunday hailed the arrival of rare asteroid samples on Earth after they were collected by space probe Hayabusa-2 during an unprecedented mission. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-japan-space-agency-hails-asteroid.html…

Chinese probe orbiting moon with Earth-bound samples

A Chinese probe was orbiting the moon on Monday in preparation for the returning of samples of the lunar surface to Earth for the first time in almost 45 years. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-chinese-probe-orbiting-moon-earth-bound.html…

Celebrating the Path-Breaking Research That Lead to Coronavirus Vaccines

The Washington Post tells the remarkable story of how both Moderna’s vaccine and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine relied on a specially designed spike protein partially created by America’s Vaccine Research Center — along with messenger RNA, “a technology never before harnessed in an approved vaccine.” And also decades of path-breaking research: If, as expected in the next few weeks, regulators give those…