SPACE

11 Space Facts That Will Change Your Perspective

If the sun were the size of a basketball, the Earth would be no larger than a pinhead.

Valentina Tereshkova in a Russian poster.

Valentina Tereshkova, the First Woman in Space

The factory worker-turned-cosmonaut dealt with plenty of sexism while trying to keep her spacecraft on track.

What Happens If You Shoot a Gun in Space?

Space shootouts are possible. The Soviets proved it.

John Denver really wanted to go to space.

When John Denver Almost Went into Space

The country music icon spent years trying to get higher than any musician had ever been.

Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (left) and David A. Wolf in the midst of a pre-breathe exercise in preparation for a spacewalk.

How Do Astronauts Breathe in Space?

Engineers have had to come up with some interesting ways to generate oxygen for astronauts in the vacuum of space.

The Milky Way over Monument Valley in Arizona.

10 Astonishing Things You Should Know About the Milky Way

The Milky Way is one of the biggest in the observable universe: Even if you traveled at the speed of light, it would take 100,000 years to go from one end of our home galaxy to the other.

In space, it isn’t just number one and done.

To Boldly Go: The Science Behind Pooping in Space

Coming up with a practical way of replicating the earthbound poop experience took many years, many engineers, and a whole lot of ingenuity.

You likely have a chance to see the total lunar eclipse in March!

Don’t Miss the “Blood Moon” Total Lunar Eclipse Coming in March

The total lunar eclipse on March 13–14 will cause a “blood moon” visible from coast to coast.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly watches a bunch of fresh carrots float in front of him on the International Space Station.

11 Daily Tasks That Are Hard to Do in Space (And How Astronauts Actually Do Them)

NASA scientists have figured out ways for astronauts to eat bread without leaving crumbs, shower without running water, and sleep without floating free from their beds.

The Berlin Wall was a symbol of the Cold War from 1961 to 1989.

11 Chilling Facts About the Cold War

The U.S. and USSR employed spies, quelled internal dissent, made allies abroad, and stockpiled nuclear weapons in this proxy war.

What Happens When an Astronaut Gets Sick in Space?

Sick astronauts on a space mission can’t just pop down to Earth to see a doctor. Here’s how they deal with bumps, bruises, and worse.

Katherine Johnson at NASA's Langley Research Center, 1980.

10 Fascinating Facts About Katherine Johnson

Before she helped send the first astronauts to the moon, Katherine Johnson was a human “computer” working behind the scenes at NASA.

Skylab 2 commander Peter Conrad attempts to take a shower aboard the spacecraft in 1973.

How Do Astronauts Shower in Space?

Here on Earth, we tend to take showering for granted. But getting clean isn’t so easy without the force of gravity helping you out.

The Last Starfighter | Official Trailer | 4K

9 Things You Might Not Have Known About ‘The Last Starfighter’

It might not have garnered the box office success of movies like ‘E.T.’ and ‘Back to the Future,’ but more than 40 years after its release, ‘The Last Starfighter’ has acquired a cult following.

Star Wars Tamagotchi Lets You Lead Darth Vader to the Dark Side

The Tamagotchi gets an update with this Darth Vader edition, complete with mini-games, character interactions, and lightsaber training.

Astronauts face lots of challenges, including what to do with dirty underwear.

Do Astronauts Do Laundry in Space?

Tossing stinky socks in a washer isn’t really an option once you leave Earth.

What‘s less frequent than northern lights? Their opposite: anti-auroras.

Rare, Black ‘Anti-Auroras‘ Spotted in Alaska

Anti-auroras are even less common than the northern lights.

In Outer Space, Where Does a Compass Point?

On Earth, compasses always point north—but when you’re drifting outside our planet’s magnetosphere, things get more complicated.

The northern lights are an event to remember.

Missed the Northern Lights This Year? Scientists Say They’re About to Get More Active

If the northern lights are on your bucket list, the 2026 to 2027 winter season will be exciting for you.

New Jupiter Images Paint a Detailed Picture of the Gas Giant

These processed images of Jupiter make the planet look like a painting.

Green space Japan set to test world's first wooden satellite | REUTERS

The First Wooden Satellite Is Headed To the International Space Station

A type of wood commonly used to make Samurai sword sheaths may be the future of space exploration.

Why Is Space a Vacuum?

Roborock has teamed up with Mental Floss to explain why space is a vacuum—all while pushing the boundaries of smart cleaning technology back on Earth.

Presented by Roborock

Roborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum in space.

Roborock Sends the First Robot Vacuum to Space

Roborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum became the first robot vacuum to go to space as part of the company’s “Cleaning Beyond Limits” campaign.

Presented by Roborock

A coronal mass ejection shoots out from the sun.

“Severe” Solar Storm Might Bring Northern Lights to the Deep South

Scientists just observed a powerful solar storm that could carry the northern lights over the lower 48 in the near future.