Indian Country Today Media Network: Possibly the only Native American astronomer in the contiguous US, Dennis Lamenti is working to recruit more Native American students into the field. Lamenti was a late comer to astronomy—he was almost 45 years old when he enrolled at San Francisco State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in physics and later gravitated toward astronomy. Now 53, he has about two years to go on his PhD at Indiana University. Hopeful of inspiring others, Lamenti is considering a career in teaching, particularly returning home to the Navajo Nation in Arizona. He believes indigenous thought is needed for a holistic approach to science and understanding the universe, writes Michelle Tirado for Indian Country Today Media Network.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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