SPACE.com: Miniaturization is all the rage now in such devices as laptop computers and cell phonesâmdash;and now satellites can be added to the list. Nanosatellites, some no bigger than a Klondike ice cream bar, can contain the same components as their full-size counterparts but cost less and create less space debris. And because of their small size, they don’t require a dedicated launch vehicle; they can piggyback on someone else’s rocket. Although nanosatellites cannot replace larger satellites for some experiments, they are proving invaluable in certain fields of study, such as astrobiology.
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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