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NASA Plans to Capture Asteroid to Study and Find Ways to Deflect

Asteroid Retrieval System

The President’s 2014 budget recommendations for NASA last week included money to capture and explore an asteroid in a mission that could someday help protect the earth from impact. Charles Fishburne of WCVE Public Radio talks with Dr. Michael Gazarik, Associate Director of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, about the purpose of the mission that may someday tame an asteroid headed towards earth. 

Question Your World: How Will We Fuel Long Term Space Exploration?

Plutonium 238

The Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was one of the most sophisticated scientific experiments of all time. This trip involved over 5 million lbs. of fuel for the round trip to our closest celestial neighbor. That worked well for getting us to the moon and back, but how much fuel could we possibly produce and carry on board for a trip to the distant reaches of our solar system? Listen to the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia to learn more about renewed production of a different fuel source - Plutonium 238.

Question Your World: What Came First, The Chicken Or The Egg?

chicken or egg

Science is the process by which we can ask and answer questions about our natural world. Everything from our most routine activities all the way to the quest for our universe’s origins are fair game for the field of science! So, lets put science to the test and answer an age-old question: What came first, the chicken or the egg? Listen to the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia.

Question Your World: Could We Ever Control Our Biological Clocks?

Biological Clock

Every living creature on Earth is designed, more or less, by four basic nucleic acids. These acids combined in various sequences and strands form our DNA, which dictates everything about us from our daily physiology to our biological rhythms, commonly referred to as our biological clocks. This clock controls when we’re active, when we eat, how we age, and so on.

Question Your World: Can We Make Housing More Eco-friendly?

wooden skyscrapper

There are currently over seven billion humans on this planet. As this population grows we’ll need more and more homes for all these people. With limited resources and a constant watch over our impact on the environment, a big question gets brought up frequently about the future of residential construction…can we make housing more eco-friendly? Listen to the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia.

More From WCVE Public Radio...

Robots + Us Comes to the Science Museum

Robots Plus Us opened over the weekend at the Science Museum of Virginia. The interactive educational exhibit will be in Richmond through September.

Check out this Science Museum of Virginia’s “Question Your World” segment: “How Do You Feel About Robots?”

UVA's Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Essential Tremor Called Success

The University of Virginia's ground-breaking scalpel-free brain surgery for essential tremor has been so successful it warrants large-scale testing, according to the project's lead researcher.  Charles Fishburne has more in this WCVE Science Matters report.

Biofuel Made From Camelina Plant Powers Jetliner

NASA researchers say a series of test flights in California has shown a commercial jet could fly safely with a blend of jet fuel made from camelina plant oil, while producing fewer emissions.  Charles Fishburne has more in this WCVE Science Matters report.

Discover more here.

Middle School Science Day at Maggie Walker

For nearly 100 middle school students, Saturday was Science Day at the Maggie Walker Governor’s School. The school’s Science National Honor Society sponsors the event.

“Project Plant It” Gets Kids Involved for Arbor Day

Tomorrow is Arbor Day, and again Dominion Power is helping elementary students plant trees and learn about the environment.