Every now and then we get into a discussion about the Big Bang theory or the theory of evolution, and the discussion occasionally ends with what is intended as a put-down:
"Well, after all, it’s just a theory."
In the same vein, there was a flap at NASA a couple of years ago when someone insisted that the word "theory" be added after every mention of the Big Bang.
Both instances betray a misunderstanding of what a scientific theory is. It is not some hunch, or half-baked idea that you come up with while taking a shower, or being under the influence of something or other. Full Story
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Now that we shamelessly have your attention, we'd like to invite you to take a survey about our newly redesigned website. We know, we know, surveys can be less than stimulating. To make...
[More (19 Nov 08)]
Now that we shamelessly have your attention, we'd like to invite you to take a survey about our newly redesigned website. We know, we know, surveys can be less than stimulating. To make...
[More (19 Nov 08)]
Chandra entered Normal Sun Mode (NSM) at 4:24 pm on Saturday Oct 18 as the result of a reset of the Interface Unit (IU) on-board the
spacecraft. [more]
M84 [11/13/2008]A massive elliptical galaxy about 55 million light years away in the Virgo Cluster.
Take Chandra anywhere! Just download Chandra Podcasts to your portable MP3 player and go. Now playing: Abell 1689 in 60 Seconds 
This composite shows a classic example of mixed-morphology supernova remnant known as W28.Download Desktop. 
"Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light." Joseph Pulitizer.
One of the primary goals of communicating science to the public is to capture the excitement of scientific discoveries while trying to follow the advice of Joseph Pulitizer. Full Story
A supernova is a spectacular event. It can outshine the optical light from an entire galaxy, and with the help of big ground-based telescopes, it can be seen across more than half the Universe. At least one of the supernovas in our galaxy was so bright it was visible to ancient astronomers during the day.Full Story
Scientists have recently used Chandra to observe powerful flares on young Sun-like stars in the Orion Nebula. These results show that solar flares may have played an important role in shaping our solar system. Here, we explain more of the science behind these conclusions and give some other details about these deep Chandra observations. Full Story
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Updated: July 09, 2008