Image description: These images show a solar flare as observed on January 23. You can see the sun’s surface brighten as gas was superheated and magnetically supercharged. In the far right image, there is a stream of solar material flowing into space, likely solar protons and a coronal mass ejection.
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are not a danger to humans on Earth. The planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere deflect and absorb the energy. Sun storms can pose some risks to astronauts, and upset science, military, and communications satellites.
Learn more about the recent sun flares.
Images courtesy of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory
New regulations help ensure that you are treated fairly when you travel by air. Airlines and ticket agents now must -
- Include all mandatory taxes and fees within the fares they publish rather than hiding them elsewhere.
- Disclose baggage fees when tickets are being purchased.
- Allow customers to hold a reservation without payment or cancel a booking without penalty within 24 hours, if they made the reservation one week or more prior to departure.
- Promptly notify passengers of delays over 30 minutes.
Get the details on these new rules.
Asked by Anonymous
who was the first american women to go to outer space
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Learn more about how to talk to your teen about setting dating rules and building respectful relationships.
Image description: These four maned wolf pups were born in early January at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Maned wolves are considered near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, mainly due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. Learn more about the pups and the Smithsonian’s efforts to maintain them.
Photo by Lisa Ware, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute