Charles Q. Choi
Charles Q. Choi is a contributing writer for Space.com and Live Science. He covers all things human origins and astronomy as well as physics, animals and general science topics. Charles has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida. Charles has visited every continent on Earth, drinking rancid yak butter tea in Lhasa, snorkeling with sea lions in the Galapagos and even climbing an iceberg in Antarctica. Visit him at http://www.sciwriter.us
Latest articles by Charles Q. Choi
James Webb Space Telescope spies earliest complex organic molecules in the universe
By Charles Q. Choi published
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the oldest known examples of complex organic molecules in the universe, a new study reports.
Uranus: Everything you need to know about the coldest planet in the solar system
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Reference Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun and was the first to be discovered with a telescope. We explore this ice giant in more detail here.
The moon: Everything you need to know about Earth's companion
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Reference Learn how the moon formed, how its orbit affects Earth's tides, why solar and lunar eclipses happen and the history of lunar exploration.
Record-breaking Tonga undersea volcano disrupted satellite signals in space
By Charles Q. Choi published
The January 2022 eruption of a Tonga undersea volcano was powerful enough to generate plasma bubbles that disrupted radio communications in outer space.
How fast is the universe expanding? New supernova data could help nail it down
By Charles Q. Choi published
A warp in the fabric of space and time that acted like a giant magnifying glass may help solve a celestial mystery about the rate of the universe's expansion.
Scientists catch real-life Death Star devouring a planet in 1st-of-its-kind discovery
By Charles Q. Choi published
The action 12,000 light-years away may presage what happens to Earth about 5 billion years from now.
Pluto: Everything you need to know about the dwarf planet
By Charles Q. Choi, Scott Dutfield last updated
Reference Pluto was once considered the ninth planet in the solar system, it was demoted in 2006 to dwarf planet status. We explore this icy body in more detail here.
Neptune: A guide to the windy eighth planet from the sun
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Reference Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun and was the first to be predicted before it was discovered.
Planet Earth: Everything you need to know
By Charles Q. Choi, Ailsa Harvey last updated
Reference Earth is the only planet known to support life. Learn about what Earth is made of and where it came from.
Medieval lunar eclipse observations show how volcanoes affect Earth's climate
By Charles Q. Choi published
Medieval tomes that recorded how the moon changed color during lunar eclipses could help reveal vital clues about the volcanic eruptions that may have triggered the Little Ice Age in Europe.
Solar system planets, order and formation: A guide
By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference Explore the eight (or nine) planets of the solar system in order from nearest to the sun and discover the many wonders of our solar system along the way.
Jupiter: A guide to the largest planet in the solar system
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Reference Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system and has 79 moons. Learn more about the gas giant in our ultimate guide.
Saturn: Everything you need to know about the sixth planet from the sun
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Reference Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and the second-largest planet in the solar system. We explore this gas giant in more detail here.
What is a black hole event horizon (and what happens there)?
By Robert Lea last updated
Reference The event horizon is a boundary that marks the outer edge of black holes. It is the point at which nothing, not even light, can escape.
Signs of Mars life may be too elusive for rovers to detect
By Charles Q. Choi published
The robots currently exploring Mars may not be capable of detecting potential traces of life on the Red Planet, a new study finds.
Uranus up close: What proposed NASA 'ice giant' mission could teach us
By Charles Q. Choi published
A proposed NASA mission to Uranus would shed light on the mysterious ice giant as well as a type of exoplanet that's among the most common in the universe, researchers say.
Space diet rich in veggies and fish could boost astronaut health
By Charles Q. Choi published
An enhanced in-space diet augmented with fruits, vegetables and fish could help boost astronaut health and performance, a new study finds.
Sending atomic clocks close to the sun could unlock the secrets of dark matter
By Charles Q. Choi published
Space probes that fly close to the sun may help reveal the nature of dark matter, which makes up about five-sixths of all matter in the universe but remains a mystery.
'Planet factories' may explain mysterious diversity of super-Earth alien worlds
By Charles Q. Choi published
Researchers may be able to explain the origin of these enigmatic worlds and also that of other rocky planets and moons, including Earth and its siblings.
This wild interstellar picogram probe idea could carry engineered microbes to other stars
By Charles Q. Choi published
Microbes carried by laser-propelled sails could serve as interstellar probes that can build communications stations to phone home from Alpha Centauri.
15 times black holes surprised us in 2022
By Charles Q. Choi published
Over the past year, astronomers have gleaned new insights into black holes across the universe. Here is a list of 15 times black holes surprised us in 2022.
9 alien planet discoveries that were out-of-this-world in 2022
By Charles Q. Choi published
Wind farms on Mars could power future astronaut bases
By Charles Q. Choi published
Even though winds on Mars are weak, they could be sufficient to provide power for future exploration and colonization of the Red Planet, a new study finds.