JoAnna Wendel

JoAnna Wendel

Space.com contributor

JoAnna Wendel is a freelance science writer living in Portland, Oregon. She mainly covers Earth and planetary science but also loves the ocean, invertebrates, lichen and moss. JoAnna's work has appeared in Eos, Smithsonian Magazine, Knowable Magazine, Popular Science and more. JoAnna is also a science cartoonist and has published comics with Gizmodo, NASA, Science News for Students and more. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in general sciences because she couldn't decide on her favorite area of science. In her spare time, JoAnna likes to hike, read, paint, do crossword puzzles and hang out with her cat, Pancake.

Articles by: JoAnna Wendel

An illustration of a rainbow-colored cloud of gas in space getting sucked into a funnel-like opening

Wormholes might bend light like black holes do — and that could be the key to finding them

By JoAnna Wendel published

If wormholes exist, they might magnify distant objects according to Einstein's theory of relativity — and that makes it possible for us to find them, new research suggests.

A portion of the open cluster NGC 6530 appears as a roiling wall of smoke studded with stars in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.

Lagoon Nebula shines in gorgeous new Hubble image

By JoAnna Wendel published

Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope to hunt for protoplanetary discs more than 4,000 light-years away were treated to a rainbow smokescreen filled with stars.

This Hubble Space Telescope photo shows just a slice of the Carina Nebula, a stellar nursery that lies 7,500 light-years from Earth. The whole nebula is too massive to capture in one image.

Carina Nebula twinkles in gorgeous new view from Hubble (photo)

By JoAnna Wendel published

Twinkling stars blanket this new view of the Carina Nebula, a vast cloud of dust and gas that lies 7,500 light-years from Earth.

The open star cluster NGC 2002 glitters with stars in this image from the Hubble Space Telescope released on Dec. 5, 2022.

Hubble telescope spots magnificent open star cluster 160,000 light-years away

By JoAnna Wendel published

Stars in the NGC 2002 cluster glitter in a new Hubble Space Telescope image of deep space.

This global mosaic, captured by the VIIRS instrument on the recently launched NOAA-21 satellite, is a composite image created from these swaths over a period of 24 hours between Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, 2022.

Earth looks stunning in this 1st full view from the NOAA-21 satellite (photos)

By JoAnna Wendel published

The Earth looks amazing in this first global view from NOAA's new NOAA-21 imaging satellite, which launched in November 2022.

A research vessel travels through the Arctic Ocean in October 2015.

Surprising loss of sea ice after record-breaking Arctic storm is a mystery to scientists

By JoAnna Wendel published

Although models accurately predicted the evolution of the Arctic storm, scientists were surprised to see just how much sea ice thickness decreased in the storm's aftermath.

The false-color view of the monthly-averaged total ozone over the Antarctic pole for October 2022. The blue and purple colors are where there is the least ozone. The false-color view of the monthly-averaged total ozone over the Antarctic pole for October 2022. The blue and purple colors are where there is the least ozone.

Hole in the ozone layer has grown for a 3rd year in a row — but scientists aren't concerned

By JoAnna Wendel published

The ozone hole is the largest it's been since 2015, but overall it's still decreasing.

photograph of rocket on launch pad

Moon vs. Mars: NASA's ultimate destination has varied over the decades

By JoAnna Wendel last updated

The moon and Mars have battled for precedence in NASA's exploration priorities.

A red and silver meteorite from diablo canyon

Strange, never-before-seen diamond crystal structure found inside 'Diablo canyon' meteorite

By JoAnna Wendel published

Graphene found interlocked with diamonds inside an ancient meteorite could be the key to superfast, supercharged tech.

Jupiter against the black backdrop of space. Horizontal bands of orange, brown and beige cover the planet. Blue ribbons of light are auroras at the top of the planet and the Great Red Spot can be seen towards the lower right of the image as a rusty red circle.

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.

Brian Cox as seen during a speaking event in May 2022.

What is reality, really? Brian Cox's 'Horizons' tour probes the mysteries of the universe

By JoAnna Wendel published

Cox mixes dazzling visuals with mind-bending questions to illuminate how scientists are working to understand the universe.

A photo of a lunar crater, measuring about 600 feet (185 meters) across, captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

How many space rocks hit the moon every year?

By JoAnna Wendel published

Here's how many tiny and large space rocks hit the moon on a regular basis.

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, like the solar system's other small bodies, is shaped by geological processes rather than by gravity.

Why are asteroids and comets such weird shapes?

By JoAnna Wendel published

While planets and some moons are almost perfectly spherical, the smaller bits of the solar system, such as asteroids and comets, come in all different shapes. But why is that?

One of the first images taken by the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter during its first close pass at the sun in 2020.

When will the sun die?

By JoAnna Wendel published

Are you worried about the sun suddenly blinking out? Never fear — our star still has billions of years left to shine.

Christina Koch on the ISS.

Christina Hammock Koch: Record-breaking NASA astronaut

By JoAnna Wendel published

Reference Christina Koch has broken many records and has been selected as part of Artemis 2's crew, where she'll become the first woman to be sent on a mission to the moon.

Artwork showing the planets orbiting the sun (from inner to outer): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Why do the planets in the solar system orbit on the same plane?

By JoAnna Wendel published

About 4.5 billion years ago, the solar system was just a giant, spinning cloud of gas and dust. Today, it's flat. Here's how that happened.

Juno spacecraft over Jupiter's great red spot. Jupiter is a gas giant, but could a spacecraft pass through a gas planet?

Could a spaceship fly through a gas giant like Jupiter?

By JoAnna Wendel published

These planets are mostly made of gas, but a spaceship would have a rough time trying to get through a giant planet like Jupiter or Saturn.

Illustration of moon very close to Earth.

What would happen if the moon were twice as close to Earth?

By JoAnna Wendel published

Higher tides, bigger earthquakes, and more frequent volcanic eruptions would plague the planet.

If the U.S. wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s, it may have to rely on nuclear-fission-powered spacecraft to cut the travel time down to three to four months.

Private companies find role in developing nuclear power for space travel

By JoAnna Wendel last updated

The private sector wants to bring nuclear power to space to enable faster and more efficient space travel.

The U.S. Space Force emblem as seen on the payload fairing of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket during launch operations for the AEHF-6 military communications satellite in March 2020.

Not enough Americans understand the need for Space Force, a top commander says

By JoAnna Wendel published

Space Force vice commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson urges Americans to better understand the need to be prepared for military actions in space.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasts off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center for an uncrewed in-flight abort test of the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft on Jan. 19, 2020.

SpaceX optimistic about May crewed mission as launch industry leaders monitor coronavirus

By JoAnna Wendel published

Commercial launch leaders are optimistic that the industry will survive the current outbreak of coronavirus.

SpaceX'sfirst Starship prototype (left) stands next to one of the Falcon 1 rocket first stages at the company's South Texas site in September 2019.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explains why we need a 'whole new architecture' for space travel

By JoAnna Wendel last updated

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says humanity needs a "whole new architecture" to fly in space beyond low Earth orbit.

An artist's concept of astronauts working on the moon.

Private companies aim to help blaze a new trail to the moon

By JoAnna Wendel published

Private companies have plans to foster a new age of sustainable space travel. Their first stop? The moon.

Artist concept of NASA's Lunar Gateway, intended to provide astronauts unfettered access to the moon's surface.

House committee staff members defend NASA authorization bill

By JoAnna Wendel published

House Science Committee staff members insist that their bill does not preclude NASA's lunar exploration goals. Others feel differently.

Artist's illustration of Astrobotic's Peregrine lander on the surface of the moon.

NASA unveils 16 payloads that private lunar landers will take to the moon

By JoAnna Wendel published

The science gear will fly aboard robotic landers built by two private companies: Pittsburgh's Astrobotic and Houston's Intuitive Machines.

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