Rahul Rao
Rahul Rao is a graduate of New York University's SHERP and a freelance science writer, regularly covering physics, space, and infrastructure. His work has appeared in Gizmodo, Popular Science, Inverse, IEEE Spectrum, and Continuum. He enjoys riding trains for fun, and he has seen every surviving episode of Doctor Who. He holds a masters degree in science writing from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program (SHERP) and earned a bachelors degree from Vanderbilt University, where he studied English and physics.
Latest articles by Rahul Rao
![Data from both ground- and space-based telescopes like Gaia help astronomers learn more about all types of high-velocity stars, including hypervelocity stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LZsCE9WjA8Dbaz9UoHcBwn-320-80.jpg)
A high-speed particle struck the Gaia space telescope — but Gaia came back stronger than ever
By Rahul Rao published
A high-speed particle and electronics malfunction threatened the Gaia space telescope, but scientists managed to not only fix the issue, but also to optimize Gaia beyond its previous capabilities.
![a space station hangs in black space, its many modules centrally connected. Solar panels stem from a few.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sAC4osd2DW4UYFSpeWLAL-320-80.jpg)
NASA's vision of a moon-orbiting space station comes to life in new 3D video
By Rahul Rao published
NASA plans to build a moon-orbiting space station in the future, and just released a comprehensive video of its vision.
![A roughly sculpted grey lego brick floats in space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8VcJNascyHakkiRnMqmctV-320-80.jpg)
Lego-inspired 'space bricks' could help scientists design moon habitats. Here's how
By Rahul Rao published
How European Space Agency scientists are using Lego-inspired "space bricks" to design lunar habitats.
![A white plane is seen on a runway. It has a NASA sign on its tail.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U57UouWZmE2ufGFktzT4rA-320-80.jpg)
NASA is flying planes low over the US to make maps of air pollution sources
By Rahul Rao published
NASA is flying aircraft low over the US in order to learn where, exactly, greenhouse gases are coming from. The results should help the agency fight causes of human-driven climate change.
![a rocket stands tall in an open assembly hanger before a blue, partly cloudy sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CaGwsgFNizkHmzh2SpyYmC-320-80.jpg)
Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket on track for long-awaited 1st launch on July 9
By Rahul Rao published
Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket is on schedule for its inaugural launch.
![a robotic lander stands on a barren grey surface against a black sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hw8tqB7T9Y4E5ri2DpwtyV-320-80.jpg)
China's Chang'e 6 probe will soon bring samples of the moon's far side to Earth — and scientists are getting excited
By Rahul Rao published
China's Chang'e 6 probe is scheduled to return to Earth on June 25, and scientists are starting to get excited about what its far side moon samples can tell us.
![closeup of a mars rover's robotic arm investigating a patch of red planet ground](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hkzn4cEo33VTHTNbrZni5c-320-80.jpg)
Perseverance Mars rover digs into intriguing 'Bright Angel' rock formation (photo)
By Rahul Rao published
NASA's Perseverance rover has begun studying an intriguingly light-colored patch of rock that mission team members call "Bright Angel."
![View of the Mars horizon with parts of the Insight lander in the foreground](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TD5hPB3mdCsYmyqGy3odLX-320-80.jpg)
Is there liquid water on Mars today? Marsquake data could tell us
By Rahul Rao published
Some scientists believe they may be able to find buried liquid water on the Red Planet by studying seismic and magnetic readings to reconstruct the aftermath of marsquakes.
![a green moon with streaks and pools of darker green on its surface](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9kLzEXVptTGZ4NjjUvPrdV-320-80.jpg)
Surf's up! Liquid methane waves on Saturn moon Titan may erode shores of alien lakes and rivers
By Rahul Rao published
Saturn's largest moon Titan has been known to have rivers and lakes of methane, but a new study has found that their shorelines may be eroded and shaped by wave activity.
![a rocky, rust colored barren, hilly landscape littered with various rocks and brown dust.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MsiSxGZGBRo9PGu2hn58FQ-320-80.png)
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover enters new Red Planet territory: 'Bright Angel'
By Rahul Rao published
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has been rerouted across a Red Planet dune field to reach the Marian territory known as "Bright Angel"
![Two orbs next to each other with lots of colors indicating various features of the moon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fUqgoqdwNPeDzyjunGRJrg-320-80.png)
Moon-mapping could level up for NASA's upcoming Artemis missions. Here's how
By Rahul Rao published
To create more high resolution maps of the moon, scientists are enlisting the help of algorithms.
![an illustration of Earth surrounded by thousands of bright dots](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d9oRbUsietqnmJYJSmRzGQ-320-80.jpg)
Zero Debris Charter aims to boost international cooperation on cleaning up Earth's space junk problem
By Rahul Rao published
ESA and some of its member states have signed the non-binding Zero Debris Charter, committing themselves to take steps to help tackle the orbital debris problem.
![Pluto and its heart-shaped Sputnik Planitia as imaged by New Horizons spacecraft in 2015.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qVLgBbgNB2i7uafbCjWYmi-320-80.jpg)
We could float effortlessly in Pluto's subsurface ocean
By Rahul Rao published
A subsurface ocean of liquid water may exist beneath Pluto's nitrogen ice, according to an analysis of data collected by NASA's New Horizons probe.
![Two galaxies that appear to be in the process of merging. They're both spirals and kind of hazy. They're seen against the backdrop of space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mMo5LNhsnHJtAvBA6DkxcX-320-80.jpg)
AI finds hidden galactic evolution clues in over 100 galaxies. Here's how
By Rahul Rao published
Scientists enlisted AI to help peruse a massive dataset in search of neutral carbon absorbers in galaxies, which can reveal lots about galaxy evolution.
![illustration shows magnetic field lines around the Earth reconnecting in the magnetotail, usually one of the first signs of a substorm. An internally funded Southwest Research Institute project is investigating the nature of substorms, specifically a 2017 event when reconnection appeared to occur without inciting a substorm.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8Sy6W5pXptgyvnoeUwYcY3-320-80.jpg)
Something strange is happening with Earth's magnetic field tail
By Rahul Rao published
Scientists are diving into the mystery of the missing storm in Earth's magnetotail, which refers to our planet's magnetic field tail.
![black and white rocky landscape](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sZXtDNxXtwFowt2zqpUopX-320-80.jpg)
Big decision! Curiosity rover keeps following possible Mars river remnant
By Rahul Rao published
After much debate, the Curiosity Mars rover team decided to continue following an intriguing channel rather than send the robot on an off-road detour.
![the blackness of space is sprinkled with shining swirling points of light of different sizes and colors. Some galaxies, some are stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VuNt3ahrpCiRqxu6ZkLhU-320-80.png)
World's largest visible light telescope spies a galaxy cluster warping spacetime
By Rahul Rao published
New images from the VLT Survey Telescope will help scientists learn about galaxy pasts, and perhaps futures.
![photo of saturn and its rings against the blackness of space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DAT83CSbC5UVXm9GsTZkUL-320-80.jpg)
Could alien life be hiding in the rings of Saturn or Jupiter?
By Rahul Rao published
The rings that circle gas giants like Saturn are composed mostly of water-ice particles. Could life exist in these beautiful and enigmatic structures?
![three grey space rocks in the blackness of space. the largest is alone on the left; the smaller two are on the right, touching one another](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/r2WR6tPid9XLWMTaJnPFB7-320-80.jpg)
Curious asteroid Selam, spotted by NASA's Lucy spacecraft, is a cosmic toddler
By Rahul Rao published
NASA's Lucy spacecraft serendipitously found a small moonlet orbiting the mission's asteroid target Dinkinesh. Scientists named it Selam, and have now learned that Selam is a cosmic toddler.
![A lone astronaut standing facing away from the camera dressed in full space suit with backpack, stands still looking towards a distant planet Earth.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZsAT7365H9z2re2tF4CJwa-320-80.jpg)
Astronauts on the moon could stay fit by running in a Wheel of Death
By Rahul Rao published
Scientists suggest lunar astronauts can stay fit by running sideways within a Wheel of Death.
![An image of a planet with a heart-shaped scar toward the bottom right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zjBQZuE7X24fisUku6rh3c-320-80.jpg)
Pluto's heart-shaped scar may offer clues to the frozen world's history
By Rahul Rao published
How Pluto's Sputnik Planitia formed remains unknown, but researchers have imagined a body about the size of Switzerland crashing into Pluto at a shallow angle.
![black and white rocky landscape](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sZXtDNxXtwFowt2zqpUopX-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover begins exploring possible dried-up Red Planet river
By Rahul Rao published
NASA's Curiosity rover is now exploring a possible ancient river on Mars named Gediz Vallis.
![A grey scale rectangle moves around a black screen following the motion of a camera in space as particles fly by.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HC4RzgM37yEkpHfvffxZvd-320-80.gif)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe makes 1st-of-its-kind observation within a coronal mass ejection
By Rahul Rao published
NASA's Parker Solar Probe looked into a coronal mass ejection coming from the sun for the first time, detecting some turbulence that has intrigued scientists.