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Samantha Mathewson

Samantha Mathewson joined Space.com as an intern in the summer of 2016. She received a B.A. in Journalism and Environmental Science at the University of New Haven, in Connecticut. Previously, her work has been published in Nature World News. When not writing or reading about science, Samantha enjoys traveling to new places and taking photos! You can follow her on Twitter @Sam_Ashley13. 

Articles by: Samantha Mathewson

The Himawari-8 satellite captured an image of the Philippines during the aftermath of Taal volcano eruption on Jan. 12, showing the ash plumes that extended 9 miles (14 kilometers) into the air.

Huge Philippines volcano eruption blasts ash 9 miles up as satellites watch (video)

By Samantha Mathewson

The Taal volcano eruption in the Philippines this week sent ash plumes 9 miles (14 kilometers) into the air, new satellite imagery shows.

An artist's depiction of a dwarf galaxy with a massive black hole highlighted.

Why are black holes just 'wandering' on the outskirts of their dwarf galaxies?

By Samantha Mathewson

Several supermassive black holes have been found wandering through their dwarf host galaxies, offering new clues about how similar black holes evolved in the early universe.

Alpha Draconis, also known as Thuban (circled), belongs to a pair of stars that regularly eclipse one another. Thuban is the larger, brighter star of the pair.

Ancient North Star Thuban Eclipses Its Stellar Companion (Video)

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronomers using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite found that the star ancient Egyptians once used as their North Star is part of a binary pair of stars that eclipse one another.

How NASA's Webb Telescope Will Search for Oxygen on Alien Worlds

By Samantha Mathewson

A new approach to detecting oxygen in the atmospheres of other planets may aid in the search for life beyond Earth.

An image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite, taken on Jan. 4, 2020, captured smoke plumes blanketing Australia's southeastern coast.

In Australia, Rain Falls, But Wildfires Expected to Intensify, NASA Says

By Samantha Mathewson

Rain passed over southeastern Australia on Sunday (Jan. 5), offering a brief moment of relief from the deadly wildfires that have been raging across the continent for months.

NASA's Mars 2020 rover takes its first test drive in the clean room of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on Dec. 17, 2019.

Watch NASA's Mars 2020 Rover Ace Its 1st Test Drive (Video)

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Mars 2020 rover has taken its first test drive, representing a significant milestone in preparing to launch to the Red Planet next summer.

The Expedition 61 astronauts celebrate Christmas and the holidays in orbit aboard the International Space Station in December 2019.

Happy Holidays from Space! Astronauts Send Christmas Cheer to Earth in Video

By Samantha Mathewson

Holiday spirit fills the International Space Station as astronauts prepare to celebrate Christmas in space.

Scientists from the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center prepare to analyze the Apollo samples for amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

NASA Will Give Scientists a Lump of Moon Dirt to Unwrap Soon. They're Thrilled.

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA researchers received an extra special gift this holiday season: a box of Apollo moon soil to study in the new year.

An artist's impression of a gas halo surrounding a quasar in the early universe. The quasar has a supermassive black hole at its center and two powerful jets. The gas halo surrounding the quasar consists of cool, dense hydrogen gas.

Giant Gas 'Halos' Fed Hungry Black Holes at the Dawn of the Universe

By Samantha Mathewson

Gas halos surround some of the earliest galaxies in the universe, providing a reservoir of cool gas that fuels the growth of supermassive black holes.

An artist's impression of MAMBO-9, showing that the galaxy is very dusty and consists of two components, which suggests that it is merging with another galaxy.

Most Distant Star-Forming Galaxy Ever Seen Could Illuminate Universe's Past

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronomers have captured the first image of the most distant star-forming galaxy ever observed with a telescope.

NASA is looking to artificial intelligence to aid in the search for alien planets and potentially dangerous asteroids.

How A.I. Could Help Find Alien Planets and Asteroids

By Samantha Mathewson

Using artificial intelligence could aid in the search for life and detection of nearby asteroids.

A depiction of the path of interstellar Comet Borisov, which makes its closest approach to the sun on Dec. 8, 2019. It may be visible in small telescopes.

Interstellar Comet Borisov Makes Closest Approach to the Sun

By Samantha Mathewson

It may be visible in small telescopes.

This composite image combines data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the NSF's Karl Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). Chandra observed powerful X-rays (red) produced by hot gas circling around a black hole at the center of a galaxy located 9.9 billion light-years from Earth. The VLA was used to detect radio-wave emissions (blue) emitted by the jet of high-energy particles streaming from the black hole.

A Black Hole Is Boosting Star Birth in Multiple Galaxies from Trillions of Miles Away

By Samantha Mathewson

While black holes are famously known for devouring any matter that gets too close, these cosmic behemoths may have a nurturing side, too.

A 3D gravitational waveform from a general relativistic simulation of binary black holes.

Astronomers Will Use Gravitational Waves to Observe a 'Black Hole Symphony'

By Samantha Mathewson

Gravitational-wave astronomy may help researchers paint a more complete picture of black hole activity.

A series of images taken between May and June 2019 capture the reddish extension, or "flaking," observed on the east side of the Great Red Spot.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot Storm Isn't Dying Anytime Soon

By Samantha Mathewson

Despite the apparent shrinkage of clouds in Jupiter's Great Red Spot, the storm itself is still going strong, new research suggests.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is staged to launch from the company's Launch Complex 1, located on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand.

Rocket Lab's 'Rosie' the Robot Can Build a Booster in Just 12 Hours

By Samantha Mathewson

The private spaceflight company Rocket Lab unveiled a new rocket-building robot designed to speed up manufacturing of Electron launch vehicles.

Memorial Sloan Kettering exercise physiologist Dan Townend conducts a cardiopulmonary exercise test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness on a patient.

Astronaut Spaceflight Training May Help Cancer Patients During, After Treatment

By Samantha Mathewson

The workout routine astronauts use to prepare for space may also benefit cancer patients by reducing the long-term side effects of medical care.

As part of his Year in Space mission, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly participated in the Cognition investigation, which consists of computerized tests that were developed to monitor how spaceflight affects an astronaut's mental abilities.

Long Space Missions Can Change Astronaut Brain Structure and Function

By Samantha Mathewson

Spaceflight causes changes in astronauts' brain structure and function during extended missions, a new study shows.

A fireball meteor lights up the night sky above the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on Nov. 11, 2019.

Watch a Brilliant Fireball Flash Over St. Louis' Historic Arch (Video)

By Samantha Mathewson

A bright fireball meteor streaked across the night sky above Missouri Monday (Nov. 11), passing over St. Louis' iconic Gateway Arch.

This time-lapse video, taken on Oct. 9, 2019, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, captures the move of the Mars 2020 rover into a large vacuum chamber for testing in Mars-like environmental conditions

NASA's Mars 2020 Rover Treks into Vacuum Chamber for Red Planet Survival Tests

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Mars 2020 rover was moved into a vacuum chamber and tested under Mars-like environmental conditions to prepare for its launch to the Red Planet next summer.

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins studied heart cells on the International Space Station.

Human Heart Cells Beat Differently in Microgravity, Which May Benefit Astronauts

By Samantha Mathewson

A new study shows how microgravity alters human heart muscle cells in space, helping astronauts better prepare for long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.

Outflows of radiation and particles from a massive O-type star carved deep gouges in this nebula, making the cloud of gas and dust look like a spooky jack-o'-lantern.

It's Halloween! NASA Space Telescope Spots a Ghostly Cosmic Jack-O'Lantern

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a cosmic jack-o'-lantern.

The James Webb Web level 3 pumpkin-carving template features the James Webb Space Telescope's giant golden mirror, which consists of 18 individual hexagons. Half of the pattern incorporates a spider web overlay, making it the most difficult of the carving templates.

How to Carve a James Webb Space Telescope Pumpkin for a Very NASA Halloween

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA has shared a trio of templates so you can carve your very own James Webb Space Telescope-themed pumpkin this Halloween.

NASA tested the deployment and tension of the five-layer sun shield, which will protect the James Webb Space Telescope once it is in orbit.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Passes Vital Sun Shield Test

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has passed a major milestone with a successful test of the spacecraft's sun shield.

The BepiColombo spacecraft has captured more than 200 photos of itself during its first year traveling to Mercury.

BepiColombo Spacecraft Documents 1st Year in Space with Selfies

By Samantha Mathewson

The BepiColombo spacecraft is en route to Mercury and has snapped several selfies to document its travel over the last year.