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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

Astronomers detect powerful X-ray bursts emanating from the center of a galaxy called GSN 069 approximately every 9 hours, revealing the unprecedented diet of a supermassive black hole.

This Hungry, Hungry Supermassive Black Hole Has a Monster Appetite

By Samantha Mathewson

A supermassive black hole located millions of light-years away maintains a very hearty diet.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano shared several images of the space station's view of fires in the Amazon on Aug. 29, 2019.

NASA Satellites Tracking Amazon Fires Show Heavy Smoke, Scorched Earth

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA satellites have observed thick smoke billows and extremely high temperatures as record-breaking fires continue to scorch the Amazon.

Researchers test the SuperCam mast unit at the Laboratory for Space Science and Astrophysical Instrumentation (LESIA) outside of Paris.

Zap! Scientists Fire Laser for NASA's Mars 2020 Rover for 1st Time

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Mars 2020 rover reached another milestone with the first successful test of its SuperCam instrument.

Engineers install one of the three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) on NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017.

Trump Issues New Launch Guidelines for Nuclear Spacecraft

By Samantha Mathewson

The United States has set new guidelines for launching safe and sustainable nuclear spacecraft on future missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

An artist's depiction of biofluorescence countering harmful radiation from a star.

Glowing Aliens Could Turn Harsh UV Radiation into Beautiful Radiance

By Samantha Mathewson

Life on alien planets may produce a protective glow to buffer the dangerous flares of nearby stars.

Biologist Elaine Muñoz transfers an Apollo 11 lunar sample in the glove box in NASA Ames’s Lunar Biological Laboratory at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California in 1969.

Never-Before-Seen NASA Video Shows Scientists Test Apollo 11 Moon Rocks for Life in 1969

By Samantha Mathewson

Apollo 11 carried the first geologic samples from the moon back to Earth — and NASA has finally released footage of researchers examining those lunar samples for signs of life.

NASA technicians inspect the primary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope.

James Webb's Eye in the Sky Aids Human Eyes with LASIK Tech

By Samantha Mathewson

An upgrade to the optic technology on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has been used to improve the eyesight of humans on Earth.

Mars and its two moons, Phobos and Deimos.

NASA Selects New Teams to Study the Moon, Mars, Asteroids and More

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA selected eight new research teams to study the moon, near-Earth asteroids and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos.

Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory prepare the Mars 2020 rover for its launch next summer with the installation of the remote-sensing masthead and integration of two Mastcam-Z high-definition cameras.

NASA's Mars 2020 Rover Ready for High-Def Camera Eyes

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's next Mars rover gets one step closer to its launch next summer with the installation of a pair of high-definition cameras.

Northrop Grumman's full-scale ground mock-up of their deep-space habitat prototype.

Gateway to the Moon: NASA Testing Wraps Up for Lunar-Orbiting Habitat Prototype

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft captured dark streaks produced by geysers visible on the icy surface of Triton's south polar region.

Neptune's Moon Triton Has a Rare Kind of Ice

By Samantha Mathewson

Neptune's largest moon Triton boasts a unique icy mixture of carbon monoxide and nitrogen, which could help astronomers better understand the conditions of other distant, alien worlds.

The ASTERIA satellite captured the greater Los Angeles, including notable landmarks like the airport, sports facilities and even NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Planet-Hunting Cubesat Spies Los Angeles from Space!

By Samantha Mathewson

One of NASA's cubesat satellites captured stunning aerial views of California's "City of Stars."

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), shown here in a still from an animation, has completed 60,000 orbits of the Red Planet.

NASA's Prolific Mars Orbiter Completes 60,000th Lap of Red Planet

By Samantha Mathewson

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has clocked a total of 60,000 laps around Mars, during which time the probe has collected invaluable data about the planet's surface and atmosphere.

In the Photobioreactor, the green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris converts carbon dioxide into oxygen and edible biomass through photosynthesis.

Algae 'Bioreactor' on Space Station Could Make Oxygen, Food for Astronauts

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronauts on the International Space Station will begin testing an innovative algae-powered bioreactor to assess its feasibility for future long-duration space missions.

NASA has picked 18 innovative technologies to receive funding for development under the agency's 2019 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

Venus Missions? Interstellar Probes? Here Are 18 Wild Space Tech Ideas NASA Is Looking At

By Samantha Mathewson

The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program funds 18 project proposals. The projects are aimed to design and test technology concepts for potential future NASA missions.

This is a portion of the Hubble Legacy Field, which combines thousands of images and represents 16 years' worth of Hubble observations. It is one the widest views of the universe ever made.

This Epic Hubble Telescope Mosaic Is a Cosmic 'History Book' of Galaxies

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronomers have assembled a mosaic of nearly 7,500 images taken of the distant universe, creating the largest and most comprehensive "history book" of galaxies ever made.

Crew Dragon being fished out of the water after an uncrewed test mission.

NASA Workers Warned About Sharing Images After SpaceX Explosion Video Leak: Report

By Samantha Mathewson

An internal memo to some workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is warning that employees could be fired for sharing images after a video of SpaceX's Crew Dragon explosion leaked online last week.

The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System in Arizona was used to track asteroids as they passed in front of distant stars, providing more-accurate measurements of the stars' sizes.

Secrets of Tiniest Star Ever Measured Revealed by Passing Asteroids

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronomers found the size of the smallest star measured to date by tracking the shadows of nearby asteroids.

The Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft is raised into vertical position after arriving at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad by train, Sunday, May 26, 2013, in Kazakhstan.

Russia May Soon Mothball Its Most Historic Launchpad: Report

By Samantha Mathewson

Russia may soon decommission its most historic launch site, from which the world's first satellite, Sputnik, was lofted into space.

Scientists have detected the universe's first molecule, helium hydride, in a distant planetary nebula called NGC 7027.

Astronomers Finally Spot Universe's First Molecule in Distant Nebula

By Samantha Mathewson

A flying observatory has pinpointed the first type of molecule that formed in the universe after the Big Bang.

Coronal rain is created by plasma that expands up a magnetic loop that extends from the sun's surface. The plasma gathers at its peak, far from the heat source and, as it cools, condenses. Gravity then pulls the plasma back down the loop.

It Rains on the Sun (Just Not the Way You Think)

By Samantha Mathewson

Astronomers have detected "plasma rain" pouring down over the solar surface, which may explain why the sun's outer atmosphere is so much hotter than the star's surface.

A composite image of five shots of the International Space Station as it passed in front of the moon on March 16, 2019.

Watch the International Space Station Photobomb the Moon in These Awesome NASA Views

By Samantha Mathewson

The International Space Station stands out against the lunar backdrop in a series of stunning new photos from NASA.

Artist's impression of the exoplanet HR 8799e, which orbits a young star called HR 8799, located roughly 129 light-years from Earth.

Violent Planetwide Storm Spotted Above Distant Exoplanet

By Samantha Mathewson

New data from the European Southern Observatory shows raging storm clouds of iron and silicates swirling above a distant exoplanet.

A raging storm, triggered by a powerful quasar, is brewing at the center of a teacup-shaped cosmic structure that lies in a distant galaxy known as SDSS 1430+1339.

NASA's Chandra Space Telescope Captures the Tempest in a Cosmic 'Teacup'

By Samantha Mathewson

A powerful quasar has caused a raging storm in a distant cosmic structure known as the "Teacup."

The visible-light camera and a near-infrared spectrometer on Hayabusa2 confirmed the lack of water on Ryugu. Researchers said they were unsure how the parent body that produced Ryugu became so dehydrated.

Asteroid Ryugu Is Surprisingly Dry, Japanese Spacecraft Finds

By Samantha Mathewson

A Japanese spacecraft studying the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu beamed home new data revealing that the space rock has less water than scientists expected.