EverythingScience

Graphene 'leaf tattoo' sensor tracks plant hydration in real time

Is your houseplant thirsty? Are crops getting enough water? Is a forest at high risk of wildfire? Leaf health can answer all these questions, and researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed new technology to measure hydration levels with greater accuracy and without hurting the plant. The researchers developed an electronic tattoo for leaves that uses the hyperflexible and sustainable material graphene to track hydration levels. It sticks on the leaves without harming them, a major improvement over current methods that work only with dead or dried-out leaves or provide indirect measurements. "Being able to directly measure and monitor the live leaf over time, at the point of photosynthesis, gives us more information to understand the health of our plant ecosystems, whether that's an individual plant or an entire forest," said Jean Anne Incorvia, associate professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering's Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and one of the leaders on the new research published recently in Nano Letters.

Source: Phys.org @EverythingScience

🌚 Thank you for following this historic event with us. We will now resume the posting of all science news, but more Artemis II photos and info will be included too. Hope you enjoyed this semi-live coverage of the launch and mission. If you missed parts or would like to see things again, a post containing all the best media will be pinned in the coming days.

"We are fortunate to be in this agency at this time together." Artemis II pilot Victor Glover expresses gratitude for everyone who supported him throughout his lunar mission.

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

"We are a mirror, reflecting you." Artemis II mission specialist Jeremy Hansen discusses ways that the crew worked together and supported each other throughout their lunar mission.

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

"Planet Earth: You. Are. A. Crew." Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch reflects on what it means to be a "crew."

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

"It's a special thing to be a human and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth." Remarks from Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman upon arriving to NASA Johnson.

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

Let's run that back. One more time... Or two? Our crew is now safely back on Earth. Relive the historic mission, and keep an eye on our website as more images and videos keep rolling in. go.nasa.gov/3OhVQph

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

The Artemis II crew is back on Earth. The science is just getting started 🚀 Here in Houston, teams of scientists have already started digging into the data that the Artemis II crew has collected. What they learn from this process will shape the next missions to the Moon. NASA is preparing to send astronauts on increasingly difficult journeys, exploring more of the Moon and laying the groundwork required to go even further. Future missions will land astronauts in the lunar South Pole region for the first time. They'll investigate the landscapes around their landing sites and deploy science instruments on the lunar surface. Generations of scientists will analyze the samples they bring home. The data that future explorers collect about moonquakes, buried water ice, and the effects of radiation on plants and space crops will inform our future beyond Earth. Know before you go. Survive and thrive. Return safely. That’s NASA exploration science. 📷 Info: This shot is intentionally overexposed. For scientific analysis, the lunar science team requested multiple images of the same scene with different exposure settings—including overexposed, underexposed, & standard. Each highlights different aspects of the surface.

Source: @NASASolarSystem @EverythingScience

'I'm at a loss for words': Artemis II mission comes home to joy and cheers after historic 10-day mission

The Artemis II mission ended in a dramatic fashion on April 10, 2026, when NASA's Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of San Diego, closing out humanity's first crewed journey to the moon in over 50 years. The four-person crew — consisting of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — returned to Earth after a 10-day mission that tested the systems NASA plans to use for future lunar expeditions. NASA said the splashdown occurred at 8:07 p.m. EDT or 5:07 PST, with recovery operations led by the US Navy's USS John P. Murtha. An extreme homecoming Re-entry tends to be one of the more dramatic and dangerous parts of a mission, especially for Artemis II. Unlike return missions from the International Space Station, which begin in low Earth orbit and thus don't need nearly as much speed to return to Earth, Artemis II flew back into Earth's atmosphere from the moon at near-record-breaking speeds. Orion came back at roughly 24,600 mph (39,600 kmh), around 24 times the speed of a bullet. That faster speed meant that the capsule's heat shield endured around twice the amount of heat as a spacecraft coming back from the ISS.

Source: Live Science @EverythingScience

Artemis II may have splashed down, but our photos and videos from the mission are still rolling in! Keep an eye on the latest: nasa.gov/artemis-ii-mul…

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

Big smiles from Christina and Victor on the deck of the USS John P. Murtha, as they waited to be escorted for their routine post-mission medical checks.

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

All four of the Artemis II astronauts have been successfully extracted from the Orion spacecraft following splashdown and are now on the USS John P. Murtha. Next up, they will be escorted to the medical bay where they will undergo post-mission medical evaluations.

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

Artemis 2 is back on Earth! Splashdown confirmed. @EverythingScience

Artemis 2 Main Chute Deployed! @EverythingScience

Orion’s crew and service module have separated. The crew module continues on its path towards Earth while the service module will harmlessly burn up in Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. The Artemis II return trajectory is designed to ensure any remaining debris does not pose a hazard to land, people, or shipping lanes.

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

The third return burn for the Artemis II mission occurred at 2:53pm ET (1853 UTC), refining Orion’s path for atmospheric entry and splashdown. During the maneuver, the spacecraft made precise adjustments to stay on its targeted course home.

Source: @NASAArtemis @EverythingScience

Changing history, and protecting some really special people. As the NASA Artemis II crew heads home, Jennifer Gratz and the service module propulsion console in the Orion Mission Evaluation Room are watching every burn, including the final return trajectory correction burn—making sure Orion brings its astronauts safely back to Earth.

Source: @NASA_Johnson @EverythingScience

Wake up—it's Artemis II's last day in space! As the crew prepares to splash down in the Pacific Ocean this evening, they started their day with "Run To The Water" by Live, their wake-up song played by Mission Control.

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

Moon joy [noun] the feeling of intense happiness and excitement that only comes from a mission to the Moon "The Artemis II crew bring us endless Moon joy."

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience

The space toilet is one of the most essential pieces of equipment on board. The crew has had to troubleshoot a few issues to use the Universal Waste Management System. So what exactly is the issue? Find out in this explainer video.

Source: @NASA @EverythingScience