More ‘scoops’ (potentially…) from the arXiv.org preprint server: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics > arxiv.org/abs/2602.14218Li, J. Shi, X. Hui, M-t. et al. Pre-Perihelion Volatile Evolution of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Indicating Significant Contribution from Extended Source in the Coma My usual disclaimer:… Read More »Hyperactive ATLAS Gas Secondhand
In the Nature parner journal Communications Chemistry (vol. 9): Fisher, T. Ferriere, R. Potential metabolic viability on asteroid chemistry 54 s42004-025-01860-0 How’s about an appetizer for alien appetites (or not). In this research report, Fisher et al. describe their investigations… Read More »Note, Paper: Meteoritic Metabolic ‘Scripts
Just out in Nature Astronomy (vol. 10)… not really news, but: Maltagliati, L. Rubin’s rich first reaping 177 s41550-026-02801-0 Paywalled as usual, but there’s an introductory snippet that’s accessible. In this “research highlight”, a Nature editor sings the praises of… Read More »Vera Rubin Redux
A bit self-promoting, but we’ll take it: www.ox.ac.uk/pulse/nature-climate-universe/rubin-observatory-, Feb 2026 Oxford and the Rubin Observatory A fairly in-depth piece. There’s next to no asteroid content per se, but… the Rubin Observatory will spot asteroids without even trying. So publicity on… Read More »Vera Rubin Upscrolling
YouTube is 21st-Century television- a pandering medium for pandered, lazy minds. However, every once in a while an authoritative source posts meaningful content, instead of shiny, pandering noise. That day has come, and regarding a celestial body of which much… Read More »ATLAS Panel Chat
More preprints (NOT officially reviewed journal papers) from arXiv.org: Astrophysics > Earth and Planetary Astrophysics arxiv.org/abs/2602.12930Paek, G. S. H. Im, M. Jeong, M. et al. Pre-perihelion Emergence of the CN Gas Coma in 3I/ATLAS Temporally and Spatially Resolved by the… Read More »ATLAS Activity Track Drafts
From Nature Partner Journal Microgravity: Santomartino, R. Blanco, G. R. Gudgeon, A. et al. Microbial biomining from asteroidal material onboard the international space station s41526-026-00567-3 Relating to a brief mention I gave: microbes can be used to refine metals and… Read More »Note, Paper: High Biomining Writeup
Almost missed this one again… maybe I should give Astronomy magazine more credit: www.astronomy.com/issues/2026/february-2026/www.astronomy.com/science/top-10-space-stories-of-2025/8. An interstellar comet comes to visit6. Bennu and Ryugu may be siblings1. Vera Rubin Observatory begins its surveyHonorable mention: 7. Solar Orbiter, PUNCH, and Proba-3 show… Read More »Telescope Top-Honor Spot
Now up: a lecture, available online, about petrologic Type 1 meteorites and other astromaterials: https://meteoritical.org/society/ed-scott-lecture-series The series, as you might have guessed, are in tribute to Dr. Ed Scott, who died in 2021. Scott was a published and celebrated meteoriticist… Read More »Type 1 Meteorite/Flights, Online…
This week’s example Image Of The Week, from the National Optical/Infrared Lab: noirlab.edu/public/images/iotw2606a-, Feb. 11, 2026, noonNSF-DOE Rubin Observatory Spotted Comet 3I/ATLAS Ten Days Before Discovery Rubin’s precovery images of interstellar object ATLAS are now the weekly highlight shot. Good… Read More »Rubin In Image (Pre-ATLAS Seen)