Calla Cofield
Calla Cofield joined Space.com's crew in October 2014. She enjoys writing about black holes, exploding stars, ripples in space-time, science in comic books, and all the mysteries of the cosmos. Prior to joining Space.com Calla worked as a freelance writer, with her work appearing in APS News, Symmetry magazine, Scientific American, Nature News, Physics World, and others. From 2010 to 2014 she was a producer for The Physics Central Podcast. Previously, Calla worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City (hands down the best office building ever) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. Calla studied physics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is originally from Sandy, Utah. In 2018, Calla left Space.com to join NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory media team where she oversees astronomy, physics, exoplanets and the Cold Atom Lab mission. She has been underground at three of the largest particle accelerators in the world and would really like to know what the heck dark matter is. Contact Calla via: E-Mail – Twitter
Latest articles by Calla Cofield
![Northern Lights](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NCbf9sWuTNpz9CFeeWTpzM-320-80.jpg)
Eerie Glowing Bubble Over Siberia Sparks UFO Reports, Likely a Missile
By Calla Cofield published
A massive, glowing bubble of light erupted in the sky above northeastern Siberia, which may have been created by a test missile launch.
![Observations of te galaxy cluster Abell S1063 can help scientists study the influence of dark matter.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wEwJjjrNUQxDQnoU7d5d9Q-320-80.jpg)
Galaxies Take Wobbly Path Around Clusters, Surprising Scientists
By Calla Cofield published
Bright galaxies in the center of massive galaxies clusters wobble more than scientists anti
![Saturn's titan](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vbefw3bmU3TYv6nq9kxA3P-320-80.jpg)
How Complex Chemistry Created a Toxic Cloud on Saturn's Moon Titan
By Calla Cofield published
There's a toxic ice cloud lurking over Saturn's moon Titan.
![Plumes of water ice erupt from the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Image taken by the Cassini probe in November 2005.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iB5yG2tHFdTNByPtCVp6FC-320-80.gif)
How Cassini Mission's Twists and Turns Led to Discovery of Enceladus' Plumes
By Calla Cofield published
The discovery of water plumes on Enceladus led to the revelation that this tiny ice ball could host a habitable environment under its surface. But scientists almost didn't find the plumes at all.
![DARPA's XS-1](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YUq72MWvHhn6iWRbuVDWAc-320-80.jpg)
DARPA Ties XS-1 Military Space Plane Project to National Security
By Calla Cofield published
Why does DARPA want to build a reusable space plane? An agency representative explains what small satellites have to do with national defense.
![Dawn spacecraft art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ujpajCGybHrCatkL7W9DWA-320-80.jpg)
Dawn Spacecraft Will Remain at Dwarf Planet Ceres Until It Runs Out of Fuel
By Calla Cofield published
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has been granted a mission extension that will allow it to continue to study the dwarf planet Ceres until it runs out of fuel sometime in 2018.
![Wildfire damage in Santa Rosa, CA](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3jnKejxwStB9TWx9SykcAo-320-80.jpg)
NASA Map of Wildfire Damage Helps California Recovery Effort
By Calla Cofield published
NASA is using information from Earth-observing satellites to assist in recovery efforts following a series of devastating wildfires in northern California.
![Google Doodle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NkZ63VVZ5fR7NfFEGpPMZT-320-80.gif)
Google Doodle Honors the Nobel-Winning Astrophysicist 'Chandra'
By Calla Cofield published
Subramanyan Chandrasekhar, the namesake of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, is honored today (Oct. 19) in a Google Doodle. Chandrasekhar did revolutionary work on the life and death of stars.
![Neutron star merger ejection](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aHUW7Bt93tVu7rR8xpqYA3-320-80.jpg)
How Gravitational Waves and 'Multi-Messenger' Research Will Change Astronomy
By Calla Cofield published
The era of multi-messenger astronomy has officially begun. But what does that phrase mean, and how will it change the study of the cosmos?
![Richard Branson](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Bvb6dMZzeWk6PFVzMV32x-320-80.jpg)
Richard Branson Won't Fly in Space in 6 Months, Virgin Galactic President Says
By Calla Cofield published
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson most likely won't be going to space in the next six months, despite his recent public statement that he'd be "very disappointed" otherwise.
![Deep Space Gateway art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Tc4KU7TmJgMtnNgUVkGoAb-320-80.jpg)
What Role Will NASA Play in Getting Humans to Mars?
By Calla Cofield published
What role will NASA play in getting humans to Mars, and when will the agency depend on participation from commercial companies? A top NASA official discusses the agency's plans.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 new Iridium Next communications satellites lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Oct. 9, 2017.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BT728FCzZBBR6ovdWuxnRk-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX Launches 10 New Iridium Satellites, Sticks Rocket Landing
By Calla Cofield published
SpaceX successfully launched 10 communications satellites into low-Earth orbit today (Oct. 9) and landed the spent Falcon 9 rocket booster on a drone ship.
![Steven Stetzler and astronauts](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ruahRckABgEaToxMPgkSV7-320-80.jpg)
Astronaut Scholarship Helps Students Envision Future in Space
By Calla Cofield published
College senior Steven Stetzler got to meet real NASA astronauts and consider a possible future working for NASA, thanks to a nonprofit organization founded by NASA's very first astronaut class.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands on the company's launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California ahead of the Iridium-2 mission in June 2017. A similar Falcon 9 rocket will launch 10 Iridium Next communications satellites into orbit from the same pa](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4e99jxpqF7VveATAntTaYH-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX Rocket to Launch 10 Satellites Early Monday: How to Watch Live
By Calla Cofield published
![Members of the MIT LIGO team](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YJAkvWnRiH4sCPZuMtuxsV-320-80.jpg)
Gravitational-Wave Announcement Coming on Oct. 16: What Could It Be?
By Calla Cofield published
There's a big gravitational-wave announcement coming later this month, but insiders won't reveal any details. Here are our educated guesses about what the collaboration will reveal.
![Barry C. Barish and Kip Thorne](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZgKN4WXnnQhMfsvLmrRExg-320-80.jpg)
Gravitational-Wave Scientists: Q&A with Nobel Winners Kip Thorne and Barry Barish
By Calla Cofield published
![Puerto Rico at night](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UcFt8bib6bpXR6brXMiY9P-320-80.jpg)
Puerto Rico's Dramatic Power Loss Shown in Satellite Photos
By Calla Cofield published
A NASA/NOAA satellite captured images of Puerto Rico that reveal regions that are without power, due to Hurricane Maria. The images were then used to assist first responders on the island.
![The surface landing vehicle for Lockheed Martin's Mars Base Camp is shown to the left of the space station in this artist's illustration.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZFkcFQTP7kwRm7ZiCVitu-320-80.jpg)
Lockheed Martin Unveils Sleek, Reusable Lander for Crewed Mars Missions
By Calla Cofield published
The spaceflight company unveiled a tantalizing design for a reusable, single-stage surface lander called the Mars Ascent/Descent Vehicle (MADV).
![diamond balloon rendering](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JzwkppPN5KGssserhpNbfL-320-80.jpg)
Art-ificial Satellite: Museum Wants to Launch Satellite Sculpture into Orbit
By Calla Cofield published
Artist Trevor Paglen and the Nevada Museum of Art want to launch the first-ever satellite with the sole purpose of existing as a work of art.
![Damage Proxy Map for Puerto Rico after Maria](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Cm49v9Q2as4FqJvqFFT6ek-320-80.jpg)
NASA Maps Damage in Puerto Rico to Assist Relief Efforts
By Calla Cofield published
The NASA Disasters Program is using data from Earth-observing satellites to assist relief efforts in Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria last week.
![Black holes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yUCir2QjXSc8AS2fcc7YiM-320-80.jpg)
Gravitational Waves Detected by 2 Observatories After Black Holes Collide
By Calla Cofield published
![Astronaut Leland Melvin](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zZQ3WCCgGEC4dUefN8EaJN-320-80.jpg)
Former Astronaut Rebukes President Trump, Calling His NFL Comments 'Reprehensible'
By Calla Cofield published
![Star Trek Premiere](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/r4zsw8r26PQvETM22vSCNa-320-80.jpg)
Kirk or Picard? We Asked the 'Star Trek: Discovery' Stars Some Classic Questions
By Calla Cofield published
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