Doris Elin Urrutia
Doris is a science journalist and Space.com contributor. She received a B.A. in Sociology and Communications at Fordham University in New York City. Her first work was published in collaboration with London Mining Network, where her love of science writing was born. Her passion for astronomy started as a kid when she helped her sister build a model solar system in the Bronx. She got her first shot at astronomy writing as a Space.com editorial intern and continues to write about all things cosmic for the website. Doris has also written about microscopic plant life for Scientific American’s website and about whale calls for their print magazine. She has also written about ancient humans for Inverse, with stories ranging from how to recreate Pompeii’s cuisine to how to map the Polynesian expansion through genomics. She currently shares her home with two rabbits. Follow her on twitter at @salazar_elin.
Latest articles by Doris Elin Urrutia
Hubble Space Telescope shows 'fan-like spray' of gas and dust surrounding young star
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Warm-colored clouds surround the young star at the center of a recently published image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
Spooky shadows emerge against a glittering sea of stars (image)
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
When a telescope in Chile viewed the Small Sagittarius Star Cloud, it saw a sparkling backdrop filled with dark shadows.
New 3D view of Cat's Eye Nebula suggests double star hides at its heart
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
A brand new 3D model showcases the complex beauty behind the Cat's Eye Nebula.
India Says Its Anti-Satellite Weapon Test Created Minimal Space Debris. Is That True?
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the nation completed a successful test-fire of its first anti-satellite launch missile, dubbed "Mission Shakti," on Wednesday (March 27).
India's Anti-Satellite Missile Test Is a Big Deal. Here's Why.
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
What type of technology launched in "Mission Shakti"?
Startup Hermeus Wants to Build a Hypersonic Jet That Flies at 5 Times the Speed of Sound
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
A U.S. venture-capital firm recently led a round of seed investment for Hermeus Corp., a new startup looking to develop a hypersonic aircraft.
Axiom Space's 1st space station crew approved by NASA, ISS partners
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
The flight, called Ax-1, is made up of one professional astronaut and three paying customers.
Comet impact may have triggered decline of Ohio's Hopewell people 1,600 years ago
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Researchers think that comet fragments may have exploded over Ohio 1,600 years ago, triggering a violent airburst and starting wildfires that devastated the Hopewell people's crops and the landscape.
Exoplanet evolution? Mini-Neptunes may shed their atmospheres and become super-Earths
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
New research suggests that stellar radiation may commonly strip away the atmospheric outer layers of exoplanets slightly smaller than Neptune, transforming them into super-Earths.
The James Webb Space Telescope's 1st target star is in the Big Dipper. Here's where to see it.
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
One particularly bright star named HD 84406 will soon be the object of JWST's attention.
The Arctic 'ring of fire' solar eclipse of 2021 changed southern auroras. Here's how.
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
A solar eclipse on one side of Earth stimulated aurora displays on the opposite side of our planet, according to a new study.
Powerful, nearby black holes could help to explain universe's origins
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Nearby galaxies and their black holes could hold the answers to the existential questions that remain unanswered about the beginning of the universe.
The 10 biggest exoplanet discoveries of 2021
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
These are some of the top exoplanet discoveries made in 2021.
Gravitational waves play with fast spinning stars, study suggests
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Scientists observed changes in the signals coming from rapidly-spinning stars called pulsars that might point to the existence of subtle space-time ripples vibrating throughout the entire universe.
Watch the James Webb Space Telescope soar through space in this livestream Saturday
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
The Virtual Telescope Project's webcast begins at 5:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT).
This 'UFO' rover could hover on the moon and asteroids one day
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) want to engineer a new kind of hovering spacecraft that can operate without air.
Toxic gas released by ancient microbes may have worsened Earth's largest mass extinction
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
Microbes released a toxic gas called hydrogen sulfide that subsequently prolonged the Permian extinction event 250 million years ago, according to a new study.
Hubble Space Telescope spots star cluster glittering in a nearby galaxy (photo)
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
This small cluster of stars packs quite a visual morsel.
Hear Jupiter's moon Ganymede, the largest in the solar system, sing in new squeaky Juno video
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
The magnetosphere of Jupiter's moon Ganymede sounds like a dial-up modem in a newly-released audio clip from NASA.
The 10 biggest space science stories of 2021
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
The year 2021 was one of major scientific expansion.
Build Boba Fett's helmet for 8% off with this Lego Star Wars deal
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Deals The Star Wars Boba Fett Helmet Building Kit is now on sale at Target for $47.99.
You can still save 20% on Lego Star Wars The Child (aka 'Baby Yoda') building set with this deal
By Doris Elin Urrutia published
Deals This cute and posable build-and-display model of "Baby Yoda" is now on sale.
How to watch NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launch online in several languages on Christmas Day
By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated
NASA is counting down toward a Christmas Day launch for its biggest space telescope ever and you can watch it all live online.
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