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NEW CLOUDS ABOVE US The modern world relies on satellites for its communications and commerce. While mostly invisible to us as we go about out daily lives, our entire modern way of living ? both socially and professionally ? is intimately linked with the orbital space around the Earth. How we treat this extraterrestrial environment will determine how much we can rely on it in the future. ?In this view of Greenwich, London, you?ve got examples of what?s in space. I photographed about 300 artefacts ranging from satellites to rocket bodies, satellite parts, solar panels, all the way down to the screws and a glove to show what?s up there. The photography was done over a one year period, across North America, Europe and the UK. I wanted to show this from a human perspective ? from the ground looking up. I chose Greenwich because of its history of astronomy and because from there you can see the financial district of London to highlight the modern world?s connection to the satellites that circle Earth.? Max Alexander

Space debris problem highlighted in new series of photographs

3 May 2023

Our Fragile Space, an exhibition from photographer Max Alexander, focuses on the impact of the millions of pieces of cosmic waste circling Earth

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The plucky probe that put the big bang theory to the test

13 November 2019

30 years ago, cosmologists launched the COBE satellite to glimpse the “afterglow of creation”. Its measurements revealed the universe’s history and fate in unprecedented detail

Aerial photographs reveal odd and beautiful glimpses of our planet

Aerial photographs reveal odd and beautiful glimpses of our planet

2 October 2019

Corners of unexpected planetary beauty are revealed in these stunning images on display in The Elevated Eye at Forest Lawn Museum, California

satellite dots in English Channel

Satellite image captures a hyperconnected English Channel at work

28 August 2019

Will this satellite image of a crowded, connected, English Channel with busy shipping routes, grids of wind farms and scuttling ferries change in future?

Awkward truths about Boris Johnson's praise for UK science and tech

Awkward truths about Boris Johnson's praise for UK science and tech

25 July 2019

In his first speech as prime minister, Boris Johnson said Britain is "leading the world" in science and technology. Is that true?

astronauts

Old Scientist: 1968 was the surprising year of space race gloom

17 October 2018

Fifty years ago this week, the US had just completed a successful Apollo mission. So why was everyone depressed?

neon swirls

The neon swirls that show how a map of our galaxy is made

11 April 2018

The Gaia satellite rotates as it scans the entire sky, creating beautiful patterns as it makes the best 3D map of our galaxy we have ever had

apollo 11 launch

Old Scientist: Space travel? Waste of money

31 May 2017

You can rely on New Scientist to frown at space spendthrifts, as our scan through issues from Junes gone by reveals

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