Natalie Wolchover
Natalie Wolchover was a staff writer for Live Science and a contributor to Space.com from 2010 to 2012. She is now a senior writer and editor at Quanta Magazine, where she specializes in the physical sciences. Her writing has appeared in publications including Popular Science and Nature and has been included in The Best American Science and Nature Writing. She holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Tufts University and has studied physics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Latest articles by Natalie Wolchover

Mysterious Planet-Size Object Spotted Near Mercury
By Natalie Wolchover published
UFO researchers say that new telescope footage showing a coronal mass ejection blasting Mercury has unveiled a "cloaked" spaceship parked near the planet.

Mysterious Metal Object Crashes Through Roof of Mass. Warehouse
By Natalie Wolchover published
A piece of metal debris has crashed through the roof of a Massachusetts furniture warehouse. The FAA is investigating what it fell from.

Stunning Photo of New Solar System Captured by Amateur Astronomer
By Natalie Wolchover published
An amateur astronomer has taken a photo of the circumstellar disk around Beta Pictoris, a young star. The photo has wowed professional astronomers.

'UFOs' Disrupting Search for 'God Particle'
By Natalie Wolchover published
Unidentified falling objects, or UFOs, are getting in the way of the particle beam at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Physicists are trying to figure out what they are.

New Finding Ups the Chances of Life on Jupiter's Moon Europa
By Natalie Wolchover published
A new study suggests that Europa, Jupiter's icy moon, may be even more suitable for life than previously thought.

Mysterious Symbols in China Desert Are Spy Satellite Targets, Expert Says
By Natalie Wolchover published
Life's Little Mysteries consults experts about the strange structures and patterns found in the desert in China on Google Earth. Turns out they're for spy satellites.

How Particles Quantum Tunnel Out of Black Holes
By Natalie Wolchover published
The faint glimmer of stuff emitted by black holes is called Hawking radiation. It's made of particles that escaped by way of quantum tunneling.

Spectacular Video Reveals Breathtaking View of Earth from Space
By Natalie Wolchover published
A time-lapse video that strings together photographs taken by space station astronauts shows Earth in all its glory.

Could Asteroid 2005 YU55 Destroy the Moon?
By Natalie Wolchover published
NASA says asteroid 2005 YU55 will come slightly closer to the moon than the Earth, but it poses a threat to neither.

Alien Abductions May Be Vivid Dreams, Study Shows
By Natalie Wolchover published
A new sleep study has shown that realistic, scary alien encounters and abductions can be dreamed up.

Meteor Shower Spawned by Halley's Comet Peaks Early Saturday
By Natalie Wolchover published
The annual Orionid meteor shower will peak in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, Oct. 22.

What Are the Odds You'll Get Struck by the Falling ROSAT Satellite?
By Natalie Wolchover published
A German telescope called ROSAT is falling to Earth this weekend. Scientists say there's a 1-in-2,000 chance it will hit someone.

The Accelerating Universe and Dark Energy Might Be Illusions
By Natalie Wolchover published

What Are the Odds You'll Get Struck by NASA's Falling Satellite?
By Natalie Wolchover published
You're about a million times more likely to get struck by lightning than a falling satellite, rocket stage, or other space debris.

What Would Earth Be Like with Two Suns?
By Natalie Wolchover published
Astronomers have discovered a circumbinary planet that orbits two stars, like the fictional planet Tatooine in Star Wars.

Alien Hunters to Search New Super-Earths for Life
By Natalie Wolchover published
Scientists engaged in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence will aim their telescopes at the newfound super-Earths soon, and hope to detect alien signals.

Why Is the Harvest Moon Big and Red?
By Natalie Wolchover published
The Harvest Moon looks red because of the filtering effects of the atmosphere. It's big because of a little-understood optical illusion.

New Photo of Moon's North Pole Reveals Spiral Illusion
By Natalie Wolchover published
The moon looks very different from the top down. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured thousands of photos of our satellite's north pole region.

Apollo 18: Could NASA Launch a Secret Moon Mission?
By Natalie Wolchover published
Could NASA really launch a secret lunar mission as the new film "Apollo 18" implies? Historians think not.

New Report: Aliens Will Fix Global Warming ... Or Kill Us
By Natalie Wolchover published
New research fleshes out a scenario in which intelligent ET life detects Earth's spectral changes due to greenhouse gas emissions, sees humans as a threat and kills us.

Will We Be Able to Deflect an Earthbound Asteroid?
By Natalie Wolchover published
Political issues may be the biggest hurdle when humanity is faced with tough decisions about how best to deflect an earthbound asteroid.

How Does the Sun Spark X-Class Solar Flares?
By Natalie Wolchover published
Solar flares are classified on a logarithmic scale according to energy levels.

FAQ: Significance of Liquid Water On Mars
By Natalie Wolchover published
NASA scientists have just announced that there might be liquid water on the surface of Mars. Here's why they think so, and why it matters.
Get the Space.com Newsletter
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!