NASA astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth on NASA's Mercury mission and snapped the first-ever photograph taken by a human in space. A new book restored images from the earliest days of human space exploration. Learn more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26735581-000-nasas-first-space-photos-restored-in-stunning-detail/ | New Scientist

Back in 1859, Earth was hit by the most powerful geomagnetic storm in recorded history — the Carrington Event. ⁠ The event was caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a massive burst of solar plasma — which reached Earth in just 17.6 hours. That’s incredibly fast, considering CMEs usually take a couple of days! ⁠ When the Carrington Event hit, the results were extraordinary:⁠ Auroras were so bright that people could read a newspaper by their light.⁠ Telegraph systems failed and even shocked op