Aviation as a human activity encompasses the operation, management, and regulation of heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air aircraft within civil, commercial, and military domains. It includes flight operations, air traffic management, maintenance and engineering support, airport and ground handling services, safety and security management, and regulatory compliance under national and international frameworks (e.g., ICAO standards). Aviation activities involve complex interactions between human operators, technical systems, and environmental conditions, with systematic attention to human factors, risk management, and performance optimization. The field is a major focus of research on operational safety, efficiency, environmental impact, and integration of emerging technologies such as unmanned aerial systems.
Formula 1 auto racing is one of the most energy-intensive and logistically complex sports on the planet. The events involve cars, of course, but also long-haul freight, international travel, temporary event infrastructure, ...
Environment
May 19, 2026
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NASA's home for experimental flight is welcoming more flyers to its already high-performing fleet as it continues to support science and aeronautics test missions—continuing the legacy of pioneers like Neil Armstrong.
Space Exploration
May 8, 2026
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The rotor blades that will carry NASA's next-generation helicopters to new Martian heights broke the sound barrier during March tests at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Data from the tests, which ...
Planetary Sciences
May 7, 2026
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207
Reducing aircraft soot emissions may not reduce contrail clouds, according to in-flight observations of emissions from a passenger jet with modern "lean-burn" engines, reported in Nature. Contrails from aircraft contribute ...
Environment
Apr 1, 2026
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A new research review published in npj Climate Action counters a recently proposed idea published in Nature Climate Change that ecotourism could serve as a mechanism to decarbonize the tourism industry.
Environment
Apr 1, 2026
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Small changes to aircraft flight paths to avoid the atmospheric conditions that create condensation trails—known as contrails—could reduce aviation's global warming impact by nearly half, a new study suggests. The study, ...
Environment
Mar 17, 2026
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Air travel is famously one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize, and the number of air passengers keeps increasing. Electric planes and "sustainable" aviation fuels are still a long way off making a dent in the industry's ...
Environment
Feb 28, 2026
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29
When she was growing up, Sophie Adenot plastered her childhood bedroom with posters of rockets launching from Cape Canaveral.
Space Exploration
Feb 13, 2026
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When Apollo 17 astronauts returned from the moon in 1972, they visited NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to thank staff for their contributions to the mission, saying "we stood on the shoulders of giants ...
Space Exploration
Feb 5, 2026
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A NASA research plane malfunctioned and had to touch down in Texas without landing gear on Tuesday, sliding across the runway on its belly and sending plumes of flame behind it, a video posted to social media showed.
Space Exploration
Jan 28, 2026
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