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When astronomers first looked at the Moon through telescopes, they thought they were seeing great oceans. They gave the Moon’s big, dark patches names such as Oceanus Procellarum, and the Sea of Tranquillity. Now we know that these ‘seas’ are ancient lava flows, and that the Moon’s surface is very dry. It’s also airless.

Here’s a fun paper toy that can help you pick a future job. Have a go with our STEM career chatterbox! There are no wrong answers, only positive role models.

Astronauts have nerves of steel. They ride controlled explosions, strapped to giant tanks of rocket fuel. And every now and then, things go wrong. Last Thursday, two space explorers didn’t quite make it to space – but they lived to tell the tale!

Have you ever wanted to experiment with the orbits of moons and planets? Time to make a gravity simulator!

Sometimes space missions can seem a bit faddish. Four spacecraft are currently orbiting Mars, and at least three missions are looking for new planets outside our solar system. But the new hotness, it seems, is asteroids.

We’re counting on you this Double Helix quiz, or perhaps you’re the one counting! Can you calculate what’s needed to get 100% this week? If you’re after more fun science for kids, subscribe to Double Helix magazine!  

Get serious about science with the Double Helix quiz. We put you to the test with rocket science and radiation, as well as plants and petrology! If you’re after more fun science for kids, subscribe to Double Helix magazine!  

If you think the weather here on Earth is bad, be glad you don’t live on Mars. Storms currently cover much of the planet, with wind speeds of around 100 kilometres per hour. So spare a thought for the intrepid Mars rovers currently bearing the brunt of the storm.

It’s time for another round of science trivia. This week, we’ve got ancient questions about what happened before the Jurassic, and a puzzler about what meteoroids are.

Time to test your scientific mettle. This week we’re asking questions about everything from tiny butterfly legs to huge continents. Good luck!