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NGC 6357: The Lobster Nebula Why is the Lobster Nebula forming some of the most massive stars known? No one is yet sure . Cataloged as NGC 6357, the Lobster Nebula houses the open star cluster Pismis 24 near its center -- a home to unusually bright and massive stars. The overall blue glow near the inner star forming region results from the emission of ionized hydrogen gas. The surrounding nebula, featured here , holds a complex tapestry of gas, dark dust , stars still forming, and newly born stars. The intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds , radiation pressures , magnetic fields , and gravity . NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Scorpion . December 26, 2018 via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2EJYLRE ...

Technology The wrong moves will make your new UHD set look worse than your old display. Your new 4K TV will look worse than an old tube TV if you don't set it up correctly. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2Bvwb2o"

Health The most scientifically effective exercises you can do with a Christmas ham. During the holidays, it’s smart to squeeze in a workout or two between the hearty meals, endless cookies, free-flowing booze, and egg nog. We devised four workouts that… via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2Q2cuFn"

DIY This holiday season, help save the planet. Let's keep Christmas-tree carbon locked up in the wood. Here's how to get rid of your Christmas tree without damaging the environment. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2Q3tVoW"

Science A Weirdest Thing holiday spectacular. What’s the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you’ll have an even weirder answer if you listen to PopSci’s newest podcast. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2Q2iVbp"

M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy Majestic on a truly cosmic scale, M100 is appropriately known as a grand design spiral galaxy. It is a large galaxy of over 100 billion stars with well-defined spiral arms that is similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy . One of the brightest members of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, M100 (alias NGC 4321) is 56 million light-years distant toward the constellation of Berenice's Hair ( Coma Berenices ). This Hubble Space Telescope image of M100 was taken recently with the Wide Field Camera 3 and accentuates bright blue star clusters and intricate winding dust lanes which are hallmarks of this class of galaxies. Studies of variable stars in M100 have played an important role in determining the size and age of the Universe . December 25, 2018 via NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2AcD75q ...

Gift Guides Instant delivery, and no wrapping required. From Netflix subscriptions to Nintendo Switch games, you can find digital gifts to fit every loved one's taste. Here are our top picks. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2CxThb6"

DIY Help your conifer thrive through the holidays. Nobody wants a drooping, brown-needled Christmas tree in the corner. Keep your living decoration green and happy with these tips. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2rRPsaw"

Health All dieting is yo-yo dieting. This is not a pitch against eating. This is a pitch for mindful eating and intelligent exercise—because that’s how you’ll break the annual cycle. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2jnwfwC"

DIY Seven steps to protect your new tech and load it with apps you actually want. When you get a new phone or computer, you want to ensure it will have a long and secure life. Here are seven steps you need to take when you first unwrap your device. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2EPr0Pu"

Science The famous "Earthrise" turns 50 today. "Earthrise" is arguably the most famous family portrait on the planet—a snapshot of all of us together, captured by Apollo 8 astronauts on Christmas Eve, 1968. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2T6Dl51"

Earthrise 1: Historic Image Remastered "Oh my God! Look at that picture over there! Here's the Earth coming up. Wow is that pretty!" Soon after that pronouncement , 50 years ago today, one of the most famous images ever taken was snapped from the orbit of the Moon . Now known as " Earthrise ", the iconic image shows the Earth rising above the limb of the Moon, as taken by the crew of Apollo 8 . But the well-known Earthrise image was actually the second image taken of the Earth rising above the lunar limb -- it was just the first in color. With modern digital technology, however, the real first Earthrise image -- originally in black and white -- has now been remastered to have the combined resolution and color of the first three images . Behold! The featured image is a close-up of the picture that Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders was talking about . Than...

DIY Change up your platform. You've stored months or years of fitness data in an app. If you switch to a new ecosystem, you need to take that with you. Here's how to transfer your health data. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2rRcCOc"

Earthrise: A Video Reconstruction About 12 seconds into this video, something unusual happens. The Earth begins to rise. Never seen by humans before, the rise of the Earth over the limb of the Moon occurred 50 years ago tomorrow and surprised and amazed the crew of Apollo 8 . The crew immediately scrambled to take still images of the stunning vista caused by Apollo 8 's orbit around the Moon. The featured video is a modern reconstruction of the event as it would have looked were it recorded with a modern movie camera. The colorful orb of our Earth stood out as a familiar icon rising above a distant and unfamiliar moonscape , the whole scene the conceptual reverse of a more familiar moonrise as seen from Earth. To many, the scene also spoke about the unity of humanity: that big blue marble -- that's us -- we all live there. The two-minute video is not time-lapse -- thi...

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DIY Not every melting solution is a good one. You head out in the morning, only to discover that your car sports a layer of ice, snow, or both. Here are the best ways to rescue your vehicle—and a few to avoid. via Popular Science "http://bit.ly/2PUHUgN"