Giles Sparrow
Recent articles by Giles Sparrow
Phew! 8 times astronauts diced with death and got away with it – showing just how dangerous spaceflight really is
These space missions turned into catastrophes but their astronauts survived. This is how they lived to tell the tale
Why doesn't our Sun have a twin? If it did, we might not even exist
Most Sun-like stars orbit a partner, but ours ended up alone. We explain how – and why its lonely path set the stage for life
These images show the first time we ever saw the worlds of our Solar System in close-up
Gallery | Jupiter's Great Red Spot
Facts about Jupiter's Great Red Spot and images of the centuries-old cyclone.
What would it be like to tour the cosmos? Interview with 'Bad Astronomer' Phil Plait
Phil Plait reveals his dream destinations in the Universe, and what it would be like to be stuck in a cosmic cloud.
Mizar and Alcor: the Plough's famous double star
A guide to Mizar and Alcor, the stellar system in the Ursa Major constellation, how they were first observed, and how their dual nature was discovered.
Apollo 11 Mission Control: the people behind the Moon landing
The people of Mission Control oversaw the journey to the Moon from a windowless room. We investigate their pivotal role.
