Russell Deeks
Science writer
Russell Deeks is a freelance journalist specialising in science and technology. He has been an occasional contributor to BBC Sky at Night Magazine since 2006.
Recent articles by Russell Deeks
Earth has new mini-moon – but it won’t be around for long
2026 QQ8 is about the size of an adult human
An enormous lost planet has emerged from the darkness. New technique could be a game-changer in the search for planets beyond our Solar System
A new technique has enabled the James Webb Space Telescope to spot a distant planet that was previously lost in glare
Martian dust could be fatal for humans. NASA's Mars rover is helping the first settlers prepare for life on the Red Planet
Dust on Mars could be a major stumbling block for humans
This 4-billion-year-old Martian meteorite fell to Earth – and scientists used a genius trick to work out exactly where it came from
Ancient rock is one of the oldest Mars meteorites ever found on Earth
Scientists fired a laser into the sky to talk to a distant spacecraft. Here's what it said
Image shows the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at NASA's Table Mountain Facility beaming a laser to NASA's Psyche spacecraft.
You're currently being pulled into deep space by something called the Great Attractor. But don't worry, the whole Galaxy is coming with you
In space, nothing is ever still. You feel like you’re sitting still as you read this, but you’re not
We CAN survive the journey to Mars, say scientists, if we do this one key thing. And it's probably something you do already
The human body can survive travelling to Mars and living on the Martian surface, as long as it gets plenty of cardiovascular exercise.
We've got a new comet in our skies. And it's the first ever discovered by a brand new space telescope
The Euclid space telescope makes its first comet discovery
There's a weird 'floating spoon' on Mars. This is where it came from and what the image really shows
A scientific dive into the formation on Mars that looks like a floating spoon
Full Moon names and what they mean
A guide to full Moon nicknames
This NASA Mars rover just smashed the record for distance travelled on a planet beyond Earth
NASA's Perseverance rover has broken the record for off-world travel during its mission exploring the Red Planet
Schumann resonances explained
Schumann resonances are resonant frequencies of the Earth-ionosphere cavity, and represent standing electronic waves encircling our planet.
Ever seen the creepy 'doorway' on Mars? We took a closer look at the image. Here's what's really going on
There's a strange feature on Mars that looks like a doorway into a cave
A spacecraft just skimmed past our planet on its way to Jupiter. Here's its spectacular view of Earth
A beautiful view of Earth from space captured by the Juice spacecraft during a flyby of our planet on 28 September 2026
There's an enormous black hole pointing its jet at Earth – and scientists only found it because of a strange flash in deep space
Hidden away behind vast clouds of dust, IRAS 18293-0941 is a binary system with a black hole orbiting a massive, hot star
Mercury is shrinking faster than expected. Here's how the planet has pulled the wool over our eyes for over 50 years
The closest planet to the Sun is shrinking at an alarming rate
'Black dust covered my bed' – the day alien science smashed through a New Jersey roof
Scientists analysing the space rock have found it contains life-supporting chemistry
NASA satellite video shows an enormous volcano spewing out lava – from space
Timelapse video captured by a satellite and released by NASA shows lava spreading out from Russia’s Krasheninnikov volcano
Why it's called Harvest Moon
The Harvest Moon is a sure sign that autumn is here. Here's the science behind the Harvest Moon and where it gets its name from
29 of the scariest things in space
Take our tour of terror through the cosmos.
This creepy 'statue' that looks like a robed figure on Mars gives us the chills. Here's what's really going on
The 'robed statue of a female figure' on Mars was spotted by the Spirit rover on the Red Planet in 2007
This week's lunar eclipse proves Earth isn't flat
The shadow of Earth during lunar eclipses proves that Earth isn't a flat disc, but is instead a round, spherical object
It's official. Spaceflight affects our genes. Now scientists need to work out how to combat the effects of weightlessness
Scientists have identified human genes that are adversely affected by exposure to microgravity and weightlessness during spaceflight
Stargazers see bright clouds – astrophysicists see an impending collision. These are the two nearby galaxies you've probably never heard of
A beginner's guide to the Magellanic Clouds and their impending collision with our own Galaxy
