Stuart Clark
Dr Stuart Clark is an astronomer, science journalist and author of several popular science books, the latest of which is Beneath the night: How the stars have shaped the history of humankind. You can find a version of his book, remade for radio, called Beneath the Night on BBC sounds. Stuart is also a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and he regularly works with European Space Agency to communicate their work to the general public.
Recent articles by Stuart Clark
The new hunt for alien worlds: Here’s how NASA plans to find life off Earth
The next generation of space observatories have life on other planets firmly in their sights.
Space junk could soon spark a chain of catastrophic collisions above Earth. Here’s what could stop it
Earth is blanketed by a swarm of human-made debris hurtling around at speeds of up to 8km per second – about five times the speed of a bullet.
Inside the UK's resurrected deep space hub helping astronauts return to the Moon
In November 2022, Goonhilly made history as it tracked NASA’s Artemis 1 mission to the Moon. But that’s not the end of the story. The little-known station, nestled in the toe-tip of England, is poised to become the UK’s window to the next era of space exploration.
Alien mothership might be spying on us from orbit, says top Harvard scientist
Prof Avi Loeb claims we shouldn't dismiss the possibility that we have already been visited by extraterrestrial life.
Project Solaris: Inside ESA’s bold plan to harness solar power from space
Could a network of space-based power stations help to solve the energy crisis?
Black holes, exoplanets and distant galaxies: James Webb Space Telescope’s best discoveries after one year in space
In just a few short months, stunning photos from the James Webb Space Telescope have changed the way we see the Universe.
Meet the autonomous Moon robots about to change space travel forever
If we want to explore the Solar System even further, we'll need self-sufficient robots to help us do it. And that’s why scientists are putting futuristic bots through their paces on the lunar-like landscape of Mount Etna.
What would actually happen if we discovered a message from an alien planet?
The SETI mission is scouring the skies for signs of extraterrestrial life. So what will the researchers do when they receive a signal, and will they send a message back?
We pick up a signal from ET. What do we do next?
When an alien message is detected, these are the exact procedures that need to be followed.
Inside the UK’s Silicon Valley for nuclear fusion, where unlimited energy is becoming a reality
For decades, the technology to develop clean, safe fusion power has remained tantalisingly out of reach. Now, though, a new breed of start-ups could have cracked it at last. Will we finally be able to wave goodbye to fossil fuels?
NASA's Lunar Gateway: The plans for a permanent space station that will orbit the Moon
2022 will see NASA, with help from its international partners, take the first major step on humanity’s journey back to the Moon, and the start of a mission to establish an outpost alongside Earth’s natural satellite.
Why it’s time to get excited about the James Webb Space Telescope
NASA’s most ambitious space probe will peer deep into space looking for clues about the birth of planets, stars and the evolution of the Universe itself.
Elon Musk is building Starbase, a city with a spaceport to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Here's what's inside
If successful, the ambitious spaceport could become the site of multiple annual launches to the Moon and to Mars.
NASA’s Lucy Mission is set to head to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids
During the course of its mission, Lucy will fly by seven of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids in an effort to discover more about the birth and evolution of the Solar System.
Reality Check | Why does China want to build a kilometre-long spacecraft? And is it even possible?
Buoyed on by its recent successful Moon missions, the Asian superpower has launched a five-year study to investigate the possibility of building the biggest spacecraft the world has ever seen.
The plans to build a Martian mega city you’d actually want to travel 300 million km to live in
With more missions reaching the Red Planet, a human landing glints on the horizon. But what could the first permanent Mars metropolis look like?
Psyche: The metal mini-world that could change everything we know about the Solar System
There’s a giant metal asteroid floating out beyond Mars that might be the core of a planet that was smashed to smithereens aeons ago. NASA’s sending a probe to find out, but a positive answer could cause even bigger problems.
Perseverance’s 7 minutes of terror: Why a Mars landing is NASA’s greatest test
Over half attempted Mars landings end in disaster. Here's where previous missions went wrong – and how NASA’s Perseverance rover could get it right.
How swarm spacecraft could help us understand Earth like never before
Small, simple, cheap satellites are being developed to explore and study space in new ways. If we deploy them in vast swarms, these ‘CubeSats’ could change the way we see and protect our planet.
What does finding water on the Moon mean for the future of space exploration?
We ask Mahesh Anand, Professor of Planetary Science and Exploration at the Open University, UK, about NASA’s exciting discovery.
ESA and NASA unveil bold plans for the future of space exploration
The plans include landing the first woman on the Moon, establishing a space station in orbit around the Moon, and returning samples of Martian rock to Earth.
The next giant leaps | The UK missions getting us to the Moon
From spider robots to antennas on the Cornish coast, these UK-based projects are laying the groundwork for a permanent station on the Moon. Wallace and Gromit would be proud.
Life on Mars | Does the Red Planet harbour life?
Mars is our best hope for finding life in the Solar System, and there are plenty of missions on the lookout.
How will private space travel change the way we explore the Solar System?
We ask Gary Martin, Vice President for North American operations for the International Space University, about how private enterprise is changing space exploration.