Mark Kaufman
Mark Kaufman is an award-winning journalist and the science editor at Mashable. With a background in communicating science as a ranger with the National Park Service, Mark has transitioned to reporting, aiming to educate the public about various scientific topics such as earth sciences, space, biodiversity, and health. He can be reached at mkaufman@mashable.com.
Biography:
https://mashable.com/author/mark-kaufman
72%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
88%
Examples:
- The author has a tendency to use sensationalist language and exaggerate claims made by NASA in their articles.
- The author occasionally includes irrelevant or misleading information in their articles.
Conflicts of Interest
50%
Examples:
- There is no clear evidence of conflicts of interest in the author's work.
Contradictions
85%
Examples:
- In one article, the author states that formic acid was present in different groups of icy materials around a protostar, while in another article they mention that ethanol and other chemicals were detected around two youthful stars.
- The author contradicts themselves when describing the James Webb Space Telescope's discoveries.
Deceptions
75%
Examples:
- In one article, the author falsely claims that a defunct NASA mission discovered water on asteroids when it was actually detected by SOFIA.
- The author uses deceptive practices such as misleading headlines and sensationalist language to grab the reader's attention.
Recent Articles
Newly Discovered 'Little Red Dots': Challenging Our Understanding of Early Galaxy Formation and Black Hole Evolution with the James Webb Space Telescope
Broke On: Saturday, 22 June 2024The James Webb Space Telescope reveals intriguing 'little red dots' in the early universe, challenging our understanding of cosmic evolution. These small, reddish galaxies experienced intense star formation around 600 million years after the Big Bang but exhibit no detectable x-ray emission despite containing supermassive black holes. 
New Data Reveals Massive Asteroid Collision in Beta Pictoris Star System
Broke On: Monday, 10 June 2024Astronomers have identified a cataclysmic asteroid collision in the Beta Pictoris star system, which occurred approximately 20 years ago. The violent impact ejected an unprecedented amount of dust, around 100,000 times more than the dust released during the asteroid impact that caused the extinction of dinosaurs on Earth. Recent observations using the James Webb Space Telescope revealed a significant decrease in dust surrounding Beta Pictoris, which was explained by a massive asteroid collision between two large bodies within the system. 
Io's Unyielding Volcanic Activity: 4.5 Billion Years of Eruptions on Jupiter's Moon
Broke On: Thursday, 18 April 2024Io, a moon of Jupiter, has been the most volcanically active body in the solar system for 4.5 billion years due to its gravitational relationship with Jupiter and neighboring moons. Io's constant volcanic activity challenges previous assumptions about its geological history and offers new insights into planetary formation processes. 
Discovery of Habitable Molecules in Icy Compounds Around Young Protostars Suggests Potential for Complex Organic Molecule Formation on Cold Dust Grains
Broke On: Saturday, 16 March 2024The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered that ethanol, vinegar and ant sting ingredients are present in icy compounds around two young protostars. These molecules are key ingredients for making potentially habitable worlds. The detection of COMs (complex organic molecules) in solid-phase suggests that solid-phase chemical reactions on the surfaces of cold dust grains can build complex kinds of molecules, which may have been in first stages of development and later delivered to primitive Earth. 
Water Molecules Detected on Asteroid Surface for First Time Ever
Broke On: Thursday, 15 February 2024NASA and the German Aerospace Center's SOFIA telescope-outfitted plane detected water molecules on the surface of two silicate-rich asteroids, Iris and Massalia. The discovery was made by studying four such asteroids. 
Juno Spacecraft Captures Real-Time Image of Volcanic Activity on Io During Close Encounter
Broke On: Wednesday, 07 February 2024Juno spacecraft captures real-time image of volcanic activity erupting from Io's surface during a close flyby. This encounter is part of a set designed to provide new insight into the fiery phenomena beneath Io's surface. 
Juno Spacecraft Captures Stunning Images of Io During Closest Flyby
Broke On: Wednesday, 31 January 2024Jupiter's moon Io has hundreds of active volcanoes on its surface NASA's Juno spacecraft recorded remarkable volcanic activity during a flyby on December 30th, which will help scientists better understand tidal forces powering such activity and answer questions about whether a magma ocean exists beneath Io's volatile surface. Juno's orbit has been altered from 38 days to 35 days due to the latest flyby NASA engineers believe this won't leave the craft in darkness long enough to damage its systems. James Webb Space Telescope Detects Kilonova Explosion, Sheds Light on Creation of Heavy Elements
Broke On: Wednesday, 15 February 2023The James Webb Space Telescope has detected a kilonova explosion, which is about a million times brighter than the Milky Way. The explosion is believed to have resulted in the creation of heavy elements such as gold, platinum, and uranium. The kilonova was observed in a galaxy located about 1 billion light-years away from Earth. The research team includes Dr. Kunal Mooley, an astrophysicist of Indian origin based at the University of Oxford.