Keith Cowing

Keith Cowing founded The Astrobiology Web with a singular focus on Astrobiology. Contact Information Editorial Content Keith Cowing - keithlcowing AT gmail.com (703) 787-6567 Mailing Address United StatesReston CommunicationsP.O. Box 3569Reston, VA 20195-1569

Biography:  https://astrobiology.com/about

64%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

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

85%

Examples:

  • Evidence for subsurface oceans at other icy moons in our solar system
  • The methane detected on Eris and Makemake has the tell-tale signs of warm or even hot geochemistry
  • The possibility of liquid water beneath Eris and Makemake's icy surfaces

Conflicts of Interest

50%

Examples:

  • The article presents evidence of hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake as if they are warm or even hot. However, this contradicts the fact that these bodies were believed to be cold and dead objects.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • Hot cores could also point to potential sources of liquid water beneath their icy surfaces
  • If Eris and Makemake hosted, or perhaps could still host warm, or even hot, geochemistry in their rocky cores, cryovolcanic processes could then deliver methane to the surfaces of these planets

Deceptions

50%

Examples:

  • The article implies that weathering was solely responsible for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is also unsupported by other research.
  • The article states that 'historically low volcanic carbon dioxide emissions' caused the ice age but does not provide any evidence for this claim.

Recent Articles

NASA's Europa Clipper: $5 Billion Mission Threatened by Radiation-Sensitive Electronic Circuits

NASA's Europa Clipper: $5 Billion Mission Threatened by Radiation-Sensitive Electronic Circuits

Broke On: Wednesday, 10 July 2024 NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft faces a $5 billion threat due to radiation-vulnerable electronic circuits. The issue involves MOSFETs, which control power distribution and do not meet radiation-hardness standards. As it approaches Jupiter's harsh radiation environment, the spacecraft is at risk.
NASA's Artemis I: Unexpected Damage to Orion Heat Shield Threatens Crewed Lunar Missions

NASA's Artemis I: Unexpected Damage to Orion Heat Shield Threatens Crewed Lunar Missions

Broke On: Monday, 02 May 2022 NASA's Artemis I mission uncovered unexpected damage to the Orion spacecraft's heat shield during its 2022 return to Earth, with over 100 areas affected. The OIG report revealed melting and erosion in three of four separation bolts on the base of the heat shield. NASA plans to redesign these bolts and add thermal protection material for Artemis II while addressing other issues like power distribution anomalies. Despite setbacks, Artemis II remains on track for a successful launch, ensuring crew safety is a top priority.
Evidence of Hydrothermal Activity on Eris and Makemake from the James Webb Space Telescope

Evidence of Hydrothermal Activity on Eris and Makemake from the James Webb Space Telescope

Broke On: Friday, 16 February 2024 JWST reveals signs of geothermal activity on Eris and Makemake, two icy dwarf planets. Methane on their surfaces indicates warm or hot rocky cores that may still produce liquid water.
The Sturtian Glaciation: A Fascinating Period of Extreme Ice-Age Climate on Earth Before Dinosaurs and Complex Plant Life Existed.

The Sturtian Glaciation: A Fascinating Period of Extreme Ice-Age Climate on Earth Before Dinosaurs and Complex Plant Life Existed.

Broke On: Friday, 09 February 2024 The Sturtian glaciation, also known as the Franklin large igneous province (LIP), was a period of extreme ice-age climate that lasted from 717 to 660 million years ago. This era is regarded as one of the most severe intervals of icehouse climate in Earth's history. The Sturtian glaciation occurred before the dinosaurs and complex plant life on land existed, making it a fascinating period for scientists to study.

NASA's Cryobots and Juno Spacecraft Shed Light on Ocean Worlds

Broke On: Tuesday, 14 November 2023 NASA is studying cryobots to explore ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus. NASA's Juno spacecraft has found evidence of organic compounds on Jupiter's moon Ganymede, suggesting the possibility of an underground ocean.