Tagged: NASA

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a rock star of the stars. The astrophysicist is one of the most famous faces in science. Tyson is the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History and the host of the PBS show, “NOVA scienceNOW.”

When America’s last space shuttle mission blasted off, astronauts weren’t the only living creatures aboard the Atlantis. Thirty mice also went along for the ride. After orbiting the Earth, they may return with some important answers about bone density that can help scientists treat human bone diseases like osteoporosis.

Area scientists are in Florida this week readying experiments that will go on the final shuttle launch.

Ted Bateman first worked on space experiments as an undergraduate student 20 years ago. Now, he’s an associate professor in rehabilitation engineering in the joint department of biomedical engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State.