Is Mercury Retrograde real? Let's break it down.

It can be a fun musing, but what if it's just perceptive trickery?
By Mark Stetson and Mark Kaufman  on 
What is Mercury Retrograde
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Thinking about space for too long can be scary and overwhelming. Are we alone? Will we ever be able to live on another planet? Will black holes destroy the universe one day? What should you do if you ever encounter an alien? Don’t worry, our curious science producer will do all the excessive thinking for you, and teach you a thing or two in the process. With the help of experts, our producer will deep dive into all the interesting things that happen, have happened, and will happen in space.


Mercury retrograde has long permeated our culture in an attempt to explain phenomena like communication issues or travel woes. Here is what is actually happening when Mercury is "in retrograde."

Topics NASA

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Mark Kaufman

Mark is an award-winning journalist and the science editor at Mashable. After working as a ranger with the National Park Service, he started a reporting career after seeing the extraordinary value in educating people about the happenings on Earth, and beyond.

He's descended 2,500 feet into the ocean depths in search of the sixgill shark, ventured into the halls of top R&D laboratories, and interviewed some of the most fascinating scientists in the world.

You can reach Mark at [email protected].


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