Planetary Science
- Planetary Science
Extreme gas loss dried out Mars, MAVEN data suggest
Over the planet’s history, the Martian atmosphere has lost 66 percent of its argon and a majority of its carbon dioxide, according to data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft.
- Planetary Science
It’s time to redefine what qualifies as a planet, scientists propose
Astronomers can have their definition of a planet, but some planetary scientists plan to stick to the long-held meaning of the word.
- Planetary Science
How Pluto’s haze could explain its red spots
Pluto’s collapsing atmosphere may explain the dwarf planet’s seemingly random ruddy spots.
- Astronomy
Close pass by sun didn’t radically alter comet 67P’s landscape
Landslides on comet 67P shot plumes of dust into space, but changes like these might not radically alter the landscape of the comet.
- Planetary Science
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon may not conceal an ocean after all
A lack of cracks on Mimas suggests that the icy moon of Saturn doesn’t conceal a subsurface ocean of liquid water.
- Planetary Science
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon may not conceal ocean after all
A lack of cracks on Mimas suggests that the icy moon of Saturn doesn’t conceal a subsurface ocean of liquid water.
- Planetary Science
Europa lander mission takes another step toward reality
NASA is working on a possible lander mission in which the main science goal would be to search for signs of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
- Planetary Science
Juno spacecraft won’t go into shorter orbit around Jupiter
Juno will remain in its 53-day orbit around Jupiter due to an issue with two helium check valves, NASA reports.
- Planetary Science
Ceres harbors homegrown organic compounds
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has detected organic matter — the building blocks of life — on the dwarf planet Ceres, a new study suggests.
- Planetary Science
Red Planet’s interior may not churn much
The magma fueling a Martian volcanic system remained largely unchanged for billions of years, analysis of a newfound meteorite suggests.
- Planetary Science
Oxygen atoms from Earth bombard the moon
Oxygen atoms originating from the upper atmosphere periodically bombard the moon’s surface, researchers propose.
- Life
Asteroid barrage, ancient marine life boom not linked
Impacts from asteroid debris probably didn’t trigger the boom in marine animal diversity around 471 million years ago during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.
