Planetary Science

  1. Planetary Science

    Comet 67P carries two ingredients for life: glycine, phosphorus

    Two ingredients essential for all life, phosphorus and the amino acid glycine, have been found floating around a comet.

    By Christopher Crockett
  2. Planetary Science

    Seismic experiment might reveal thickness of Europa’s ice

    Crashing an empty rocket fuel tank into the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, could help scientists figure out the thickness of the ice.

    By Meghan Rosen
  3. Planetary Science

    Space experts say sending humans to Mars worth the risk

    At a meeting in Washington, NASA and aerospace reps discuss the hopes and hurdles of landing a crew on Mars by the 2030s.

    By Christopher Crockett
  4. Oceans

    Ancient tsunamis reshaped Mars’ landscape

    Ancient tsunamis generated by meteorite impacts may have reshaped ocean coastlines on Mars.

    By Thomas Sumner
  5. Health & Medicine

    Zika, psychobiotics and more in reader feedback

    Readers respond to the April 2, 2016, issue of Science News with thoughts on Zika virus, planetary science, microbes in mental health and more.

    By Science News Staff
  6. Planetary Science

    Mercury’s stunning landscape mapped

    First complete topographic map of Mercury reveals plains, craters and both the highest and lowest points on the planet.

    By Christopher Crockett
  7. Planetary Science

    Long-running lunar mission reveals moon’s surprises

    Seven years into its mission, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is still going strong and finding surprises on the moon.

    By Christopher Crockett
  8. Planetary Science

    Hubble telescope finds small moon orbiting dwarf planet Makemake

    Hubble Space Telescope images from April 2015 show that the dwarf planet Makemake has a tiny moon.

    By Christopher Crockett
  9. Planetary Science

    Tiny moon orbits dwarf planet

    Hubble Space Telescope images from April 2015 show that the dwarf planet Makemake has a tiny moon.

    By Christopher Crockett
  10. Planetary Science

    How alien can a planet be and still support life?

    Geoscientists imagine the unearthly mechanisms that could keep alien planets habitable.

    By Thomas Sumner
  11. Astronomy

    New telescopes will search for signs of life on distant planets

    Researchers are coming up with creative ways to pick up biosignatures in far-away planetary atmospheres.

    By Christopher Crockett
  12. Astronomy

    Key sugar needed for life could have formed in space

    Sugar that forms backbone of cell machinery can form on icy grains blasted by ultraviolet light from young stars.

    By Christopher Crockett