Planetary Science
- Planetary Science
Life’s cold start
Primordial molecules could have replicated themselves in a slushy place, new experiments suggest.
- Planetary Science
Worldwide slowdown in plant carbon uptake
A decade of droughts has stifled the increasing growth of terrestrial vegetation.
By Sid Perkins - Earth
Trailing dust devils
Whirlwinds leave dark paths behind by sucking sand grains clean.
By Sid Perkins - Astronomy
Heftiest stars discovered
At more than 200 times sun’s mass, this giant sets a new record.
By Ron Cowen - Planetary Science
Hole from on high
Researchers discover a fresh meteorite impact crater using Google Earth.
By Sid Perkins - Planetary Science
Up close and personal with an asteroid
The Rosetta orbiter makes its second swing past a relic of the early solar system.
- Earth
Antarctic shoal breaks the ice
Instruments on a massive berg help pinpoint a previously unreported undersea ridge.
By Sid Perkins - Earth
Planes can trigger snowfall
Under certain conditions, aircraft can trigger precipitation as they pass through moisture-laden clouds.
By Sid Perkins - Planetary Science
Hubble hunting for Jupiter bruise
No scar found yet on planet from June 3 crash with unidentified object.
By Ron Cowen - Planetary Science
Before the Mississippi, minerals show ancient rivers flowed west
Michigan zircons uncover the path of an ancient river system across North America.
By Sid Perkins - Earth
Hazy antidote to a faint young sun
A new theory suggests atmospheric answer to the continuing paradox of why early Earth wasn’t icy.
By Sid Perkins - Planetary Science
Jupiter’s crash of ’09
The body that crashed into Jupiter last summer was likely an asteroid, and such impacts might occur as frequently as every 10 to 15 years, new studies suggest.
By Ron Cowen