Planetary Science
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Earth
Irrigation draining California groundwater at ‘unsustainable’ pace
The GRACE satellites have tracked water movement from the Central Valley since 2003.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary Science
Pluto’s cloud components verified
Newly analyzed observations suggest that particles are tiny spherules of frozen nitrogen and carbon monoxide.
By Sid Perkins -
Earth
Deep hole spotted on moon
The feature may be a ‘skylight’ in an underground lava tube.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary Science
Mercury, As Never Seen Before: MESSENGER visits innermost planet
The first spacecraft to visit Mercury in 33 years imaged 25 percent of the crater-pocked surface that had never before been seen close-up.
By Ron Cowen -
Ecosystems
Windy with a chance of weevils
Scientists have traced the reappearance of cotton pests in west-central Texas to a tropical storm.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary Science
Award named for late Science News writer
Jonathan Eberhart's name lives on in a new planetary-sciences award.
By Janet Raloff -
Space
Water on the moon: How much?
Ron Cowen reports from the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & Medicine
Measuring citations: Calculations can vary widely
Depending on how citation tallies will be used, it may pay to cherry pick the appropriate counting house.
By Janet Raloff -
Astronomy
Rock solid planet
Researchers have found the first compelling evidence for a rocky planet beyond the solar system.
By Ron Cowen -
Earth
Atmospheric rollercoaster followed Great Oxidation Event
Analyses of chromium isotopes in banded iron formations suggest oxygen levels fell for a period after the Great Oxidation Event.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary Science
Celestial population boom
Large meteoroids are probably more common than telescopic surveys suggest, new analyses find.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary Science
Stars go kaboom, spilling cosmic secrets
Astronomers hope type 1a supernovas will help in quest to explain dark energy.
By Ron Cowen