Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Setting sights on Mars — a half-century ago
Fifty years ago, the United States turned its eyes toward Mars and set a goal of sending humans as soon as possible.
- Planetary Science
Planets stake their claim around infant star
At the center of the newly released telescope image is HL Tau, a star located about 450 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. A dense disk of gas and dust surrounds the star, which is a youthful million years old.
- Planetary Science
Philae lander sent in a surprise before going to sleep
The robotic probe that landed on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has beamed back some surprises about the icy boulder.
- Planetary Science
Cassini maps depths of Titan’s seas
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft finds that some methane seas on Titan extend more than 200 meters beneath the Saturnian moon’s surface.
- Planetary Science
Unseen planets sweep up dust around young star
A large gap in the dusty disk around a young star reveals what our solar system might have looked like 4.6 billion years ago.
- Astronomy
Good night, Philae
The Philae lander has depleted its batteries and gone into idle mode, probably drawing to a close the surface-based study of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
- Planetary Science
Two travelers from far beyond Neptune return home
Two bodies approaching from the edge of the solar system may have been tossed out there by Jupiter over 4 billion years ago.
- Astronomy
A still mysterious solar system
Whether or not a Planet X exists, the puzzle, like a good mystery, delights the mind. But better than any novel, the puzzle’s solution has the potential to reveal something new and unexpected about our solar system.
- Planetary Science
A distant planet may lurk far beyond Neptune
Strange orbits in the Kuiper belt revive talk of a Planet X in the solar system.
- Psychology
Rigors of Mars trip make teamwork a priority
It’s going to take a different kind of mental approach to travel to Mars and back: less individuality, more collaboration and adaptability. Astronauts are being tested to prepare for such a mission.
- Astronomy
Philae lander reveals stunning, unsettling view of comet
Concerns are surfacing about the Rosetta mission lander Philae’s ability to fully explore comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
- Astronomy
Philae lander image raises questions about probe’s health
Early reports suggest that Rosetta's lander Philae bounced twice when landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
