Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Assault on Mars
A Mars rover has discovered a patch of soil that's the saltiest place known on the Red Planet, an indication that water once coursed through the region.
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- Astronomy
Worlds of Astronomy
British astronomer and writer David Darling has created an impressive, online encyclopedia devoted to topics in astronomy, astrobiology, spaceflight, space physics, and much more. From the Abell cluster to the Zwicky Catalogue, the site provides clear, straightforward explanations of a variety of concepts, along with brief biographies and much other material, including relevant images. Go […]
- Astronomy
Alien Light: Extrasolar planets are detected in new way
Two teams of scientists report that they have for the first time directly detected the glow of planets that circle sunlike stars hundreds of light-years from Earth.
- Planetary Science
Jupiter as mirror for the sun’s X rays
X rays emanating from Jupiter's midriff actually originate on the sun, new observations show.
- Astronomy
Too Darn Hot
A new theory of planet formation suggests that sizzling-hot Earths may be abundant throughout the galaxy and could soon be detected.
- Planetary Science
Saturn says ‘cheese’
Astronomers have assembled the largest and most-detailed global portrait of the ringed planet ever made.
- Astronomy
Puzzling radio blasts
Astronomers are stumped by powerful radio waves emanating from the center of our galaxy.
- Astronomy
Weighing In on a Star: A stellar size limit
A new study suggests that no star in our galaxy can weigh more than 150 times the mass of the sun.
- Planetary Science
Slowpoke: Atmosphere put brakes on meteorite that formed famed crater
The extraterrestrial object that gouged out Arizona's Meteor Crater about 50,000 years ago struck at a speed much slower than most scientists had previously proposed.
- Astronomy
Radiation from a baby star
X-ray telescopes have captured the earliest and clearest view of the core of a gas cloud about to transform into a star.
- Planetary Science
Martian Landscaping: Spacecraft eyes evidence of a frozen sea
After analyzing images taken by the orbiting Mars Express spacecraft, researchers reported that a flat region near the Red Planet's equator holds a frozen ocean that was once the size of the North Sea.
