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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Astronomy

    Starry View: Image reveals galaxy’s violent past

    The most detailed visible-light picture ever taken of the heavens reveals that the nearby Andromeda galaxy has had a much more violent history than our own Milky Way has.

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  2. Astronomy

    Fast-track planet

    Astronomers have found a planet that's the closest yet known to its parent star, whipping around the star every 28.5 hours.

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  3. Astronomy

    Chemistry of the Cosmos: Quasars illuminate the young universe

    Measuring the composition of some of the earliest structures in the universe, two teams of astronomers have unveiled new findings about star formation in the young cosmos.

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  4. Planetary Science

    Roving on the Red Planet

    NASA last month selected the landing sites for rovers scheduled to begin exploring the Martian surface next January.

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  5. Astronomy

    Echoes of a stellar outburst

    Light from the outburst of a star has revealed its dusty surroundings.

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  6. Astronomy

    Once Upon a Time in the Cosmos: Using distant galaxies to study the early universe

    Peering far back in time, two teams of astronomers report that they have found some of the universe's earliest galaxies.

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  7. Astronomy

    All-sky survey makes Internet debut

    An atlas of some 5 million images from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey is now available online.

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  8. Astronomy

    Cosmic Blowout: Black holes spew as much as they consume

    Supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies can blow out as much material as they swallow, creating high-speed winds that may seed the universe with oxygen, carbon, iron, and other elements essential for life.

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  9. Planetary Science

    Spacecraft reveal Mars’ molten heart

    Tracking the precise motion of a spacecraft orbiting Mars, planetary scientists have deduced that the core of the Red Planet is at least partially liquid.

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  10. Astronomy

    By the light of a starry eruption

    Astronomers calculating the brightness of a supernova explosion witnessed in the 11th century estimate that it was likely the most brilliant stellar event in recorded history.

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  11. Planetary Science

    Red Planet

    The imaging team of NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft has doubled the number of Mars pictures available to the public with the release of a new archive of photos. The archive contains all the pictures that were taken by Mars Global Surveyor from September 1999 through February 2000 and includes the images that were taken […]

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  12. Astronomy

    Honors for Science News astronomy writer

    Science News astronomy writer Ron Cowen is a recipient of the third David N. Schramm award for distinguished writing on high-energy astrophysics.

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