Space
- Space
The first U.S. lunar lander since 1972 touches down on the moon
Odysseus, the first spacecraft to land on the moon since NASA’s Apollo 17, ended up tipped on its side but it appears to be operating OK.
- Planetary Science
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx nabbed over 120 grams of space rocks from asteroid Bennu
After being stymied by two stuck screws, NASA finally accessed a trove of Bennu asteroid bits. Mission scientist Harold Connolly tells what’s next.
By Adam Mann - Space
How to build an internet on Mars
Future Red Planet inhabitants will need new ways to connect, including improved relay networks and an offshoot internet.
By Payal Dhar - Space
How ‘Our Moon’ shaped life on Earth and human history
Science News reviews Rebecca Boyle’s new wide-ranging book, which tells the story of the moon and its relationship with the inhabitants of Earth.
By Shi En Kim - Planetary Science
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon might contain a hidden ocean
A fresh look at Cassini data reveals slight changes in the tiny moon’s orbit that suggest the presence of a vast ocean beneath the satellite’s icy shell.
By Adam Mann - Planetary Science
An asteroid may have exploded over Antarctica about 2.5 million years ago
Tiny spherules of rock found in Antarctic ice may point to the oldest known “airburst,” or midair disintegration of an incoming asteroid.
- Planetary Science
Bacteria that can make humans sick could survive on Mars
Experiments suggest that common illness-causing microbes could not only survive on the Red Planet but also might be able to thrive.
By Adam Mann - Planetary Science
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter officially ends its mission on Mars
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter suffered damage during a recent flight and has ended its mission on Mars after nearly three years on the Red Planet.
By Adam Mann - Space
Astronomers have snapped a new photo of the black hole in galaxy M87
The Event Horizon Telescope image shows material around the black hole has moved, but other aspects remain the same, proving Einstein is right again.
By Adam Mann - Astronomy
Astronomers are puzzled over an enigmatic companion to a pulsar
The strange entity has a mass between that of a neutron star and a black hole. It’s either one or the other or something else entirely.
By Adam Mann - Space
The strongest known fast radio burst has been traced to a 7-galaxy pileup
The galactic smashup, located 11 billion light-years from Earth, could have triggered star formation and also odd flares like the fast radio burst.
By Adam Mann - Space
Why the 2024 total solar eclipse will be such a big deal
The sun will be very active during the next solar eclipse to cross North America, making it an excellent viewing and scientific opportunity.