Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
How NASA has kept Apollo moon rocks safe from contamination for 50 years
NASA wouldn’t let our reporter touch the Apollo moon rocks. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
- Planetary Science
Apollo astronauts left trash, mementos and experiments on the moon
Here’s what planetary scientists are learning from the remains of Apollo outposts, and how archeologists hope to preserve it.
- Planetary Science
Celebrate the moon landing anniversary with books that go beyond the small step
New books about Apollo 11 and the mission to the moon offer something for everyone, from astronomy lovers to fans of graphic novels and self-improvement buffs.
- Planetary Science
Hayabusa2 may have just snagged bits of asteroid Ryugu’s insides
In its second sampling attempt, Hayabusa2 became the first spacecraft to try to pick up some of an asteroid’s guts.
- Planetary Science
See how visualizations of the moon have changed over time
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, here’s a collection of images that show how the moon has been visualized over the ages.
- Astronomy
Moons that escape their planets could become ‘ploonets’
If giant planets in other star systems lose their moons, the freed objects could become “ploonets,” and current telescopes may be able to find them.
- Anthropology
Ancient humans used the moon as a calendar in the sky
Whether the moon was a timekeeper for early humans, as first argued during the Apollo missions, is still up for debate.
- Ecosystems
Moonlight shapes how some animals move, grow and even sing
The moon’s light influences lion prey behavior, dung beetle navigation, fish growth, mass migrations and birdsong.
- Planetary Science
Readers wanted to know about asteroids, lithium batteries and more
Readers had questions and comments about asteroids, lithium batteries, and pyroclastic flows.
- Astronomy
After all this time, the moon still manages to surprise us
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses 50 years of lunar science.
- Astronomy
How the 2019 eclipse will differ from 2017’s — and what that means for science
This year’s total solar eclipse is visible late in the day from a relatively small slice of South America.
- Astronomy
The earliest known galaxy merger occurred shortly after the Big Bang
Telescopes show two distant blobs of stars and gas swirling around each other in the young universe.
