Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
New suit to be tested in Antarctica
University of North Dakota aerospace engineer and researcher Pablo de Leon is part of a unique mission to test a UND planetary exploration suit -- the NDX-1 -- at a...
Our moon as you've never seen it
NASA probe photographs the most detailed view yet of the far side of the moon
New estimate of alien 'Earths': Billions
PASADENA, Calif., March 22 (UPI) -- A new estimate of the number of possible alien Earths orbiting distant stars puts the figure at 2 billion in our Milky Way...
NASA 'wakes up' asteroid-bound probe
PASADENA, Calif., March 22 (UPI) -- NASA says the instruments on its Dawn spacecraft, headed for a rendezvous with an asteroid, have been awakened after a six-month hibernation.
How Vital Is a Planet's Magnetic Field? New Debate Rises
Does our magnetic field really shield Earth from the solar wind?
NASA's Orion Space Capsule
A look at NASA's Orion space capsule, which could carry astronauts to the moon, asteroids and other deep-space locales. The first test flight of the spacecraft is scheduled for 2013.
Photo Shows Far Side of Moon Like Never Before
The photo is a mosaic constructed of images taken by the Wide Angle Camera, one of the three instruments comprising the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC).
NASA Budget Woes Batter Ambitious Planetary Mission Plans
NASA's budget problems are limiting the agency's choices for flagship missions to the planets.
Enriching the intracluster medium
(PhysOrg.com) -- Galaxies are sometimes found in large clusters with many hundreds of members. Typically there is a giant elliptical galaxy near the center; most of these ellipticals are very...
Radiation, Once Free, Can Follow Tricky Path
How — and how fast — radioactive elements travel depends on many factors, including weather, soil and what they land on first.
Tarantula Nebula's Cosmic Web a Thing of Beauty
The creepy-sounding cosmic wonder is revealed in new close-ups.
Primordial soup gets spicier
"Lost" samples from a famous origin of life researcher could send the search for Earth's first life in a new direction.
Webb Telescope sunshield is like an umbrella on the shores of the universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has a unique shield to protect its sensitive instruments from the heat and light of the sun. The sunshield is like an umbrella popping open...
The Best and Worst Tech of SXSW
SXSW Tech Gurus Discuss their favorite, and least favorite, gadgets.
Japanese Astronaut Focused on Space Mission Despite Tragedy at Home
Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa is completing his final months of training before launching to the space station in May.
Comet Harley 2 revealing secrets - slowly
Astronomers describe comet visited by NASA probe last year as a spiky, hyperactive "space drumstick"
Chandra Wickramasinghe Is Being Sacked: Good Riddance
You may not have heard of Chandra Wickramasinghe, but he is due to be sacked alongside all of his collegues at the center for Astrobiology at the University of Cardiff. Yes,...
Time-Lapse View of NASA Workers Making a Human Space Shuttle
Thousands of NASA workers at the Kennedy Space Center stood side-by-side to form an outline of a space shuttle on March 18, 2011. The event was organized in honor of...
Can geoengineering put the freeze on global warming?
Scientists call it "geoengineering," but in plain speak, it means things like this: blasting tons of sulfate particles into the sky to reflect sunlight away from Earth; filling the ocean...
How We're Still Trying to Shed Light on Persistent Solar Mysteries
After staring at the sun for hundreds of millennia, humans still have burning questions about it Yesterday, the vernal equinox, the sun returned to the Northern Hemisphere at last. Nothing here or anywhere...
How to Do Space Science at Home: Q&A With Space Geek Ariel Waldman
In our exclusive Q&A, amateur space scientist Ariel Waldman talks about how DIYers can explore the cosmos without advanced degrees.
World's oldest star charts up for auction
Woodcut prints created by German artist Albrecht Dürer and two astronomers expected to fetch up to £180,000 at Sotheby's saleThe oldest printed star maps in the world, drawn by German Renaissance artist Albrecht...
Director James Cameron Joins X Prize Board
Visionary Hollywood director James Cameron has joined the X Prize Foundation's Board of Trustees.
Russia sets new Soyuz launch date on April 5
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday it had set a new date for the launch of three U.S. and Russian astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), almost one...
Madrid event marks Spain's role in next Mars mission
Spain is providing a key science instrument and the high-gain antenna communication subsystem for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, on track for launch this year.
Flagging up the elephant in the room | Mind your language
How to use Google's timeline to trace the history of all those annoying cliches – it's not rocket scienceBuzz phrases sometimes come out of left field. Sometimes they're hiding in plain sight. Often...
Maiden flight for Boeing's 747-8 Intercontinental
Gallery: The aviation giant's iconic double-decker plane takes to the air
Image: Chasma Boreale, Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chasma Boreale, a long, flat-floored valley, cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap.