Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Ceiling Lights: New Internet Pathway?
The New Wireless: Flickering Lights In Minnesota Used To Send Coded Signals For Internet
NASA has to keep defunct Ares rocket program going
The agency will spend nearly $500 million on the canceled program because Congress chose to extend the 2010 budget, which requires such funding.Thanks to congressional inaction, NASA must continue to...
Universe's Most Massive Black Holes Got Huge Early
The first rapid growth spurt of the universe's most massive black holes occurred much earlier than astronomers previously thought, and are still growing fast, a new study finds.
Russian Rocket Launches Communications Satellite
An International Launch Services (ILS) Proton rocket on Dec. 27 successfully placed Eutelsat�s Ka-Sat broadband satellite into orbit in the eighth and final commercial ILS launch for 2010, ILS and...
Gazprom looks to gas future
MOSCOW, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The domestic market is the top priority for Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, though new transit corridors are important projects, a top executive said.
Light shines in High Arctic darkness
People in the High Arctic say their 24-hour darkness isn't as dark as it used to be, and a weather researcher says it's because of the warming climate.
Image: Decorating the sky
This mosaic image taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, features three nebulae that are part of the giant Orion Molecular Cloud--the Flame nebula, the Horsehead nebula and...
Iran plans domestic petroleum expansions
TEHRAN, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Iran boasted significantly higher exports of petrochemicals in the current year and plans are to open new facilities next year, officials said.
Scientists May Be Missing Many Star Explosions
Some of the brightest stellar explosions in the sky may be flying under astronomers' radar, a new study suggests.
The Top 7 Space Stories of 2010
Space-science researchers made a number of extraordinary discoveries in 2010, including finding what may or may not be the first habitable alien world and uncovering clues to the nature of...
Bulgaria sets sights on renewable energy
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Bulgaria aims to expand its wind energy portfolio with the help of a $98 million wind farm, a division of Germany engineering company...
Libya wants larger slice of energy pie
TRIPOLI, Libya, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The Libyan government aims to position the country as an important energy player while exploring renewable energy at home, a panel said.
Starwatch: January's sky brings meteors and solar eclipse
A stellar month for starwatchers finds Orion prominent in the SE at our map times in the heart of a region cluttered with bright stars. The highlights, though, come on the morning...
In praise of … a futile gesture | Editorial
As people remind themselves every time they unwrap an eccentric gift at Christmastide, it is the thought that countsIf, early in the next few evenings, you see a bright star moving across...
Failed rocket launch threatens India's space ambitions
The explosion of an Indian space rocket is likely to hit the country's efforts to push further into the global market for launching commercial satellites, experts warned Sunday.
Cosmic Nebulas Dazzle in New Space Telescope Photos
NASA's WISE infrared telescope, which recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its launch into space, has returned some stunning photos lately.
Black Harvard doctor pens memoir of Jim Crow South
BOSTON (AP) -- Growing up in segregated Memphis during the Jim Crow era, Augustus White III knew about those certain places off-limits to him as a...
Net satellite ready for lift-off
The Paris-based operator Eutelsat is set to launch its UK-built Ka-Sat, only the second spacecraft dedicated to delivering broadband internet connections to European households.
Titan From Above: Blimp Survey Options to Study Saturn Moon
The next mission to Titan could get a bird's-eye view of the Saturn moon, sending a balloon or blimp cruising through its skies for months.
NASA Xmas Presents To You
Given all the NASA funding, you think we'd get something from it! Oh, wait, we do. SpaceRef pointed me to the NASA SpinOff 2010 report. What did we get for...
Italy to build accelerator with U.S. parts
ROME, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Italy says it plans to build a $525 million particle accelerator using parts from a defunct American atom smasher.
U.K. solar plane record confirmed
FARNBOROUGH, England, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A British solar-powered aircraft has been confirmed as a record-breaker following its non-stop two-week endurance flight earlier this year, officials say.
NASA Invites Santa to Check Out Space Shuttles
NASA has invited Santa Claus to drop by Kennedy Space Center this Christmas Eve to check out the agency's three space shuttles as they're prepared for their final missions.
Statistical modeling could help us understand cosmic acceleration
(PhysOrg.com) -- While it is generally accepted by scientists that the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate, there are questions about why this should be so. For years, scientists...
High-energy scanner enables large-scale 3D imaging
A new high-energy, high-resolution CT scanner at the University of Southampton in UK is helping to reveal the secrets of a prehistoric sea creature.
Holiday travel conditions caught by GOES satellites
Travelers over the long holiday weekend can count on one Christmas present: great satellite data from the GOES series of satellites to help them in their travels. Data from the...
Video: Jack Black Super-Sized for "Gulliver's Travels"
In the latest adaptation of Jonathan Swift's 18th-century classic, "Gulliver's Travels," Jack Black portrays an inexperienced travel writer on the adventure of a lifetime. Kendis Gibson reports.
Tech 2011 outlook: Cloudy, chance of takeovers
From Apple's iPad to cloud computing, hot investment themes abounded in tech in 2010.