Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Cosmic Log: Big-bang machine’s big day set
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: The startup of the world's most powerful particle collider is scheduled for Sept. 10, after a final round of testing that begins this weekend.
SpaceX finds cause of failed private rocket launch
(AP) -- A privately held rocket company on Wednesday blamed a design error for its latest failure to reach orbit, which caused the loss of three government satellites and...
Dutch teacher discovers new space object
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 6 (UPI) -- A Dutch schoolteacher taking part in an online research project has discovered a gaseous object that astronomers say is of unknown...
Spacecraft Tracks Asteroid For Rendezvous
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosetta probe is catching up the asteroid Steins.
SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: Rare Clouds, Eclipse, More
The moon Phobos's battered surface is captured; the giant elliptical galaxy M87 shines, and more in our new weekly roundup of space news photos.
Phoenix Mars Team Opens Window on Scientific Process
(PhysOrg.com) -- Phoenix Mars mission scientists spoke today on research in progress concerning an ongoing investigation of perchlorate salts detected in soil analyzed by the wet chemistry laboratory aboard NASA's...
New Gear to Boost Space Station Population
The International Space Station is due for some new gear that will double its crew size.
Sen. Barack Obama Pledges Space Advocacy
Sen. Barack Obama promised not to cut NASA funding if elected president.
Cosmic Log: How stars get stolen
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that big galaxies steal globular star clusters from little ones, using gravity to pull off the heist.
NASA awards radiobiology research grants
HOUSTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency said it will fund nine proposals from six states to investigate questions about the effects of space radiation on...
NASA to air historical video in high def
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration says it will telecast video highlights from U.S. spaceflight history as part of its 50th anniversary.
Scientists produce unique X-ray holograms
BERKELEY, Calif., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led group of scientists reports creating two of the brightest, sharpest X-ray holograms of microscopic objects ever made.
Teams Set For Mock Moon Landing Contest
Ten teams are gearing up to compete in the 2008 Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.
Earlier MS diagnosis may be possible
HEIDELBERG, Germany, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- German scientists say they've discovered a new magnetic resonance imaging medium that might enable the early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Books on Science: Inside Story of the Telescope That Nearly Wasn’t Built
“The Universe in Mirror: The Saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Visionaries Who Built It” is a breezy behind-the-scenes account.
Instant messaging world confirms six degrees of separation
A social graph derived from billions of instant messages validates folklore that there are about six degrees of separation between any two strangers on the planet.
Johnson Space Center closed due to Edouard
HOUSTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency said the Johnson Space Center in Houston will be closed through Tuesday because of the threat posed by Tropical...
Switching On First Neutrons at UK's ISIS Second Target Station
The UK's ISIS Second Target Station Project moved a major step closer to completion today when the first neutrons were created in the ISIS Second Target Station. After five years...
NASA's 50-year history show on Web site
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency is commemorating its 50th anniversary with an interactive multimedia Web site that details its five decades of exploration.
Dark Energy Signs Seen in Giant Clusters and Voids
Scientists have observed dark energy stretching vast regions of the universe called superclusters and supervoids.
Tuna around S. Korea getting bigger
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Fishermen in South Korea have been hauling in unusual numbers of large blue-fin tuna, a phenomenon that may be linked to global warming.
August brings the Perseid meteors and a cluster of planets
(PhysOrg.com) -- The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak before dawn on Aug. 12. This year the Perseids will be competing with the nearly full moon at first, but after...
Thousands of Russians, tourists in Siberia marvel at total solar eclipse
An enormous swath of western Siberia was submerged in darkness Friday afternoon as the moon completely blocked the sun, enrapturing huge crowds of Russians and foreign tourists.
A Brief History of Solar Sails
sō`lar sāil, n. - A gossamer material that, when unfurled in the vacuum of space, feels the pressure of sunlight and propelled by said pressure may carry a ship among...
Scientist Was Writing 'Books' by Age 5
Gregory D. Durgin works in Radio Wave Propagation and Applied Electromagnetics at Georgia Tech.
Mars Water Discovered, "Tasted" by Lander -- A First
For the first time ever, extraterrestrial water has been touched and analyzed, said NASA, which also released a groundbreaking panoramic photo.
Milky Way: A Night Sky Wonder
The new moon makes this a great time to check out the midsummer Milky Way.
A Brief History of Solar Sails
Have you ever stared up at the night sky, felt a gentle breeze, and wished you could set sail for the stars? Get in line. Many great thinkers...