Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
SpaceX Reusable Rocket Test an 'Evolutionary' Breakthrough, Elon Musk Says
The unprecedented reusable rocket test launched by SpaceX last week paves the way for a potentially revolutionary leap forward in the cost of spaceflight, the private company's founder Elon Musk...
Injured Sherpas Recall Deadly Avalanche
Two injured Sherpas recount the horrific avalanche on Mount Everest.
Laser aimed at clouds could be key to inducing rain
A high-energy laser beam aimed into clouds could help to trigger rain and lightning.
Best Night Sky Photos of the Week: April 19, 2014
From a stunning time-lapse of the Milky Way to the Blood moon, don't miss these amazing night sky images by stargazers and Space.com readers.
Wow! The Most Amazing Images in Science This Week
The lunar eclipse, a time to reflect and the crash of a black hole are just the tip of the iceberg for this week's images.
Sherpas Take Steep Risks for Life-Changing Pay
Sherpas see climbing dangerous peaks as a path to prosperity.
The people’s toll
Though their sound is quite clear, the origin of the Lowell House bells is quite convoluted. Charles U. Lowe ’42 extensively researched the Lowell House bells’ history here, but the...
Sun Emits A Mid-level Solar Flare
The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 9:03 a.m. EDT on April 18, 2014, and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the event. Solar flares are powerful...
Quest for extraterrestrial life not over, experts say
The discovery of an Earth-sized planet in the "habitable" zone of a distant star, though exciting, is still a long way from pointing to the existence of extraterrestrial life, experts...
Easter Skies Feature Big Dipper and Southern Cross
As soon as darkness falls this Easter weekend, step outside and look skyward. What is the most prominent and easiest star pattern to recognize? If you live in the Northern...
NASA Celebrates Earth Day with Public Events and Online Activities
NASA will celebrate the 44th anniversary of Earth Day with a variety of live and online activities April 21-27 to engage the public in the agency's mission to better understand...
Interstellar Vitamins Hitch Ride on Meteorites
An essential nutrient for life on Earth also cooks up in space, a new study finds.
Bright points in sun's atmosphere mark patterns deep in its interior
Like a balloon bobbing along in the air while tied to a child's hand, a tracer has been found in the sun's atmosphere to help track the flow of material...
Bright Idea or Shady Scheme? Cosmetic Company Wants to Lighten Moon
A think-tank associated with a cosmetics company has a plan to brighten the surface of the moon in an effort to lighten up the night sky and reducing the need...
Impact glass stores biodata for millions of years
(Phys.org) —Bits of plant life encapsulated in molten glass by asteroid and comet impacts millions of years ago give geologists information about climate and life forms on the ancient Earth....
US Military Developing Foldable Space Telescope (Video, Images)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) says the telescope design — known as the Membrane Optical Imager for Real-Time Exploitation — would be of great use in geosynchronous Earth...
The importance of plumes
The Hubble Space Telescope is famous for finding black holes. It can pick out thousands of galaxies in a patch of sky the size of a thumbprint. The most powerful...
Boeing-Built Fighter Jets Could Launch US Military Satellites Into Space
The next generation of satellites could hitch a ride on a fighter jet before heading into space. A new concept awarded to Boeing in late March could slice the launch...
Best Space Pictures: Blood Moon, Auroras, and Rover Tracks
A galaxy warps, auroras light up the night, and the moon turns blood red in this look back at the week in space.
Astronomers discover first self-lensing binary star system
(Phys.org) —A pair of astronomers at the University of Washington has discovered the first known instance of a self-lensing binary-star system. In their paper published in the journal Science, Ethan...
How mighty Jupiter could have changed Earth's habitability
Is Jupiter a friendly planet, Earth's enemy, or perhaps both? For decades, scientists have talked about how the giant gas planet keeps some asteroids from striking our small world, while...
Ceres and Vesta Converge in Virgo
Don't let them pass you by. Right now and continuing through July, the biggest and brightest asteroids will be running on nearly parallel tracks in the constellation Virgo and so...
A full-spectrum Mars simulation in a box
There are many reasons why Mars excels at destroying expensive equipment. For one thing, its entire surface is made of partially-magnetized dust. For another, Mars possesses just enough atmosphere so...
Proposed Mars 'Icebreaker' mission detailed
Scientists supported by the Astrobiology Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) and Astrobiology Instrument Development Programs (ASTID) have outlined the proposed 'Icebreaker' mission to Mars in a recent paper in the...
New satellite sensor will analyze and predict severe space weather
Lockheed Martin has delivered a new solar analysis payload that will help scientists measure and forecast space weather, which can damage satellites, electrical grids and communications systems on Earth. The...
First discovery of double star that brightens during eclipse
Einstein's general theory of relativity explains the phenomenon
To do: Exhibits to explore this May in D.C. and New York
Events include a celebration of science and original watercolor paintings from John James Audubon.
Did Iapetus's Mountains Fall From Space?
The ridge of Iapetus NASA/JPL If you could hike to the equator of Saturn's moon Iapetus, you would find a strange sight: a sudden mountain range jutting out of the ground, more...