Space is just a little bit closer

The upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere are much lower than expected, a US Air Force satellite has found.

Saturn's Dynamic Moon Enceladus Shows More Signs Of Activity

The closer scientists look at Saturn's small moon Enceladus, the more they find evidence of an active world. The most recent flybys of Enceladus made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have...

NASA seeks space shuttle display ideas

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency is seeking ideas from schools and science museums for the eventual public display of space shuttle orbiters and other...

Planets Living on the Edge

(PhysOrg.com) -- Some stars have it tough when it comes to raising planets. A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows one unlucky lot of stars, born into a...

NASA: Ionosphere not where it should be

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it has discovered the boundary between the Earth's upper atmosphere and space has moved to extraordinarily low altitudes.

Test Flight Planned for SpaceShipTwo Carrier

WhiteKnightTwo, the mega-carrier plane that will haul Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceliner SpaceShipTwo to launch altitude, is expected to make its first flight before year's end.

Phoenix Site On Mars May Be In Dry Climate Cycle Phase

The Martian arctic soil that NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander dug into this year is very cold and very dry. However, when long-term climate cycles make the site warmer, the soil...

Seeing The Shape Of Material Around Black Holes For First Time

After culling the literature for observed black holes, astronomers looked at 245 active galactic nuclei to characterize the shape of material swirling around them. The result: active galactic nuclei look...

Light on the dark energy mystery

Observations of the effect of dark energy on galaxy clusters suggest general relativity is alive and well.

Titan's volcanoes give Cassini chilly reception

Data collected during several recent flybys of Titan by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have put another arrow in the quiver of scientists who think the Saturnian moon contains active cryovolcanoes spewing...

FOR KIDS: Meteorites may have sparked life on Earth

A collision of extraterrestrial objects and Earth’s ancient oceans could have produced raw materials for life

University of Virginia to probe Milky Way history in Sloan Digital Sky Survey III

Astronomy is a science of origins. 'It's the ultimate exercise in archeology,' said Steven Majewski, a University of Virginia professor of astronomy and lead scientist on a new project to...

Solar flare surprise

Solar flares are the most powerful explosions in the solar system. Packing a punch equal to a hundred million hydrogen bombs, they obliterate everything in their immediate vicinity. Not a...

Study proposes explanation for migration of volcanic activity on Mars

Picture a ball. It's an ordinary ball in every way except that it is roughly 4,300 miles in diameter and is moving through the cold of space some 35 million...

Moving in for the winter toxic brown recluse spiders pose danger

As the cold weather creeps in, so do brown recluse spiders. True to their name, the brown recluse is a shy, reclusive spider looking for a warm home. Drawn to...

Phoenix probe sheds new light on Mars weather

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA is still unable to say for sure whether its Phoenix lander has found a place where life could have existed on Mars.

Saturday brings heavy winds, cold weather to Southern California

Little rain has fallen, but a second storm front is expected to dump snow at upper elevations and rain elsewhere through Monday night. Drivers should expect ice, snow on parts...

TOP TEN NEWS STORIES: Most Viewed of 2008

An alien-like squid with "elbows" is caught on video, unknown "structures" are detected tugging at our universe, and more--2008's most read stories by National Geographic News.

Dancing With the Nerds

Global Satellite Telephony Competitors Sharpen Knives for Tough '09

The battle between satellite companies is likely to get rougher.

Vendee Globe route seen from above

Wind and wave data from ESA's Envisat satellite radar are being used to observe meteorological conditions in the track of the Vendee Globe solo round-the-world yacht race...

Alan Pickup: Star watch

They hang like a stray piece of tinsel in our Christmas sky, yet references to the Pleiades date from long before the Christian era. The cluster of stars is mentioned...

Yes We Can(ned the space program)!

Obama's transition team might be screwing up things at NASA. He's talked the space talk, but can he walk the space walk? read more

Titanic Telescope Scans Skies For E.T.

Daniel Terdiman visits the Allen Telescope Array, which is currently the world's first large-scale telescope meant for the full-time use of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project.

Astronomers dissect a supermassive black hole with natural magnifying glasses

The team of astronomers from Europe and the US studied the 'Einstein Cross,' a famous cosmic mirage. This cross-shaped configuration consists of four images of a single very distant source....

ESA Satellites Focusing On The Arctic

The Arctic is undergoing rapid transformation due to climate change, pollution and human activity. ESA's ERS and Envisat satellites have been providing satellite data of the region for the last...

Black & Decker Unveils Their New Thermal Leak Detector

(PhysOrg.com) -- Now you can find and plug up those leaks around your home once and for all. Black & Decker is offering an innovative leak detector, in about a...

Friday night special: 30% more moonlight

If the moon hits your eye like a pizza pie tonight, you might wonder who ordered the extra large.