Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Cosmic Log: Black holes for beginners
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: The author of "Death by Black Hole" explains why big black holes are scary, while tiny black holes aren't that big a deal.
Binary stars might not form simultaneously
NASHVILLE, June 23 (UPI) -- A U.S.-funded study finds binary stars might not be identical, and that might cause the world's astronomers to re-examine some of their theories.
Space agency continues astronaut search
The first phase of the Canadian Space Agency's national recruitment drive wraps up next Thursday and so far, it has received 4,202 applications from aspiring astronauts.
Novel X-ray Source Could Be Brightest In The World
The future of high-intensity X-ray science has never been brighter now that scientists have devised a new type of next generation light sources. The oscillator is projected to increase the...
New Computerized System Estimates Geographic Location Of Photos
Researchers have devised the first computerized method that can analyze a single photograph and determine where in the world the image likely was taken. It's a feat made possible by...
Looking for New Light
In many ways, astronomers are in the dark about asteroids. In the dark depths of the Kuiper Asteroid Belt beyond Neptune's orbit, and even in the nearby Main Belt between...
Mars lander generates an 'anomaly'
PASADENA, Calif., June 19 (UPI) -- U.S. space officials say the Phoenix Mars Lander lost non-critical science data this week and they are trying to determine why the...
House Approves Bill for Extra Space Shuttle Flight
The House of Representatives approved a bill calling for an extra NASA shuttle flight.
Space age radar now used in mines
TORONTO, June 19 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency says advanced ground penetration radar created to operate on the moon, Mars and other planets is being used in...
Saturn’s Secondary Aurora Is Much More Like Jupiter’s In Origin Than It Is The Earth’s
Researchers have discovered a secondary aurora sparkling on Saturn and also started to unravel the mechanisms that drive the process. Their results show that Saturn's secondary aurora is much more...
Mars lander loses day of work after data glitch
(AP) -- The Phoenix lander stopped digging soil near Mars' north pole Wednesday as engineers on Earth worked to fix a glitch that caused the loss of a day's...
Slimmer Milky Way Galaxy Revealed By New Measurements
The Milky Way Galaxy has lost weight. A lot of weight. About a trillion Suns' worth, according to an international team of scientists from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-II),...
Russian rocket fires 6 US telecom satellites into orbit: report
A Russian rocket launched six US telecoms satelites into orbit from a missile base in the south of the country on Thursday, news agencies reported.
Frigid Future for Ocean in Saturn's Moon
It may be hard to keep water from freezing on Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Both sides claim victory in Calif. stadium ruling
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Supporters and foes of a proposed University of California, Berkeley sports center that ignited a rancorous tree-sitting protest claimed victory after a judge issued a complex...
India Delays Moon Mission to Late September
India has again delayed the launch of its first lunar orbiter.
Peanut probe part of NASA mission
GRIFFIN, Ga. (AP) -- Tim Williams' goal was to create a device to test soil moisture around peanut pods, but his modest invention is now helping probe the soil of...
America's first female astronaut speaks
Today is the 25th anniversary of Sally Ride's historic launch.
Meteorology: Taming the sky
Is it really possible to stop rain, invoke lightning from the heavens or otherwise manipulate the weather? Jane Qiu and Daniel Cressey report on the once-scorned notion of weather modification.
Space science simulation at UNH now better, faster, cheaper
Cashing in on the underlying technology that seamlessly renders graphics for state-of-the-art video games, space scientists at the University of New Hampshire have bundled together 40 PlayStation3 consoles to affordably...
Large 'Planet X' May Lurk Beyond Pluto
Its existence would satisfy the long-held hopes and hypothesis for a "Planet X" envisioned by scientists and sci-fi buffs alike.
GPS Inaccurate During Space Storms
When solar flares erupt, GPS satellites get affected by space weather.
Los Angeles to seed clouds for rain
LOS ANGELES, June 18 (UPI) -- Los Angeles County officials say they will spend $800,000 to inject clouds with silver iodide particles in an effort to boost rainfall.
Medical Research On Ice: Antarctic Study Will Measure How Humans Physically Adapt To Extreme Environment
New medical equipment recently delivered to the Antarctic station Concordia will help understand how our bodies physically adapt to this extreme environment -- knowledge which could help prepare for a...
Engineering Students Launch Record-breaking Balloon
Early-career engineers at Lockheed Martin who are also earning engineering degrees at Cornell broke the world amateur high-altitude balloon record in a recent near-space flight that exceeded 125,000 feet. The...
CU-Boulder returns $3M to NASA in satellite design, operation cost savings
The University of Colorado at Boulder took an unusual step today by returning nearly $3 million in cost savings to NASA for an award-winning satellite mission designed, built and controlled...
Early genes might have come from the stars
LONDON, June 17 (UPI) -- A British-led study has confirmed for the first time that an important component of early genetic material is extraterrestrial in origin.
Space cameras to monitor forests
Plans to use high resolution cameras in space to monitor deforestation in the Congo Basin are unveiled.