Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
First Stars Were Brutes, but Died Young, Astronomers Say
The first stars in the universe were short-lived brutish monsters that changed the nature of the cosmos forever, new computer simulations suggest.
Prelude To The Higgs: A Work For 2 Bosons In The Key Of Z
Scientists have announced the observation of pairs of Z bosons, force-carrying particles produced in proton-antiproton collisions at the Tevatron, the world's highest-energy particle accelerator. The properties of the ZZ diboson...
Leatherback turtle habitats discovered
SEVILLE, Spain, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Spanish researchers said they've discovered extensive leatherback turtle nesting beaches in Colombia and Panama.
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.
Queen's Guitarist Publishes Astrophysics Thesis
The founder of legendary rock band Queen completed his astrophysics thesis.
Milky Way: A Night Sky Wonder
The new moon makes this a great time to check out the midsummer Milky Way.
Mars Express Acquires Sharpest Images Of Martian Moon Phobos
Mars Express closed in on the intriguing martian moon Phobos at 6:49 CEST on July 23, flying past at 3 km/s, only 93 km from the moon. The ESA spacecraft's...
Thousands go to Siberia to watch eclipse
Amateur and professional astronomers gather to see the moon passing between the Earth and the sun
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...
Antikythera Mechanism: Scientists Crack Secrets Of 2,000-year-old Astronomical Computer
Researchers have unravelled the secrets of a 2,000-year-old computer which could transform the way we think about the ancient world. The Antikythera Mechanism is a clock-like astronomical calculator dating from...
John Glenn Calls Bush Space Vision an Unfunded Mandate
Former astronaut John Glenn criticized the president for underfunding NASA's moon plan.
GLAST detects 12 gamma-ray bursts
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., July 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says its new orbiting gamma-ray telescope, still in its checkout phase, has detected 12 powerful gamma-ray bursts.
Greek "Computer" Tracked Ancient Olympics, Other Games
The 2,100-year-old Antikythera mechanism not only predicted lunar and solar eclipses, it also tracked the cycle of ancient athletic contests, a new study shows.
ESA meets increasing demand for Earth observation data
Earth observation satellite data have never been in more demand than today as missions have demonstrated their ability to enable better understanding and improved management of the Earth and its...
Signs of Life Found Inside Rock Salt
The finding may help scientists search for signs of life on other planets.
Adopt a Scientist: Lord of the Rings
SETI invites scuba divers on an expedition to a destination of your choice.
ESA prepares for November's Ministerial Meeting
In November 2008, the ministers responsible for space activities in ESA's member states and Canada will gather in The Hague to set the course of Europe’s space programme over the...
Blasting Off: Like Father, Like Son
Millionaire space tourist Richard Garriott plans to make history as the first child of a U.S. astronaut to rocket into orbit. He's set to fly aboard Russian spacecraft in October.
Ocean mission delivers first maps
The Jason-2 satellite, which was launched to measure the shape of the world's oceans, sends back its first maps.
Canadian school joins U.S. lunar institute
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says a Canadian university will become the first international affiliate partner of the agency's Lunar Science Institute.
Phoenix Close-Up Images of 'Snow Queen' Show Changes
(PhysOrg.com) -- A distinctive hard-surface feature called "Snow Queen" beneath NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander visibly changed sometime between mid-June and mid-July, close-up images from the Robotic Arm Camera show.
IAC swings to 2Q loss on charges
(AP) -- IAC/InterActiveCorp said Wednesday that it swung to a second-quarter loss, hurt by a $300 million writedown in a catalog business, but excluding that and other charges its...
NASA announces software of the year awards
WASHINGTON, July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says scientists from the Ames Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are co-winners of its 2007 Software of...
SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: New Planet, Midnight Mars, More
Beijing cracks down on pollution, distant galaxies are revealed, and scientists track a quiet supernova explosion in this week's best space news.
NASA creates image Web site
WASHINGTON, July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency and Internet Archive, a non-profit digital library, have created a comprehensive Internet compilation of NASA images.
Moveable Beasts: A Q&A with David Wilcove on Declining Animal Migrations [News]
"Pick the right night and you will hear them. A September night, perhaps, when a northwest wind has swept the clouds from the sky and the stars are out in...
NASA uses remote sand dunes as stand-in for moon
(AP) -- Two NASA astronauts in spacesuits drove their lunar truck up a steep sand dune in a barren, wind-swept landscape so forbidding it was reminiscent of the surface...
Edward Weiler
As NASA celebrates its fiftieth birthday, looks to the future with the space agency's returning science chief.