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...
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...
Space health research plans are selected
WASHINGTON, June 19 (UPI) -- U.S. space agencies announced selection of research proposals to investigate astronaut health and performance during space exploration mission.
House Approves Bill for Extra Space Shuttle Flight
The House of Representatives approved a bill calling for an extra NASA shuttle flight.
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),...
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.
Meteorites Brought DNA "Ancestors" to Earth, Study Says
DNA presursors found in a meteorite suggest that life's raw ingredients may have formed in space, and may have been deposited elsewhere in the universe, scientists say.
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...
NASA's audacious contingency plan for shuttle trip
Second shuttle will rescue ageing Atlantis if mishap occurs.
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.
Computer predicts anti-cancer molecules
ATLANTA, June 17 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have created a computerized method of analyzing cellular activity that correctly predicts the anti-tumor activity of several molecules.
NASA competition winners announced
WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says students from Massachusetts, Michigan and Pennsylvania have won its "Cassini Scientist for a Day" competition.
Celebrating ten years of the International Space Station
The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is organising, with European Space Agency (ESA) support, a symposium entitled ‘Celebrating Ten Years of the International Space Station’, to be held at UNESCO’s Paris...
Mars team ponders whether lander sees ice or salt
(AP) -- Is the white stuff in the Martian soil ice or salt? That's the question bedeviling scientists in the three weeks since the Phoenix lander began digging into...