Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
NASA sees Tropical Depression Pali headed toward Equator
NASA's Aqua satellite imagery showed just a small area of strong thunderstorms remained in the now weaker Tropical Depression Pali as it moved closer to the Equator. NASA's RapidScat instrument...
Future looks bright, if Washington Redskins re-sign Kirk Cousins
The Sports Xchange ASHBURN, Va. -- Few expected the Washington Redskins to contend in 2015.
Dramatically Sharper Gamma-ray Telescope Spots Energetic Sites | Video
A software upgrade to ground-based analyses of data sets from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope's Large Area Telescope (LAT) has increases resolution by 40 percent.
Observatory: Moonlight Drives Zooplankton’s Winter Migrations
During Arctic winters, zooplankton migrate from the surface when they moon is full, a study found.
NASA Opens Planetary Defense Office to Protect Earth from Asteroids
A major step has been taken to coordinate U.S. agencies and intergovernmental efforts to respond to future near-Earth objects that threaten Earth.
High-Flying Balloon Captures Dazzling Views of Meteor Shower (Video)
A high-flying balloon captured some amazing video footage of the Quadrantid meteor shower, showing dazzling views of "shooting stars" as they burned up in Earth's atmosphere on Monday (Jan. 4).
Vietnam army probes mysterious 'space balls'
Vietnam's military is investigating the appearance of three mysterious metal balls—believed to be debris from space—which landed in the country's remote north, a senior army official said Friday.
Dense Star Fields Might Be Home To Extraterrestrial Life
Spacefaring civilizations would thrive in the parts of our galaxy with the shortest commute times.
A New Pluto Wonder? Possible Ice Volcanoes Spotted (Video)
Two of the towering mountains observed by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its historic July flyby of Pluto — the 13,000-foot-high (3,960 meters) Wright Mons and the roughly 18,000-foot-high (5,500...
Momentum Builds for Creation of 'Moon Villages'
Villages on the moon, constructed through cooperation between astronauts and robotic systems on the lunar surface, could become a reality as early as 2030. That’s the consensus of a recent...
By the dozen: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mirrors
One dozen flight mirrors are now installed on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, out of the eighteen mirror segments that make up the primary mirror. The assembly of the primary...
Black Holes Set the Clock for Life on Earth
Does Earth belong to the first generation of habitable planets in the universe? One astrophysicist's work suggest it's possible, although we may never know for sure.
Japan hopes to staff up to host the International Linear Collider
New plan would dramatically expand the available science and engineering workforce so Japan can handle its share of the $10 billion project
China's Moon Rover Finds New Kind of Lunar Rock
Data gleaned by China’s Yutu rover on the Moon has identified a new type of lunar basalt, shedding insight on lunar volcanism. As noted by the state-run Xinhua news agency,...
Ripples Ruffle Primordial Plasma
New research suggests that the hot, dense "soup" of particles that existed in the early universe was "stirred" by a magnetic wave that pushed around the positively and negative charged...
'Star Wars' named highest-grossing film of all time at U.S. box office
Marilyn MalaraLOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Within 20 days of its theatrical release, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S....
Scientists determine the structure of Titan's evaporites
(Phys.org)—Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, hosts many interesting geological features that could be evaporites. While the chemical compositions of these sediments have been studied by scientists, their structure still...
Spirit rover touchdown 12 years ago started spectacular Martian science adventure
Exactly 12 Years ago this week, NASA's now famous Spirit rover touched down on the Red Planet, starting a spectacular years long campaign of then unimaginable science adventures that ended...
Martian concrete made from materials only on the Red planet
(Phys.org)—A trio of researchers with Northwestern University has created a type of concrete made only from materials found on Mars, which suggests it could be used as a building material...
A winning strategy for multicellular life
Environmental triggers may have tipped the transition from single- to multi-cellular life, according to new research by SFI REU Emma Wolinsky and Omidyar Fellow Eric Libby.
Optimizing cell cycle analysis with the right algorithms
Scientists of the the Helmholtz Zentrum München have found a new approach improving the identification of cell cycle phases using imaging flow cytometry data. They could avoid the use of...
Adam Lambert named highest-earning 'American Idol' winner of 2015
Marilyn MalaraLOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Adam Lambert is the highest-earning 'American Idol' winner of 2015, out-earning fellow winner Carrie Underwood for the first time.
Does the 'softening' of ice explain its slipperiness?
New study suggests that a layer of disordered ice forms underneath a sliding object
Venus Shines Near Saturn in Dazzling Display This Weekend
On Friday (Jan. 8), the planet Venus will appear to pass close by Saturn, making this a rare opportunity to see two planets at the same time in a telescope's...
How to Spot the Brightest Planets in January's Night Sky
The new year kicked off with just a single bright planet visible in the early evening, but five of them will be visible simultaneously by the end of January.
Deep into Dawn: Marc Rayman on the Mission to Ceres
More than a thousand times farther from Earth than the moon, farther even than the sun, an extraordinary extraterrestrial expedition is taking place.
NASA image: Haze hovers over Indo-Gangetic Plain
Brooks HaysKOLKATA, India, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A new image from NASA's Earth Observatory mission shows what happens when widespread pollution meets a temperature inversion.
QinetiQ producing carrier takeoff/landing system components
Richard TomkinsWALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- QinetiQ North America reports $16 million contract to produce takeoff and landing system hardware and software for the future carrier John F. Kennedy.