Earth's Place in the Universe
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PhysicsGravitational waves detected yet again
For the third time in 16 months, scientists have announced detection of gravitational waves washing over the spacetime environment in which Earth resides. This seems to show that such waves may not be rare.
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PlanetsJupiter gets surprisingly complex new portrait
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has sent back unexpected details about Jupiter, giving scientists their first close-up of this gas giant.
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SpaceHow the solar system’s tail disappeared
A bubble envelops the planets and other material in the solar system. New data show it does not have a long tail but is round.
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TechTeens garner some $4 million in prizes at 2017 Intel ISEF
Hundreds of teens collectively took home about $4 million in awards from the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair this week.
By Sid Perkins -
PhysicsAfter 30 years, this supernova is still sharing secrets
It’s been 30 years since astronomers first witnessed the stellar explosion known as SN 1987A. Today, researchers are still learning from this cataclysmic phenomenon.
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SpaceScientists Say: Supernova
When a star has too much mass, it can explode. The explosion is called a supernova.
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PhysicsEclipses come in many forms
Eclipses are one of nature’s most awesome spectacles, and scientists have learned a lot by observing them and related celestial alignments — occultations and transits.
By Sid Perkins -
SpaceCosmic mystery: Why are many galaxies dark?
Dark galaxies went unnoticed until 2015. Since then, scientists have now found more than 1,000 — and there may be many, many more.
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EarthHow Earth got its moon
How did our moon form? Scientists are still debating the answer. It may be the result of some one big impact with Earth — or perhaps many small ones.
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MathAnalyze This: The masses of planets
Scientists discovered a solar system with planets that are similar in size and mass to Earth. Using data, we take a closer look at that similarity.
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Science & SocietyCool Jobs: Reaching out to E.T. is a numbers game
From figuring out if we’re alone in the universe, to writing messages to aliens, scientists use math in many ways in their search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
By Ilima Loomis -
PlanetsScientists Say: Dwarf planet
Dwarf planets are distinct from the full-size models. A little too small, they also have a lot of space stuff filling their path around the sun.