Earth's Place in the Universe
- Space
Let’s learn about gravitational waves
Gravitational waves offer scientists a new way to view extreme objects such as black holes and neutron stars.
- Space
My 10 years on Mars: NASA’s Curiosity rover describes its adventure
Did life evolve on Mars? NASA’s Curiosity rover spent the last 10 years trying to answer that question. Here’s the story from the rover’s point of view.
- Space
Amateur astronomers reveal clues to a mysterious double aurora
Stunning images from citizen scientists show an unusual pattern in ‘Northern Lights.’ They offer clues that may help astronomers better understand a curious red glow.
- Physics
Scientists used lasers to make ‘smoke rings’ of light
Physicists had a bright idea: Make light into swirling, ring-shaped vortices, similar to smoke rings or bubble rings.
- Planets
Scientists Say: Habitable Zone
The habitable zone is the region around a star where temperatures could be right for worlds to host liquid water.
- Space
A massive rogue roaming our galaxy may be a black hole
Alternatively, this unseen wanderer might be a hefty neutron star. Whatever it is, its gravity caused starlight to be warped — and that gave it away.
- Planets
Noises sound totally different on Mars than on Earth. Here’s why
The Perseverance rover recorded the sound of laser pulses on Mars. Scientists used those recordings to determine the Martian speeds of sound.
- Materials Science
Let’s learn about diamond
Diamond is born under extreme heat and pressure inside Earth and elsewhere in the universe.
- Space
Ancient volcanoes may have left ice at the moon’s poles
Volcanic eruptions billions of years ago may have produced several temporary atmospheres on the moon that held water vapor.
- Planets
The InSight lander has caught a large ‘earthquake’ on Mars
This magnitude 5 quake is offering scientists a peek at what’s going on beneath the Martian surface.
- Earth
Tiny gemstones show when Earth’s crust first started moving
Chemical hints observed in zircons suggest when the important process of plate tectonics first took off.
- Space
Behold: The biggest known comet in our solar system
This “dirty snowball” in space is about twice as wide as Rhode Island and darker than coal.
