Thursday, 24 May, 2012

4B years ago, the “late heavy bombardment” burned out all life — or not… High-temp bacteria could have survived in deep rocks.

Rapid melting of Canadian ice sheet suggests that Greenland’s massive ice cap could melt and raise sea level much faster than predicted within a century.

New analysis uses light to distinguish one diamond from another. Technique may help jewelers, but won’t help the battle against the “conflict diamonds” that are fueling wars in Africa.

The Long Goodbye: 30 years after blast-off, two Voyager spaceships have reached the edge of the solar system. Meet the missions that revolutionized the study of planets and moons.

How do hurricanes form? How do we predict their paths? How can we improve predictions?

It’s a boom time for studying Mars, and the perfect time for the be-all, end-all summer vacation. Ride a robot rover. Dune-buggy an unearthly dune field. Even meet-and-greet a real live Martian! All aboard for Mars!

After 20 years, star explosion reveals more secrets. What gives in these giant bangs?

Global warming is changing the planet: Antarctica is melting, sea level is rising, oceans are turning sour. Killing Amazon forests spreads malaria, reduces rainfall. How sick is our Earth?

Losing count: New study finds object larger than Pluto in the distant solar system. Do we now have 10 planets — or 8?

Land use: When it changes, so does the climate! The plow and the thermometer: What relationship?