After the biggest meteorite impact in 100 years injured more than 1,200 in Russia, meteorite hunters went to work. Do private meteorite hunters damage science? More
Space messengers: Private or public?
Category Archives: Space astronomy
Galactic rays
Scientists have tracked a light beam that’s half-a-million light years long to a monster black hole and found that the hole and its disk of orbiting junk are spinning in parallel. Their new, supersize radio telescope promises more details on black holes at the center of most galaxies, including ours. More
Light at night: Mixed blessing!
Researchers are finding more links to obesity, cancer, and sleep disturbances. Light blocks the release of melatonin, a hormone involved in the body clock. Wildlife scientists are finding effects on competition, predation and reproduction. Could light pollution from streets, cars and buildings drive animal evolution? More
Dunewatching, Martian style
New pix from Mars show sand dunes on the move. Mars has been dry for 1.5 billion years; could massive erosion be due to wind? Yes, says a new report that tracked dunes with precise new images. Surprise: dunes move as fast on Mars as on Earth! More
Chasing neutrinos at the South Pole
Neutrinos are odd: Extremely difficult to see, they travel through mass with scarcely a trace. A 1-billion ton detector in South Pole ice is now counting neutrinos, intent on understanding their origin and role in the universe, and even spotting echoes of the Big Bang. More
Running out of space
With space shuttles in museums, what is the near-term American plan to return to space? Can other countries or private companies fill the gap? More
Ancient hole, black hole
A new report on the ancient universe shows that most galaxies – even all of them – had a black hole at the center, much like modern galaxies. We can understand why a black hole would need to be surrounded by millions of stars, but why should galaxies require black holes? More
The importance of being Einstein
Experiment finds Earth “dragging” spacetime, as Einstein predicted. Einstein knew his physics. Bending light, gravity lenses, shifting spacetime, spinning neutron stars: he called them all. More
Pop goes the super supernova
Titanic explosion shows one of the biggest bangs since the Biggest Bang, spreads useful elements through the universe. Finally revealed: anti-matter is working for you! More
Brit astronomers reveal sizzling cosmic tryst!
A planet newly found in the southern sky is perilously close to its star, orbiting in less than 1 Earth day. Within 10 years, this planet may force a new understanding of star-guts. More
Year of astronomy: More reasons to love stars!
400 years ago, Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter. We discover water from 11 billion years ago, volcanoes at Titan, a moon of Saturn, and good reasons to shun light pollution. More
Tales from the solar system: Voyagers told ‘em best!
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. More
What we did on our summer vacation: Visit Mars!
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! More
Super View of Supernova
After 20 years, star explosion reveals more secrets. What gives in these giant bangs? (more…)
Universe: Measured by New Yardstick
Feeling cramped? New measurement says the universe is bigger than you thought. Meet the astronomers’ new yardstick. More