The Name Game

  1. illustration of moonlet asteroid
    Planetary Science

    An asteroid’s moon got a name so NASA can bump it off its course

    A tiny moon orbiting an asteroid finally got a name because NASA plans to crash a spacecraft into it.

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  2. hand holding poop sample cup
    Health & Medicine

    Studies can be in vitro, in vivo and now ‘in fimo’ — in poop

    Scientists have coined a new term — “in fimo” — to describe studies focused on feces.

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  3. Charon
    Astronomy

    Celebrity names now mark places on Pluto’s moon Charon

    Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, now has 12 new names for its topological features.

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  4. Ultima Thule
    Astronomy

    New Horizons’ next target has been dubbed Ultima Thule

    NASA has named New Horizons spacecraft’s next target Ultima Thule after the public suggested tens of thousands of monikers for the Kuiper Belt object.

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  5. painting of stars
    Astronomy

    86 stars get official names

    The International Astronomical Union has released 86 newly official star names, based, in part, on historical star names from various indigenous cultures.

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  6. Harryplax severus
    Animals

    Coral reef crab named after Harry Potter characters

    Bizarre rubble-dwelling crab named after critter collector and Harry Potter characters.

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  7. illustration of newly officially named stars
    Astronomy

    Gaggle of stars get official names

    The names of 227 stars have been formally recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

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  8. movie of asteroid 17473 Freddiemercury
    Planetary Science

    Rock star Freddie Mercury now has his own space rock

    Queen front man Freddie Mercury is the latest in a long list of celebrities to have an asteroid named after him.

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  9. mu ares exoplanets
    Astronomy

    The votes are in: Exoplanets get new names

    Arion, Galileo and Poltergeist are just three winners of a contest to name planets and suns in 20 solar systems.

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  10. Ceres map
    Planetary Science

    Ceres mountains and craters named for food

    A host of agricultural spirits are immortalized on several craters and mountains on the dwarf planet Ceres.

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  11. fruit fly
    Genetics

    Evolution caught red-handed

    Scientists have named a new gene on the fruit fly Y chromosome “flagrante delicto Y.”

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  12. screenshot from NameExoWorlds
    Astronomy

    Choose Ninja, Cervantes or Rosalind as names for exoplanets

    Names for 20 exoplanets are in the hands of a discerning online audience.

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