Planetary Science
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Planetary ScienceWhite dwarfs gobble Earthlike treats
Astronomers have found elements in the dead stars’ atmospheres that suggest rocky planetary bodies once orbited the stars.
By Nadia Drake -
Planetary ScienceMessages from Mercury
The latest data from a NASA spacecraft give compositional clues and reveal craters that could hold frozen water
By Ron Cowen -
Planetary ScienceSaturn’s rings explained
A huge shattered moon could have sprayed ice particles around the newborn planet.
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Planetary ScienceNew rock type found on moon
Odd spots on the lunar farside could be ancient material that originated deep inside the moon.
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Planetary ScienceVenus, erupting?
Lava flow suggests recent volcanism on Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor.
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Planetary ScienceA comet’s tail
Already under observation by astronomers, Hartley 2 will be visible in dark skies when it passes Earth on October 20.
By Ron Cowen -
Planetary ScienceLife’s cold start
Primordial molecules could have replicated themselves in a slushy place, new experiments suggest.
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Planetary ScienceWorldwide slowdown in plant carbon uptake
A decade of droughts has stifled the increasing growth of terrestrial vegetation.
By Sid Perkins -
EarthTrailing dust devils
Whirlwinds leave dark paths behind by sucking sand grains clean.
By Sid Perkins -
AstronomyHeftiest stars discovered
At more than 200 times sun’s mass, this giant sets a new record.
By Ron Cowen -
Planetary ScienceHole from on high
Researchers discover a fresh meteorite impact crater using Google Earth.
By Sid Perkins -
Planetary ScienceUp close and personal with an asteroid
The Rosetta orbiter makes its second swing past a relic of the early solar system.