Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Evidence mounts for hidden ninth planet
A new analysis of bodies in the Kuiper Belt strengthens the case for an unseen planet lurking in the outer regions of our solar system.
- Climate
Atmospheric tides alter rainfall rate
Atmospheric tides caused by the moon’s gravitational pull ever-so-slightly alter rainfall rates on Earth by producing rises and falls in atmospheric pressure.
- Science & Society
Human evolution, biomimicry and more go on display
A new human evolution gallery and a lecture series on Europa are among science events to explore in February 2016.
- 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.
- Astronomy
Exploding star is the brightest supernova ever seen
The brightest known supernova put out more energy than 500 billion suns.
- Astronomy
As first run of gravitational wave search winds down, rumors abound
Advanced LIGO has completed its first search for gravitational waves. Researchers are crunching the data as rumors swirl of a detection.
- Astronomy
Readers ponder mysterious origins of oxygen on comets and Earth
Readers pondered the origins of oxygen within a comet and during Earth's history.
- Astronomy
Clues left at a galactic hit-and-run
Scientists may have discovered a dwarf galaxy that triggered a “galaxy quake” when it buzzed by the Milky Way a few hundred million years ago.
- Astronomy
Red giants map how the Milky Way grew
A new catalog of the ages of our galaxy’s stars confirms that the Milky Way grew from the inside out.
- Cosmology
‘Origins’ offers science-based account of creation
In Origins, a science writer compiles an ambitious yet concise history of the universe and life on Earth.
- Astronomy
Newfound gas cloud may be graveyard of first stars
A 12-billion-year-old gas cloud, rich in hydrogen and helium but nothing else, may house the remains of the universe’s first stars.
- Astronomy
To search for an advanced civilization, take a U-turn to star clusters
Globular star clusters might be safe, stable homes for long-lived advanced civilizations.
