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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Astronomy

    Supernovas, gamma-ray bursts: Two of a kind?

    Astronomers have uncovered direct evidence that gamma-ray bursts are linked to supernovas.

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  2. Planetary Science

    Mars Photo of the Day

    With a stock of more than 120,000 images, the camera team for NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor mission has started daily postings of pictures to showcase the diversity of Martian landscapes. Click on the photo to obtain additional information about what the image reveals. Go to: http://www.msss.com/

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  3. Astronomy

    Starry View: Image reveals galaxy’s violent past

    The most detailed visible-light picture ever taken of the heavens reveals that the nearby Andromeda galaxy has had a much more violent history than our own Milky Way has.

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  4. Astronomy

    Fast-track planet

    Astronomers have found a planet that's the closest yet known to its parent star, whipping around the star every 28.5 hours.

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  5. Astronomy

    Chemistry of the Cosmos: Quasars illuminate the young universe

    Measuring the composition of some of the earliest structures in the universe, two teams of astronomers have unveiled new findings about star formation in the young cosmos.

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  6. Planetary Science

    Roving on the Red Planet

    NASA last month selected the landing sites for rovers scheduled to begin exploring the Martian surface next January.

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  7. Astronomy

    Telescope takes close-ups of distant star

    Radio astronomers have for the first time probed ejected gas in the immediate surroundings of a distant star.

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  8. Astronomy

    Young pulsar has a split personality

    A new pulsar, the youngest discovered to date, unexpectedly exhibits properties of both regular pulsars and a recently explored class of supermagnetic pulsars, the magnetars.

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  9. Astronomy

    Big, Bigger . . . Biggest?

    Galaxy map reveals the limits of cosmic structure.

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  10. Astronomy

    Echoes of a stellar outburst

    Light from the outburst of a star has revealed its dusty surroundings.

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  11. Astronomy

    Comet LINEAR: Breaking up isn’t hard to do

    New images reveal that Comet LINEAR, which passed near the sun late last month, has broken into at least 10 fragments.

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  12. Astronomy

    Once Upon a Time in the Cosmos: Using distant galaxies to study the early universe

    Peering far back in time, two teams of astronomers report that they have found some of the universe's earliest galaxies.

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