Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Astronomy
Final flyby puts Cassini on a collision course with Saturn
A “last kiss goodbye” with Saturn’s largest moon sent the Cassini spacecraft on its final trajectory into the planet’s atmosphere.
- Astronomy
Pluto’s pits, ridges and famous plain get official names
From Adlivun to Voyager, the International Astronomical Union officially names 14 surface features on the dwarf planet.
- Planetary Science
Readers were curious about rogue planets, exomoons and more
Readers had questions about rogue planets, human arrival in Australia, and exomoons.
- Planetary Science
Moons of Uranus face future collision
By studying variations in the rings of Uranus, researchers have determined the mass and density of the planet’s moon Cressida.
- Planetary Science
Rings of Uranus reveal secrets of the planet’s moon Cressida
By studying variations in the rings of Uranus, researchers have determined the mass and density of the planet’s moon Cressida.
- Astronomy
Tabby’s star is probably just dusty, and still not an alien megastructure
New looks at older data on the weirdly flickering Tabby’s star muddy possible explanations — but it’s still probably not aliens.
- Astronomy
Star that exploded in 1437 tracked to its current position
Astronomers have hunted down a star seen exploding in the year 1437 and traced it since, offering clues to the stages of a white dwarf.
- Planetary Science
‘Death Dive to Saturn’ celebrates the Cassini probe’s accomplishments
A new documentary, “Death Dive to Saturn,” takes a look back at the Cassini spacecraft’s 13 years at Saturn and what to expect from its final days.
- Astronomy
Rumors swirl that LIGO snagged gravitational waves from a neutron star collision
Telescopes seem to be following up on a potential gravitational wave sighting.
- Cosmology
Map reveals the invisible universe of dark matter
The Dark Energy Survey reports a new tally of the dark universe.
- Astronomy
Here’s what the Science News family did for the eclipse
On August 21, 2017, the path of a total solar eclipse went coast to coast across the United States. Here are our dispatches.
- Science & Society
Patience is one virtue scientists must embrace
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how being patient isn't always easy in scientific work.
