All Science
To see the moon, head to MaineResearchers at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum understand that the study of space rocks is, at its core, a quest to understand where we come from.
Edgar Allan Poe exposed scientific hoaxes, and invented his ownA new Poe biography by John Tresch shows the writer鈥檚 deep involvement in the scientific milieu of his day.聽
From Bezos to satellites, does new space era need new rules?Billionaires boldly go spaceward amid a rise in both commercial and government-led space ventures. Some experts call for more enforceable rules.
Why this space race to the moon will be differentSeveral moon missions are planned for the near future, with the U.S., Russia, and China leading efforts to use the moon as a step to Mars.
First LookSpace race: Branson challenges Bezos in battle for first flightPrivate companies are competing to take passengers 60 miles above Earth. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, will have his first venture into space aboard one of the company鈥檚 test flights on July 11, beating Amazon founder Jeff Bezos into space by nine days.
First LookSpace tourism draws nearer with Virgin Galactic test flightVirgin Galactic on Saturday made its first rocket-powered flight from New Mexico to the fringe of space in a manned shuttle.
First LookChina lands a rover on Mars; NASA tweets congratulationsThe rover is to explore an area known as Utopia Planitia. The landing follows China鈥檚 launch of the main section of a permanent space station and a mission that brought back moon rocks last year.
Difference MakerThe Travelling Telescope brings stars to studentsSusan Murabana鈥檚 Travelling Telescope program aims to show Kenyan kids the stars up close聽鈥� and that astronomy and science are for everyone.
First LookIn a first, SpaceX reuses rocket to send humans into orbitSpaceX has sent four astronauts into space using a recycled rocket and capsule, marking the first time it has sent people 鈥� and not just cargo 鈥� on a flight using reused parts. Reusability is crucial in lowering the costs of space travel.
Mars helicopter flies. Now comes a push to its thin-air limits.One small drone flight might become one giant leap for humanity鈥檚 exploration of our solar system.
First LookNASA's Ingenuity lifts off in historic first flight on MarsIngenuity, a 4-pound helicopter, successfully flew Monday on Mars in the first powered flight by an aircraft on another planet. The achievement could help develop technology to guide future endeavors on Mars, and on Earth.
Drones in space: Can a helicopter take flight on Mars?NASA's newest mission on Mars includes a ground-based rover, but also a flying craft called聽Ingenuity that could open tantalizing new possibilities.
FocusAfter a 鈥榩ost truth鈥� presidency, can America make facts real again?One big question: How much will the public move toward facts and reason? Also, any post-truth reconciliation will need to address emotional pain.
The ExplainerConfused by pandemic data? Here鈥檚 some help reading it.There鈥檚 no shortage of data on the coronavirus pandemic. For the best understanding, it pays to watch a few key indicators.
Telescope sales and stargazers are both looking up these daysSocial isolation in the pandemic has fueled interest in amateur astronomy. Now comes a 鈥淐hristmas star鈥� alignment of Jupiter and Saturn on Dec. 21.
First LookMoon rock samples brought to Earth for first time in 44 yearsChang鈥檈 5 has delivered a capsule of the first rock samples from the moon, making China the third country to do so. The samples, thought to be billions of years younger than previous samples, could offer new insights into our solar system鈥檚 history.
First LookAsteroid samples: Japanese space capsule brings 鈥榯reasure box鈥� to EarthJapan鈥檚 Hayabusa2 spacecraft dropped a capsule containing asteroid rock samples in Australia鈥檚 outback, with potential clues to solar-system origins.
India鈥檚 fossil heritage is vast. It鈥檚 also under threat.India is home to fossils found nowhere else on Earth, but lax oversight is placing these the country's paleontological heritage under threat.
Trust in science becomes a political issue. How did that happen?A Pew survey found that people mainly trust scientists to do what is in the public interest. But that attitude varies with political ideology.
First LookWhy China plans to drill an almost 7-foot-deep hole on the moonChina鈥檚 Chang鈥檈 5 mission expects to collect moon samples for the first time since the American and Russian missions of the 1960s and 1970s. The undertaking could boost understanding of the solar system and pave the way for bringing samples from Mars back to Earth.