All Science
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.
First LookSpaceX flight successfully delivers astronauts to space stationSpaceX's Dragon capsule successfully docked Monday at the International Space Station, delivering four astronauts after a 27-hour, fully automated flight. Going forward, SpaceX and Boeing will regularly deliver and return astronauts.
Science on the half shell: Mussels yield new materialScientists have stumbled upon a new form of calcite that could be used to clean up ocean spills.
First LookDragon riders: NASA preps for SpaceX's second crew launchNASA astronauts have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center to kick off the agency鈥檚 long-awaited start of regular crew rotations from U.S. soil to the International Space Station.聽
First LookTourists, toilets, and 20 years: Stories from the Space StationThe first team of astronauts to live in the International Space Station boarded 20 years ago. Since then, astronauts from 19 countries have floated through 鈥� performing science experiments, tinkering with cutting-edge tech, and admiring the celestial views.
First LookEvidence of water on the moon opens new frontiersFor the first time, the presence of water on the moon鈥檚 sunlit surface has been confirmed. The latest findings could expand the possibilities for landing spots for robots and astronauts.聽
Did prehistoric climate change help make us human?A sudden shift in how our ancient ancestors produced tools may be linked to a rapidly changing climate, say scientists.聽
First LookNASA spacecraft expertly lands on asteroid after 2-year orbitIn a first for the United States, NASA spacecraft Osiris-Rex tagged the asteroid Bennu to collect rubble samples, which could shed light on our solar system's history.
People are bad at predicting their emotions. Is that why we鈥檙e so polarized?Unhappiness is often rooted in humanity鈥檚 faulty forecasts of what will make us feel fulfilled. Psychologists are helping to explain this bias.
First LookTwo scientists win Nobel chemistry prize for gene-editing toolTwo female scientists were lauded for developing CRISPR-cas9, a method that allows DNA to be changed with extremely high precision. The technology holds potential to cure diseases, though it has also raised ethical questions.