Space

Want To Do A Little Astrophysics? This App Detects Cosmic Rays

11:40am March 31, 2015

by Joe Palca

Two physicists keen to detect a a very rare, high energy particle think you and I can help. The researchers are working on an app that would allow any smartphone to detect rare particles from space.

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Astronaut Twins To Separate For The Sake Of Space Travel

5:24pm March 28, 2015

by Eric Westervelt

Astronaut Scott Kelly has arrived at the International Space Station on a yearlong mission. He and Mark Kelly, his twin and fellow NASA astronaut, will take part in experiments comparing their health.

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NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is seen inside a Soyuz simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center on March 4 in Star City, Russia. Kelly, along with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency, are scheduled for launch Frida

Science

NASA To Study A Twin In Space And His Brother On Earth

3:58pm March 27, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

During astronaut Scott Kelly's year in space, scientists will compare his physiology with that of his twin brother, Mark, to study the effect of prolonged space flight on the human body.

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NASA Rover Opportunity Wins Mars Marathon

8:18am March 25, 2015

It only took the vehicle 11 years and 2 months. That's the furthest any off-earth vehicle has traveled — beating out the Soviet Union's moon rover.

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16 Years After Its Inception, 'GoreSat' Set For Launch ... Soon

3:50pm March 24, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In 1998, then-Vice President Gore proposed the satellite, which has since been repurposed for NOAA's needs. It was set to take off Sunday, but the launch was scrubbed, and will be rescheduled.

Satellite separation during the Falcon 1 ABS/Eutelsat launch.

A Side Of SpaceX You May Not Have Seen Before

4:18pm March 23, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

CEO Elon Musk's decision to put photos in the public domain was spurred by a Twitter follower who asked: What is there to lose?

A woman watches a partial solar eclipse in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday.

Solar Eclipse Wows Parts Of Europe, Middle East And Russia

4:05pm March 20, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The eclipse, total in some areas far north and partial for many others, lasted about 2 1/2 hours and was visible from South America to Asia.

Mars, anyone? Six researchers from the Mars Society sport their best space duds during this 2014 simulation of the conditions that explorers of the Red Planet might face. (From left) Ian Silversides, Anastasiya Stepanova, Alexandre Mangeot and Claude-Mich

Are Humans Really Headed To Mars Anytime Soon?

9:15am March 17, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Public passion is all well and good, but it will take more than big talk to get to Mars by 2025, space specialists say. Even several rockets' worth of cash won't easily solve the technical challenges.

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Planet: bottom of a glass containing half-and-half, water and food coloring. Moons: bottom of a glass containing coconut milk, water and food coloring. Stars: salt, cinnamon, baking powder and Tums.

Science
Arts

Behold! The Cosmos Created From The Contents Of A Kitchen

12:13pm March 13, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

From spices, flour, milk, water and food coloring, a photographer creates startlingly realistic-looking images of space. These photos are convincing enough to impress an astrophysicist.

The moon Ganymede (right) orbits the giant planet Jupiter in this artist's rendering. Scientists say a saline ocean lurks under the moon's icy crust.

Science

Moon River? No, It's An Ocean On One Of Jupiter's Moons!

4:41pm March 12, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists announced in a NASA teleconference that the biggest moon in our solar system has a salty ocean hidden below its icy surface.