Asteroid 2011 MD reached its closest point to Earth when it crept within 7,500 miles of the planet’s surface—closer than some satellites—before whipping away again like a slingshot.
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Scientists believe the discovery of fully-formed building blocks of DNA in meteorites suggests an extraterrestrial origin for some of the chemicals deemed necessary for organic life.
A permanent robot presence on the Moon may be the most feasible option for future lunar exploration. Robonaut, the first humanoid robot in space, is taking baby steps in that direction.
N.A.S.A. is working with the private space exploration company, SpaceX, to plan a mission to Mars that would cost ‘millions, not billions’. The mission would search for signs of life.
Major scientific endeavors like space exploration require decades of planning and funding sources that can weather economic downturns. Will the results of the Google Lunar X Prize competition stand that assumption on its head?
Long after the United States and the Soviet Union put their Cold War space race to bed, another cosmic competition is heating up. This one is taking place in the private sector.
The world’s insatiable demand for the rare-earth elements needed to make almost all technological gadgets could one day be partially met by sea-floor mining, says a new report.
An asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will come closer to Earth this autumn than our own moon does, causing scientists to hold their breath (with excitement, not worry) as it zooms by.
Get ready for a close encounter – In November! For the first time, astronomers have anticipated the arrival of a giant asteroid that will come whizzing by the earth. The […]
Originally part of George W. Bush’s moon mission, a spaceship from N.A.S.A. based on an Orion space capsule is being re-purposed for missions to astroids and moons around Mars.
By passing a deal to raise the debt ceiling, Congress averted a crisis that is entirely of the own making. If Congress had failed to reach an agreement, it would have […]
Near-Earth Asteroids are a threat to our planet, but they also represent an opportunity to generate enormous wealth, and may drive the commercial space race.
Blogging is hard. It’s hard coming up with new ideas from the comfort of your mom’s basement day after day after day. Like most bloggers, I try to steal other […]
For decades, Mars has been the focus of intense interest and here are some of those updates that have recently transpired. NASA is preparing to launch its latest Mars probe, Curiosity (or the Mars Science […]
N.A.S.A. Administrator Charles Bolden recently spoke about private development of the American space program, getting help from the Russians and the future of deep space missions.
NHK Japan and the National Film Board of Canada created this simulation of the effects of a massive asteroid collision with the earth. The effect is terrifying: energy released from […]
The asteroid discovery record of 19 objects in one night was set on January 29. The asteroid discovery record was accomplished using a powerful telescope on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
Fifty years after Gagarin, plans abound for crewed missions into deeper space. A near-Earth asteroid landing, one-way trip to Mars, or hover point hiatus in mid-space, anyone?
As more meteorites have been discovered in recent years, interest in them has flourished and an illegal sales market has boomed—much to the dismay of scientists who want to study them.
There are many reasons for us to visit Mars. A key motivation is that after Earth, it appears the most likely abode for life in our solar system. And there are some political factors.
One of the most disappointing moments in an otherwise fairly encouraging Republican New Hampshire debate was that none of the seven candidates would continue federal funding for human space flight. […]
Rep. Anthony Weiner’s tearful apology for sending revealing pictures of his chest and underwear-covered genitalia at his press conference yesterday was agonizing. Painful for him, sure, but much more so […]
According to United Press International, Russian scientists say there’s the chance that a 900-foot asteroid could cause a global cataclysm in a little over twenty years.
Predicting the end of the world is a rough business. Everyone knows when you’re wrong; and when you’re right, you don’t get to take a victory lap.
This expert explains why in a very detailed and most plausible way. Here’s one taste: Is the United States more prone to higher levels of anxiety than other nations? Put simply, […]
We’re experiencing a retro-digital (or is post-digital?) movement in the tech world: just today, I read about a gaming company (Discovery Bay Games) that has figured out to convert your […]
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of what astronomers believe may be the oldest galaxy ever seen—over 13 billion years old!
Six months ago, in late April, Research teams at the NASA Infrared Telescope facility in Hawaii made an astonishing discovery. They found that both water ice and organic compounds exist […]
The world’s largest virtual real-estate deal took place this week on Second Life, a virtual world where people spend real money. The fictitious property went for $335,000.
There has long been a desire to prove a connection between Earth’s geological activity and the gravitational resonance of the moon and the sun. Is there any truth to this claim?