Evolution
Elephant Seals Have Same Carbon Monoxide Blood Levels as Heavy Smokers
The high levels may help the seals survive their long, deep dives
Stories by Denise Chow
Sustainability
"Rock Snot" Has Been Native to Much of the World for Thousands of Years
The algae, once thought to be an introduced species, can form thick mats that alter ecosystems...
Evolution
27 Kilograms of Gold Treasure Recovered from Shipwreck off Coast of South Carolina
The ship had been carrying gold to New York City when it sank in 1857
Mind
Drone Wars: Pilots Reveal Debilitating Stress Beyond Virtual Battlefield
Although pilots may be thousands of miles away from the battlefield, a former drone pilot says distance doesn't numb the emotional impact of taking a life
Biology
Ancient "Mega-Clawed" Creature Had Brain Like a Spider's
Researchers used CT scans to make 3-D reconstructions of the fossilized nervous system
Evolution
Huge Plant-Eating Dinosaur Never Ran Out of Teeth
High rates of tooth growth helped sauropods eat vegetation, scientists say
Space
New Titan Map Highlights Moon's Topography
Radar images from Cassini probe cast some light on Titan's mysterious surface
Sustainability
Warmer Springs Linked to Dwindling Snow in Rocky Mountains
Snow cover across the Rockies has been shrinking since 1980. This meltwater accounts for 80 percent of the annual water supply for more than 70 million people in the U.S.
Space
How Astronauts Used a Toothbrush to Fix Space Station
Decades after Apollo 13, NASA engineers and astronauts can still improvise solutions for sticky situations in space
Tech
NASA's Next Mars Probe to Spy on Red Planet from Above
The MAVEN mission will investigate Mars's upper atmosphere, in an attempt to understand what caused it to disappear
Space
Congress Grills NASA Chief on Planetary Science Cuts
Two Congressmen expressed concern that the 2013 budget proposal takes away from NASA's robotic missions to Mars
Space
Newfound Alien Planet Is Best Candidate Yet to Support Life, Scientists Say
A potentially habitable alien planet has been found orbiting a nearby star
Space
Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Unveils Plane for Private Space Launches
Competing with Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk, Allen and his company aim for a first operational launch in 2016
Space
NASA Has Lost Hundreds of Its Moon Rocks, New Report Says
The report stresses the importance of stricter guidelines for the release of lunar materials to researchers, and more meticulous inventory procedures
Space
Moon May Outshine Leonid Meteor Shower Tonight
The best way to view the Leonids is to face the darkest part of the sky, away from the moon and the constellation Leo
Space
New Space Station Crew Launches in Spectacular Snowy Display
NASA astronaut Dan Burbank and Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin blasted into orbit on board a Russian Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft
The Sciences
6 Mock Mars Explorers Emerge from 17-Month "Mission"
Researchers will use the data collected throughout the Mars500 mission to better understand the physical and psychological challenges that astronauts will face on long-duration missions
Space
Dead German Satellite Will Fall to Earth This Week
The exact timing and location of ROSAT's atmospheric reentry are uncertain
Space
"Super-Earth," 1 of 50 Newfound Alien Planets, Could Potentially Support Life
More than 50 new alien planets—including one so-called super-Earth that could potentially support life—have been discovered by an exoplanet-hunting telescope
Space
NASA Grapples with U.S. Space Security in Post-9/11 Era
For instance, for two decades, the general public was able to obtain car passes to visit KSC and watch a shuttle launch, but this was never resumed after the attacks
