Space & PhysicsSeptember 29, 2009
NASA spacecraft to buzz Mercury a third and final time today
Stories by John Matson
John Matson is a former reporter and editor for Scientific American who has written extensively about astronomy and physics.
The SciencesSeptember 29, 2009
Champagne Bubbles Liberate Flavor Compounds
The aerosols sprayed upward from sparkling wine have a different chemical signature than the wine itself
Space & PhysicsSeptember 24, 2009
Meteorite impacts turn up nearly pure water ice in Mars's mid-latitudes
Space & PhysicsSeptember 23, 2009
Stream of Evidence from 3 Spacecraft Indicates That the Moon Has Water
A trio of reports using recent and archival data points to molecular water across the lunar surface
Space & PhysicsSeptember 22, 2009
Wasted Space: U.S. Military Looking for Ideas on How to Curb the Threat of Orbiting Junk
DARPA is soliciting pitches on how best to remove orbital debris
Space & PhysicsSeptember 17, 2009
NASA's moon orbiter returns promising early data in the hunt for lunar water ice
Space & PhysicsSeptember 17, 2009
Recovered meteorite points to an unusual origin
Space & PhysicsSeptember 16, 2009
Solar System Dwarf Planet "Haumea" Has a Mystery Spot
A blotch on the distant, football-shaped body could help reveal what the dwarf planet is made of
Space & PhysicsSeptember 16, 2009
Microbe-ferrying Russian probe reportedly won't head for Mars orbit until 2011
The SciencesSeptember 15, 2009
Drilling Project Pulls Up Evidence for Early Oxygen in the Oceans
The timeline of oxygen's appearance is a contentious point in Earth sciences
Space & PhysicsSeptember 15, 2009
Jupiter borrowed a passing comet to make a moon for 12 years
The SciencesSeptember 11, 2009
Electron Bolts: Even Deeply Bound Electrons Can Escape Molecules via Quantum Tunneling
The intriguing quantum-mechanical property is looking less conventional all the time
Space & PhysicsSeptember 11, 2009
NASA picks a moon crater for LCROSS probe's double smash landing
Space & PhysicsSeptember 10, 2009
Review panel deems NASA to be "on an unsustainable trajectory"
Space & PhysicsSeptember 9, 2009
Japanese Lunar Mission Provides a Glimpse at How the Moon Took Shape
Data from the recently retired Kaguya spacecraft support the notion that the moon's crust congealed from an ocean of magma
The SciencesSeptember 4, 2009
Researchers Claim to Cook Up Isolated Magnetic Poles
A family of rare-earth compounds called spin ices appears to harbor a form of long-sought magnetic monopoles, if not their theoretical ideal
EnvironmentSeptember 4, 2009
"P" is for plants: Human urine plus ash equals tomato fertilizer, study says
Space & PhysicsSeptember 2, 2009
Astronomical Survey Reveals Andromeda's Galaxy-Gorging Past
Scraps of devoured dwarf galaxies surround the Milky Way's sister galaxy
EnvironmentSeptember 1, 2009
Southern California fire threatens historic Mount Wilson Observatory
Space & PhysicsSeptember 1, 2009
5 Future Robotic Expeditions and What They Could Reveal [Slide Show]
Some are already on their way and some are still in the works, but here is what we may see from unmanned exploration of space in the coming years
Space & PhysicsAugust 31, 2009
India's first moon mission ends prematurely with spacecraft communications failure
The SciencesAugust 28, 2009
Strategically Placed Obstacle Near an Exit Can Speed Evacuations
Limiting the number of pedestrians that approach an exit at once can have beneficial effects, a study finds
Space & PhysicsAugust 28, 2009
NASA tries to end glitchy August on a high note with shuttle launch tonight
Space & PhysicsAugust 27, 2009
"Green" propellant could give rockets--and the environment--a boost