John Matson is a former reporter and editor for Scientific American who has written extensively about astronomy and physics.
Listening for Gravity Waves, Silence Becomes Meaningful
The ripples in spacetime predicted by general relativity remain one of the most sought-after prizes in physics, and new research narrows estimates of their prevalence
400 years ago, Galileo's telescope was ready for prime time
Space shuttle Discovery launch runs up against NASA's old foe: Florida weather
Early-morning shuttle launch brings a viewing opportunity for U.S. east coasters
The Origin of Zero
Much ado about nothing: First a placeholder and then a full-fledged number, zero had many inventors
Film buffs take issue with NASA's mundane taste in movies
Next week's space shuttle mission a "go"
Sample-return mission pulls a building block of life from a comet
Prey Tell: How Fish Track Their Quarry, Even When They Can't See It
A model incorporating fluid dynamics and neurobiology shows how fish detect the long-lived wakes generated by other swimmers
Small-Scale Quantum Processor Gets Its Act Together
Researchers demonstrate reliability and information transport in a quantum device, but scaling up will be a challenge
Planet-Hunting Spacecraft Shows Its Stuff by Detecting a Known Exoplanet
Kepler's sensitivity to the orbit of a catalogued exoplanet bodes well for its ability to find Earth-like worlds
Opportunity rover finds possible meteorite on Mars
Tool kit dropped from space station is orbital junk no more
News Scan Briefs: Killer Smile
Also: burning nitrogen, cancer clue in Down's syndrome, and gallons per mile
Cloaking Made Simpler
Invisibility without sophisticated metamaterials
Space shuttle Endeavour touches down in Florida
Comet Formation Theory May Not Be Set in Stone (or Ice)
A new model for comet production revises the theory of their origins
Los Angeles claims a victory in reducing water usage
Space Aged: 10 Spacecraft from Decades Past That Are Still Ticking [Slide Show]
Whether peering into deep space or checking on human activity, spacecraft and satellites from days gone by are still on the job
New NASA chief keen on humans going to Mars and beyond
Amateur Astronomer Spies a Fresh Impact Scar on Jupiter
Follow-up observations on large telescopes confirm that something hit the gas giant
Trickle-Down Theory: Simplified Model Gives a New Explanation for How Raindrops Form
A new study concludes that raindrops reach their final state thanks to atmospheric drag that shatters the drops
Apollo 11: How to follow along, 40 years later
Space shuttle Endeavour docks with space station