Planetary Science
NASA’s UFO Study Isn’t Really Looking for Space Aliens
A new investigation of unidentified aerial phenomena could have bigger impacts on atmospheric science than on astrobiology
Planetary Science41 articles archived since 1845
Planetary Science
New Satellite Is a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ in Space
The hyperspectral probe can pick out extreme detail of materials on Earth’s surface
Planetary Science
Seismic Missions Could Reveal the Solar System’s Underworlds
Seismology has been a long-overlooked tool in planetary exploration, but the success of NASA’s InSight lander has reignited the field
Planetary Science
Controversy Grows Over whether Mars Samples Endanger Earth
Planetary scientists are eager to bring Red Planet rocks, soil and even air to Earth, but critics fear the risk of contaminating our world’s biosphere
Space Exploration
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Key Search for Life on Mars
Rolling up an ancient river delta in Jezero Crater, the rover starts crucial rock sampling.
Planetary Science
50, 100 & 150 Years Ago: June 2022
Innovation and discovery as chronicled by Scientific American
Planetary Science
NASA Spacecraft Will Visit Apophis, Once Earth’s Deadliest Asteroid Threat
After delivering extraterrestrial samples to Earth in 2023, OSIRIS-REx will embark on an extended mission to a potentially planet-threatening space rock
Planetary Science
Next Stop, Uranus? Icy Planet Tops Priority List for Next Big NASA Mission
An influential panel’s recommendation makes the ice giant a likely destination for a flagship space mission
Planetary Science
Hubble Confirms Megacomet Bound for Inner Solar System Is Largest Ever Seen
The icy nucleus of Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) wide
Astronomy
Ukrainian Astronomers Discover ‘Exocomets’ around Another Star
The alien comets could illuminate the history of their planetary system
Planetary Science
China’s First Moon Rocks Ignite Research Bonanza
Samples collected by Chang’e-5 are revealing exciting insights into the moon’s evolution
Planetary Science
What We Learned from the Perseverance Rover’s First Year on Mars
Despite some unexpected challenges, team members are setting lofty goals for the rover in 2022
Planetary Science
Earth Has a New Asteroid Companion but Not for Long
The Trojan asteroid 2020 XL5 is projected to linger in our planet’s vicinity for the next 4,000 years
Astronomy
Astronomers Have Found Another Possible ‘Exomoon’ beyond Our Solar System
Kepler-1708 b-i appears to be a giant moon orbiting a Jupiter-sized planet thousands of light-years from Earth
Planetary Science
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Chokes on Mars Pebbles while Collecting a Rock Sample
The rover’s latest sample collection—an effort to gather material for eventual return to Earth—is off to a rocky start
Animals
The Best Fun Science Stories of 2021: Rhythmic Lemurs, a Marscopter and Sex-Obsessed Insect Zombies
Check out the weird and wonderful stories that delighted us this year
Planetary Science
Heavy Metal Exoplanet Found Orbiting Nearby Star
With a density close to that of pure iron, GJ 367b may be the remnant metal-rich core of an evaporated giant world
Planetary Science
NASA’s DART Mission Could Help Cancel an Asteroid Apocalypse
Our planet is vulnerable to thousands of “city-killer” space rocks. If—when—one is found on a collision course with Earth, will we be ready to deflect it?
Planetary Science
Ancient Martian ‘Lake’ May Have Just Been Ephemeral Puddles
One study suggests the Curiosity rover’s landing site is not as it seems
Planetary Science
Space Rocks Keep Hitting Jupiter: What’s the Deal with That?
The giant planet’s hefty gravitational tug helps explain a spate of recent asteroid strikes
