Space : Science World Report

Apr 23, 2012 04:16 PM EDT

WSU Astrobiologist Proposes Fleet of Probes to Seek Life on Mars

A Washington State University astrobiologist is leading a group of 20 scientists in calling for a mission to Mars with "a strong and comprehensive life detection component." At the heart of their proposal is a small fleet of sensor packages that can punch into the Martian soil and run a range of tes...

Apr 23, 2012 11:05 AM EDT

Looking Inside the Earth

Defects found in rocks below the Earth's surface have a major impact on the transmission of seismic waves, such as those caused by earthquakes, researchers at The Australian National University have discovered.

Apr 23, 2012 08:57 AM EDT

NASA Selects Science Instrument Upgrade For Flying Observatory

NASA has selected a science instrument upgrade to the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) airborne observatory. The instrument, the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera (HAWC), will provide a sensitive, versatile and reliable imaging capability to the SOFIA user community.

Apr 23, 2012 08:44 AM EDT

Wave Clouds Near ÃŽle aux Cochons, Southern Indian Ocean

This astronaut photograph illustrates the formation of wave clouds in the wake, or downwind side, of ÃŽle aux Cochons ("Pig Island") in the southern Indian Ocean.

Apr 23, 2012 07:06 AM EDT

International Space Station Symposium in Berlin

Top scientists and heads of the five International Space Station partner space agencies will meet in Berlin on 2-4 May to present results from more than ten years of scientific activities on the orbital outpost and to elaborate on future research perspectives.

Apr 23, 2012 06:49 AM EDT

Rare Daylight Meteor Seen, Heard over Nevada, California

A rare daytime meteor was seen and heard streaking over northern Nevada and parts of California on Sunday, just after the peak of an annual meteor shower.

Apr 22, 2012 02:26 PM EDT

Empty Quarter, Arabian Peninsula

Sprawling over parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, the Empty Quarter-or Rub' al Khali-is the world's largest sand sea. Roughly the size of France, the Empty Quarter holds about half as much sand as the entire Sahara Desert.

Apr 21, 2012 01:41 PM EDT

IceCube Neutrino Observatory Provides New Insights into Origin of Cosmic Rays

Analysis of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a massive detector deployed in deep ice at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica at the geographic South Pole, recently provided new insight into one of the most enduring mysteries in physics, the production of cosmic rays.

Apr 21, 2012 01:12 PM EDT

Investigation on Envisat Continues

Optical, radar and laser observations of the Envisat satellite show that it is still in a stable orbit. Efforts to regain contact with the satellite have been under way since 8 April, when it unexpectedly stopped sending data to Earth.

Apr 21, 2012 12:20 PM EDT

Dust over Russia

In late April 2012, dust mingled with clouds over the eastern Russian Federation. The dust likely originated along the border between China and Mongolia and followed a counter-clockwise arc into eastern Russia. Fires along the China-Mongolia border may also have deposited smoke into the region's air...

Apr 21, 2012 07:22 AM EDT

Google Execs, Director Cameron in Space Venture

Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and billionaire co-founder Larry Page have teamed up with "Avatar" director James Cameron and other investors to back an ambitious space exploration and natural resources venture, details of which will be unveiled next week.

Apr 20, 2012 04:08 PM EDT

Hinode and SOHO Paint an Asymmetrical Picture of the Sun

Approximately every 11 years the magnetic field on the sun reverses completely - the north magnetic pole switches to south, and vice versa. It's as if a bar magnet slowly lost its magnetic field and regained it in the opposite direction, so the positive side becomes the negative side. But, of course...