Planets

Space

A missing moon could have given Saturn its rings — and tilt

The hypothetical moon is being called Chrysalis. It could have helped tip the planet over before getting shredded to form Saturn’s rings.

Space

My 10 years on Mars: NASA’s Curiosity rover describes its adventure

Did life evolve on Mars? NASA’s Curiosity rover spent the last 10 years trying to answer that question. Here’s the story from the rover’s point of view.

Earth

Earth’s rock collection hints at how to search for life elsewhere

A new way to sort minerals focuses on how they formed. It provides new clues about Earth’s crystal past and how to find life on other planets.

Planets

Scientists Say: Habitable Zone

The habitable zone is the region around a star where temperatures could be right for worlds to host liquid water.

Space

Let’s learn about surviving a trip to Mars

Getting to and surviving on the Red Planet will take lots of innovation.

Planets

Noises sound totally different on Mars than on Earth. Here’s why

The Perseverance rover recorded the sound of laser pulses on Mars. Scientists used those recordings to determine the Martian speeds of sound.

Space

Ancient volcanoes may have left ice at the moon’s poles

Volcanic eruptions billions of years ago may have produced several temporary atmospheres on the moon that held water vapor.

Planets

The InSight lander has caught a large ‘earthquake’ on Mars

This magnitude 5 quake is offering scientists a peek at what’s going on beneath the Martian surface.

Planets

Analyze This: Some 5,000 planets orbit stars other than our sun

A new cache of confirmed exoplanet discoveries marks a milestone in planets found beyond our solar system.

Space

Explainer: All about orbits

A handful of rules can describe the route some object repeatedly takes around another in space. Calculating that path, however, can be quite complex.

Earth

Scientists Say: Atmosphere

An atmosphere is an envelope of gas around a planet, dwarf planet or moon.

Planets

Mercury’s surface may be studded with diamonds

Billions of years of meteorite impacts may have transformed much of Mercury's graphite crust into precious gemstones.