How did the planets Uranus and Neptune become so different?
Uranus and Neptune have a similar mass but marked differences. A new paper proposes a theory why: Because of different impact events during their formation.
Boeing Starliner valve mapping error could have brought down the spacecraft
Boeing's first orbital test of its Starliner capsule last year did not go as planned. Now a second error has been uncovered in the investigation into the issue.
Voyager 2, one of our most distant probes, overcomes glitch and is back online
Last week, NASA announced it was experiencing problems with Voyager 2. Now, engineers have been able to stabilize the craft and return to operations as normal.
Why the Mars 2020 rover is armed with a high-powered laser
When it departs for Mars, NASA's Mars 2020 rover won't only be armed with an array of scientific instruments -- it will also be toting a high-powered laser.
European planet-hunting satellite CHEOPS captures its first image
The European Space Agency's exoplanet-hunter, CHEOPS, has taken its first image. It will image stars to search for signs of planets orbiting around them.
How the space industry is making space for women
From an all-female spacewalk to women-centered programs, women in the space industry are doing great things and creating a stronger female presence in space.
Having learned nothing, Space Force turns to the internet to name its members
A senior Space Force official is enlisting the help of the internet to find creative names for its members. Some of the ideas include Guardian and Vanguard.
How genetically engineered moths could save billions in crop damage losses
Scientists have created a strain of genetically engineered moths, and released them into the wild. Don't worry though: It's for humanity's own good. Here's why.
How to watch the launch of the ESA and NASA Solar Orbiter on Sunday
On Sunday night, a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the Solar Orbiter from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.
Monster galaxy from the early universe lived fast and died young
Astronomers have discovered an enormous galaxy that is 12 billion years old. The galaxy, XMM-2599, showed a high rate of star formation before its early demise.
SpaceX plan to put 42,000 satellites in orbit could face a big legal roadblock
The number of satellites shot into orbit is about to rocket. And astronomers are none too happy about it. Could this have the making of a precedent-setting legal case? An appeal by a concerned group of astronomers could put a stop to the mega satellite constellations in progress.
737 Max: Boeing is working to fix another issue with its troubled aircraft
Boeing is working to fix another software issue discovered on its troubled 737 Max aircraft. The plane was grounded in 2019 following two fatal crashes.
Boeing’s Starliner had a far more serious issue during its debut flight
Boeing's Starliner had a far more serious issue on its debut flight than the one we already knew about. If it hadn’t been fixed, the capsule could’ve been lost.
Amazing aerial drone display uses smoke machines and laser projection
Giant drone displays? Seen it! This startup has found a way to take things to the next level, however -- and it involves a laser writer and some smoke machines.
Yarn made from lab-grown skin sounds horrifying, but it may help save your life
You probably won’t want your holiday sweater knitted with it, but yarn that's grown from human skin cells could be crucially important for future organ repairs.
SpaceX will let you launch a satellite into space for as little as $1 million
SpaceX opened up applications for its rideshare program. Missions start as low as $1 million and use a Falcon 9 rocket to get a satellite up in space.
The U.S. Space Force launched its first nuclear-ready ballistic missile test
The U.S. Space Force quietly conducted its first test launch of an unarmed ballistic missile overnight across the Pacific Ocean. The intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 12:33 a.m. PT on Wednesday and traveled about 4,200 miles.
A.I. upscaling makes this film from 1896 look like it was shot in dazzling 4K
Thanks to cutting-edge artificial intelligence upscaling, the classic 1896 Lumière Brothers film showing a train pulling into a station has been cleaned up.
Good at StarCraft? DARPA wants to train military robots with your brain waves
Could the tactical brilliance of strategy gamers be harnessed to train the robot armies of the future? It sounds kind of wild, but that's exactly what researchers from the University at Buffalo, New York, are trying to achieve with a new project -- and DARPA's keen to help.
Stellar fight to the death illuminates unusual star life cycle
Although the HD101584 star system appears to us as one light, it actually consists of two stars forming a binary system -- and one is cannibalizing the other.
State of the Union: Trump reaffirms desire to see U.S. put a flag on Mars
During his State of the Union speech, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his deep desire to see the U.S. become the first nation to send humans to Mars.
Twitter moves to ban deepfakes that ’cause harm’ ahead of 2020 election
Twitter announced a new policy about manipulated media — namely deepfakes. Twitter’s new policy states that you may not “deceptively share synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.”
DARPA tests drones that can be dropped from planes and collected in midair
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency recently tested out an innovative drone that can be launched from a plane, then later recovered in midair.
How did Iowa screw up its Dem caucus vote? There was an app for that
A new app that was used for Iowa's Democratic caucus is causing significant delays in the final counts, and we still don’t know the results from Monday night.
New ‘reverse solar panel’ generates power at night by radiating heat into space
Solar cells don’t usually work at night. But researchers from the University of California, Davis believe that they may have come up with a solution. And it’s one that would allow specially designed photovoltaic cells to keep generating power even when it’s dark. Here's how.
Sleep pods give health care workers some much-needed rest
A growing number of health care facilities in the United Kingdom are trying out so-called “sleep pods” in a bid to give staff a decent rest during breaks.
The red planet looks almost Earth-like in the detailed maps of the Mars Atlas
If Mars seems mysterious and foreboding to you, the Mars Atlas might make the Red Planet a little more accessible, though there's still much more to discover.
Watch record-breaking astronaut Christina Koch return to Earth on Wednesday
Record-breaking astronaut Christina Koch and two of her colleagues will head back to Earth this week, and the departure and landing will be shown on NASA TV.
Autonomous sub videos the underside of an Antarctic glacier for the first time
An autonomous underwater vehicle named Icefin has captured a video showing the view from underneath the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica for the first time.
Amateur photographers discover new type of aurora called ‘the dunes’
In 2018, amateur photographers spotted auroras oriented horizontally, reaching across the horizon. Now scientists confirm they are a new type of aurora.
Terminator Tape could tackle space debris by efficiently de-orbiting satellites
A company has demonstrated a solution for disposing of satellites once they are no longer required, using a 230-foot-long strip of conductive Terminator Tape.
Changes in Mars’ atmosphere are driven by enormous CO2 ice cap at its pole
A new study has looked at the carbon dioxide ice deposit on Mars' south pole and found that it appears to affect atmospheric pressure across the planet.
NASA wants to manufacture spacecraft parts in low-Earth orbit
Maxar Technologies will develop a system for NASA to manufacture and robotically assemble spacecraft parts in low-Earth orbit on the Restore-L spacecraft.
Human Screenome Project wants you to share everything you do on your smartphone
Would you, in the name of research, let someone look over your shoulder to constantly see what you’re doing on your smartphone? That’s what the creators of an ambitious new initiative called the Human Screenome Project are hoping. Here's why they want people to participate.