A New Method of Estimating Stellar Distances

A New Method of Estimating Stellar Distances

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (14) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- The star Chi Cygni is located about 550 light-years away, in the direction of the constellation of Cygnus the Swan. It is a notable star because, unlike the sun which still burns hydrogen ...


Volcanic Quakes Help Forecast Eruptions

Volcanic Quakes Help Forecast Eruptions

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 2 / 5 (4) | comments 2

Monitoring the earthquakes caused from magma movements inside an active volcano could help to improve the accuracy of forecasting an eruption.


'Particle soup' discovery will improve climate predictions

'Particle soup' discovery will improve climate predictions

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity 4.1 / 5 (7) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- New research from scientists at The University of Manchester is set to improve predictions about climate and air quality - and make life easier for those suffering from respiratory problems.


Caltech scientists discover fog on Titan

Scientists discover fog on Titan

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (11) | comments 2

Saturn's largest moon, Titan, looks to be the only place in the solar system—aside from our home planet, Earth—with copious quantities of liquid (largely, liquid methane and ethane) sitting on its surface. ...


NASA Flight Tests Unique Jumbo Jet with Opening in Side

NASA Tests Unique Jumbo Jet with Opening in Side; Plane's Airborne Telescope Will Be Used to Study Cosmos

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- A NASA jumbo jet that will help scientists unlock the origins of the universe with infrared observations reached a milestone Friday when doors covering the plane's telescope were fully opened ...


How to Find Signs of Life on Mars

How to Find Signs of Life on Mars

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 2

By studying the signatures of fossil life on Earth, geobiologists can get a clue of what to look for when hunting for extraterrestrial life on Mars.


Climate talks end with eye on next year (AP)

Climate talks end with eye on next year

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 19, 2009 | popularity 1.8 / 5 (5) | comments 2

(AP) -- A historic U.N. climate conference ended Saturday with only a nonbinding "Copenhagen Accord" to show for two weeks of debate and frustration. It was a deal short on concrete steps against global warming, ...


Diplomatic frenzy at final day of UN climate talks (AP)

Diplomatic frenzy at final day of UN climate talks

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (4) | comments 2

(AP) -- A diplomatic frenzy enveloped the final day of the U.N. climate conference Friday, with President Barack Obama twice meeting privately with China's premier as world leaders pressed to salvage a global ...


Keck Telescopes Take Deeper Look at Planetary Nurseries

Keck Telescopes Take Deeper Look at Planetary Nurseries

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (7) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory have peered far into a young planetary system, giving an unprecedented view of dust and gas that might eventually form planets similar to Jupiter, ...


Sun and moon trigger deep tremors on San Andreas Fault

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

The faint tug of the sun and moon on the San Andreas Fault stimulates tremors deep underground, suggesting that the rock 15 miles below is lubricated with highly pressurized water that allows the rock to slip with little ...


Titan

Titan's lakes could be explored by boat

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (10) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- If a suggestion to be made to NASA comes to fruition, vast lakes thought to be filled with liquid hydrocarbons near the north pole of Saturn's moon Titan, may one day be explored by boat.


New Study of Meteorite Provides More Evidence for Ancient Life on Mars

New Study of Meteorite Provides More Evidence for Ancient Life on Mars

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (41) | comments 17

(PhysOrg.com) -- In 1996, when scientists examined a meteorite from Mars previously uncovered in Antarctica, they were intrigued by what looked like microscopic fossils of ancient Martian life forms. Now, ...


Shallow Origins

Shallow Origins

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (11) | comments 1

In finding answers to the mystery of the origin of life, scientists may not have to dig too deep. New research is shedding light on shallower waters as a possible location for where life on Earth began.


Avatar's moon Pandora could be real

Avatar's moon Pandora could be real

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (27) | comments 10

In the new blockbuster Avatar, humans visit the habitable - and inhabited - alien moon called Pandora. Life-bearing moons like Pandora or the Star Wars forest moon of Endor are a staple of science fiction. ...


Filipino troops try to keep volcano evacuees safe (AP)

Filipino troops try to keep volcano evacuees safe

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 1

(AP) -- Police and soldiers donned Santa hats and red clown noses and belted out songs in crammed evacuation centers in hopes of keeping 47,000 displaced residents from sneaking back to their homes on the ...