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NASA findings reveal solar system's tail

The bubble created by the solar wind and magnetism that surrounds the solar system is larger and more interesting that previously thought, NASA scientists said Wednesday. The researchers used data collected by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer to make their discovery.
Mars 2020: NASA's going bold – on a budget

Mars 2020: NASA's next rover will search for signs of ancient life on Mars and stockpile the evidence for an eventual return to Earth. To save money, NASA will borrow hardware and designs from the successful Mars Curiosity rover.
Woolly mammoth goes on view in Japan

Woolly mammoth: A rare woolly mammoth with remarkably preserved soft tissue, orange fur, and signs of human butchering is now on view in Japan.
Is Lake Vostok, buried in the Antarctic, bustling with life?

Scientists found 3,507 unique gene sequences in ice drilled from Lake Vostok, the world's largest subglacial lake.
Underwater forest? 'Enchanted forest' provides tantalizing hints to past climate.

Underwater forest: An underwater forest discovered in the Gulf of Mexico contains trees that lived for hundreds or maybe thousands of years, and died over 50,000 years ago.
How do galaxies fuel up? Hungry infant galaxy offers clues.

Astronomers have spotted a very young distant galaxy feeding on a halo of gas surrounding it, offering new insight into how galaxies evolve.
Astronauts to perform cleaning chores outside International Space Station

Two astronauts, NASA’s Chris Cassidy and the European Space Agency's Luca Parmitano, will work for six and a half hours outside the International Space Station on Tuesday.
Underwater forest: Ancient cypress forest buried off Alabama's coast

Divers discovered an underwater forest in the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the trees in the underwater cypress forest were thousands of years old before they were buried underwater.
How spiders use an electrical charge to trap insects

One of nature's greatest marvels has been found to have another advantage: a negative electrical charge, which can snap up positively charged insects.
Is anyone there? UK scientists launch hunt for alien intelligence.

Eleven UK institutions plan to launch a collaborative effort to comb the universe for messages from intelligent alien life.
Mystery radio bursts coming from space – but probably not from E.T.

The radio bursts are energetic enough to suggest that they are triggered by extremely powerful astrophysical events. Evaporating black holes or supernovae might be possible sources.
Da Vinci-code, bird-style: Cockatoos can solve complex puzzles

Ten untrained Goffin's cockatoos were able to complete a series of complex sequential tasks to access a nut reward.
How hawkmoths jam the sonar signals from bats

Hawkmoths are now the second known species of moths that have found a way to jam bat sonar. Moths have evolved other defense mechanisms to detect and avoid bats.
Pluto's craters could get Star Trek names

Even though 'Vulcan' has been rejected as the name of one of Pluto's recently discovered moons, an astronomer has left open the possibility of naming some of Pluto's geographical features after Star Trek characters.
Loch Ness monster: Geology tries, but doesn't explain mystery

Loch Ness Monster: An Italian scientist blames the Loch Ness monster sightings on seismic activity. But that doesn't quite add up. Some scientists offer another explanation.
200-year-old rockfish caught off Alaska coast

200-year-old rockfish: A Seattle resident caught a shortraker rockfish, which at some two centuries old might be the oldest one ever caught.
How the moon affects the nighttime world. (Hint: No werewolves.)

Many animals adjust their behaviors in response to changes in light levels and tides, affecting reproduction, migration, and more, say scientists in a new study.
Ignoring Star Trek fans, astronomers name Pluto's moons

Even though 'Vulcan' was the top choice among voters, the International Astronomical Union opted to go with the second- and third-most-popular proposed names. Pluto's fourth and fifth moons are now officially known as Kerberos and Styx.
Thanks to clouds, some 60 billion planets are habitable in Milky Way

New research that factors in the influence of cloud cover on alien climate has extended the habitable zone around red dwarf stars to include twice as many planets.
Ancient predator lacked jaw strength to leverage own fangs, was 'embarrassing'

The extinct and highly unusual predator Thylacosmilus atrox relied on brute brawn to pin its prey.