Topic: Boulder (Colorado)

Do pre-winter snowstorms signal a harsh winter?

Tuesday marks the first day of winter, but many people in the United States and Europe have already seen a preview. Can we expect a snowy winter?

Polar bear 'doomed'? Only if greenhouse-gas emissions aren't cut.

Greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide must be cut to avoid a disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic, which is crucial to the polar bear.

Should Pluto be restored as a planet? Experts weigh in.

New calculations indicate that Pluto might be the largest object in the outer solar system. Does it now deserve to be called a planet again?

New research: If you love your town, prosperity follows

When people are passionate about the place they live, the local economy blossoms, according to a Gallup survey of 26 US cities.

Comet Hartley 2: EPOXI probe flyby to yield rare close-up photos

Comet Hartley 2 will get its portrait taken on Thursday by NASA's EPOXI spacecraft. NASA will snap 6,000 high-resolution images of 103P/Hartley 2, a small comet that hangs out around Jupiter's orbit.

Baby dinosaur footprints discovered near Denver

Footprints of a baby Apatosaurus, roughly the size of a pug dog, were spotted in the foothills near Denver.

Tuition at public colleges jumps 8 percent, College Board reports

Tuition at four-year public universities rose again this year, outpacing inflation, according to a report released Thursday by The College Board. Federal aid to states and students softens the bite.

Will space tourists be Earth polluters? Scientists sound a warning.

As firms prepare to launch the space tourism business, one study warns that the soot from the suborbital crafts' hybrid rocket motors could collect in the stratosphere and warm the poles.

Space tourism will drive climate change, study suggests

As space tourism increases, the soot and carbon dioxide emitted from rockets will contribute to climate change, new computer models predict.

Russia's Putin says he wants peaceful division of Arctic

At a conference that included the US, Canada, Denmark, and Norway, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the area should be a 'zone of peace.' But Russia is bolstering its claim to a large tract of the Arctic seabed.

Moses' parting of the Red Sea: Is there a physical explanation?

A new paper suggests that an area near the Red Sea area could have had favorable characteristics for 'wind setdown' some 3,000 years ago.

Firefighters gain upper hand against Fourmile fire in Colorado

So far, more than 6,400 acres have burned, destroying at least 169 homes in the Fourmile Canyon area five miles west of Boulder. Still, the size of wildfires in the West this year is relatively low.

It's easier to track small asteroids such as 2010 RF12 as they near Earth

2010 RF12 and its pal show improvements in asteroid detection

2010 RF12 and another small asteroid that passed close to earth Wednesday were detected three days before their fly-by, illustrating the improving capability of asteroid-spotting telescopes.

Russia fires caused by global warming? Maybe not, say scientists.

The Kremlin's top meteorologist said that Russia's recent spate of extreme weather and wildfires 'are signs of global warming.' That's not quite right, say climate scientists.

At height of hurricane season, research teams take on storms

The research projects are aimed at giving forecasters more tools for improving storm forecasts. The peak of the hurricane season is between now and the end of October.

Missed Tuesday's northern lights show? Another is on its way.

For folks along the northern rim of the US, a second chance to see the northern lights will come when another solar outburst hits Earth Wednesday or Thursday.

Where the best seats will be for northern lights after solar eruption

Plasma from the sun slammed into Earth's magnetic field Tuesday afternoon. Here's a look at what kind of northern lights show the collision will put on.

Temperatures hit record highs globally. El Nino or global warming?

The first half of 2010 was the hottest six-month period recorded globally with temperatures around the globe 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit above averages.

Storm chasers complete largest-ever tornado study

Storm chasers have wrapped up the most dangerous stage of a comprehensive study on how tornadoes form.

Why Obama is putting so much stock in battery technology

President Obama on Thursday made his fourth visit to a battery manufacturer since taking office. He's pouring money and political attention into an industry that's playing catch-up – but that is vital to the future health of the domestic auto industry.

Giant propellers spotted in rings of Saturn

Giant propeller-shaped structures appear to be created by a new class of hidden moons.