Topic: South Pole

Bizarre cosmic ray mystery deepens (+video)

Humongous space explosions known as gamma ray bursts have been ruled out as a source of the universe's most intense cosmic rays, a new study has found.

How did the moon get there? NASA videos explain.

Images captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have been used to create an animated 4-billion-year history of the moon.

'What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?': 15 answers

From the new book 'What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?,' the four stars of 'The Buried Life' share what strangers have told them.

NASA moon waypoint could be first deep-space human outpost

According to a Feb. 3 memo from William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, a team is being formed to develop a cohesive plan for exploring a spot in space known as the Earth-moon libration point 2.

Putin hails Antarctic lake discovery as 'great event,' promises awards

On national television, Russia's natural resources minister gave Putin a canister of water from melted ice at the bottom of the boreshaft near the surface of Lake Vostok.

Enormous subglacial Lake Vostok could hold clues for alien life

Since drilling through miles of ice to reach the massive underground lake, scientists have begun to speculate on what exists, or lives, in the frigid freshwater.

How Lake Vostok could transform our understanding of life as we know it

Russian researchers in Antarctica say they have successfully drilled through more than two miles of ice to reach a vast lake that has been sealed off from light or air for at least 14 million years. If living organisms are found in the lake, it would greatly boost hopes of finding life on other worlds. 

Ancient Antarctic lake thought to harbor prehistoric life, Hitler clones

In its reporting on the efforts of a Russian drilling team to reach a subglacial lake in Antarctica, Russian state media has revived an old conjecture about a secret Nazi cloning facility on the southern continent. 

Northern lights: Aurora borealis astounds skywatchers

Northern lights: Traditionally, only skywatchers in high-latitude locations can see aurora borealis, but during strong solar weather events, they can be visible to observers at lower latitudes.

South with the Sun: Roald Amundsen, His Polar Explorations, and the Quest for Discovery

Long-distance swimmer and author Lynne Cox traces the path of polar explorer Roald Amundsen – just in time for the centennial of his arrival at the South Pole.

Southern Lights (Aurora Australias): A rare video from above

Check out this video of the Southern Lights, a.k.a. Aurora Australias taken from aboard the International Space Station.

Fall books: 20 nonfiction titles you don't want to miss

From the energy crisis to The Doors, from Hitler’s Germany to Rin Tin Tin, here are the nonfiction titles that have readers buzzing this fall.

Why Obama is pumping up his rhetoric

President Obama is way down in the polls. The only politicians with lower approval ratings are those in Congress, which may explain why Obama is blaming them for "holding back this country."

Snow in New Zealand: Pleading for end to epic wintery blast

A strong Antarctic front continued to dump record amounts of snow across New Zealand on Wednesday. But for many in New Zealand, the wintery blast is just too much to handle.

Huzzah, summer solstice? At South Pole, winter solstice is party time.

Tuesday is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. For research teams toiling at the South Pole, though, it's the winter solstice and, oh boy, are they happy about it!

Reader recommendation: The Worst Journey in the World

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

The five coldest places on Earth

Have you noticed a bit of a chill in the air? If so, you're not alone. But take heart: here are five places that will make today seem like T-shirt weather.

Watch Northern Lights live from near the Arctic Circle tonight

A new web site shows the Northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, live starting at 10 p.m. each night courtesy of the Canadian Space Agency. The prime northern lights viewing season is August through May.

Aurora Australis: Amazing light show seen from space

Aurora Australis was captured on film by astronauts on the International Space station during a solar storm.

Winter solstice 2009: What it's all about

Winter solstice 2009 falls Monday, marking the shortest day in the year for the Northern Hemisphere.

Cassini spacecraft finds evidence for liquid water on Enceladus

Cities may sprout vertical farms

Proposed high-rise greenhouses could help solve a looming food crisis, professor says.

Cassini scans lunar lakes