Planetary Science

  1. Planetary Science

    An asteroid may have exploded over Antarctica about 2.5 million years ago

    Tiny spherules of rock found in Antarctic ice may point to the oldest known “airburst,” or midair disintegration of an incoming asteroid.

    By Katherine Kornei
  2. Planetary Science

    Bacteria that can make humans sick could survive on Mars

    Experiments suggest that common illness-causing microbes could not only survive on the Red Planet but also might be able to thrive.

    By Adam Mann
  3. Planetary Science

    NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter officially ends its mission on Mars

    NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter suffered damage during a recent flight and has ended its mission on Mars after nearly three years on the Red Planet.

    By Adam Mann
  4. Planetary Science

    Salt may have carved out Mercury’s terrains, including glacierlike features

    Mercury may contain a planetwide cache of salt that has sculpted chaotic terrain and possibly even habitable niches.

    By Shi En Kim
  5. Planetary Science

    A toxic gas that could help spawn life has been found on Enceladus

    Cassini data indicate that hydrogen cyanide, a key building block for life, exists on Saturn’s icy moon. A snakelike NASA robot might test for sure.

    By Nikk Ogasa
  6. Space

    In 2023, space missions explored the moon, asteroids and more

    This year, spacecraft landed on the moon, dropped off asteroid samples to Earth and started a journey to Jupiter's icy moons.

    By Erin Wayman
  7. Planetary Science

    Giant polygon rock patterns may be buried deep below Mars’ surface

    A Chinese rover used radar to reveal long-buried terrain that might hint that Mars’ equator was once much colder and wetter.

    By Elise Cutts
  8. Planetary Science

    50 years ago, the first probe to visit Mercury launched

    In the 1970s, NASA’s Mariner 10 became the first spacecraft to visit Mercury. Only one other probe has made the journey and another one is on its way.

    By Christopher Crockett
  9. Planetary Science

    JWST spotted a new speedy jet stream in Jupiter’s atmosphere

    Seen in images from the James Webb Space Telescope, the high-altitude feature may help untangle the inner workings of the giant planet’s atmosphere.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  10. Planetary Science

    Marsquakes and meteorite hits show Mars has a dense liquid metal core

    Mars’ dense liquid iron core is wrapped in a layer of molten rock, which threw off previous measurements of the Red Planet’s heart.

    By James R. Riordon
  11. Planetary Science

    Giant planet ‘destabilization’ may have coincided with the birth of Earth’s moon

    New meteorite data suggest the orbits of the giant planets abruptly changed about 60 million to 100 million years after the solar system started forming.

    By Bas den Hond
  12. Planetary Science

    Here’s another strike against Venus having copious lightning

    Past data and the Parker Solar Probe’s new discovery of weird whistler waves overturn the idea that Venus’ hellish atmosphere has a lot of lightning.

    By Sid Perkins