Origin-of-Life Speculation Goes Off the Rails
October 21, 2015
Astrobiologists and their accomplices in the media are finding life everywhere where it isn't or couldn't be. Time to call in the science rangers.
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Mars Life Would Spit Out the Water
October 2, 2015
Finding minimal amounts of salty water contaminated with perchorates is not helpful to life.
Magnetic News
August 3, 2015
Magnetism is an important force in astronomy, planetary science and life. Here are news items involving magnets and magnetic fields.
Pluto Inbound Image Stuns Scientists
July 14, 2015
It's not a featureless orb: Pluto has a whale and a heart. A "complex and nuanced" surface shows that Pluto and its large moon Charon had a history.
Where Are the Earth's Impact Craters?
July 13, 2015
The number of impact craters on Earth is almost negligible compared to Mars and the moon. Can erosion explain this?
Admit It: Mars Is Lifeless
July 11, 2015
How much longer does the public have to be told that Mars "might" have life or space aliens "could" be found soon?
Desperately Seeking Life Beyond Earth
July 7, 2015
Earth life cannot be unique. How about you, Mars? Europa, anything? Enceladus? Comet 67P? Please break the silence!
Instant Islands and Ecology
May 19, 2015
A new volcanic island near Japan recalls the rapid colonization of Iceland's Surtsey island in 1963.
Moon, Mercury, and Magnetic Fields
May 8, 2015
After the crash of MESSENGER, magnetic fields in the solar system have become a key topic for planetary science.
Geology Upset: Wind Carves Canyons Fast
March 19, 2015
According to a new study, wind carves canyons ten times faster than water. This has implications for theories on Mars and Earth.
Solar System Reversals
February 9, 2015
The planets keep going around, but theories about them often stop and go backward or sideways. When nothing else works, send in the impactors!
Is Pareidolia a Hypothesis?
January 22, 2015
Some astrobiologists see possible signs of life in Martian soil photographed by a rover. The rover project scientist begs to differ.
Storm Surge Carries Huge Boulders
December 20, 2014
A typhoon carried 180-ton rocks 150 feet up a beach—the largest transport recorded in recent times.
Mars Methane Is Not Alive
December 16, 2014
Small periodic spikes in methane on Mars are turning the Mars-lifers into spin doctors.
Astrobiology Hopes Diminish
December 6, 2014
Recent findings both near and far create challenges for beliefs that life is common in the universe.