Planet Party Busted by Triton
November 16, 2017
Theories can be like parties with tantalizing speculations until big, whopping anomalies spoil the fun.
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Planetary Rings Defy Long Ages
November 1, 2016
Models of the origin of planetary rings are simulations based on fictions. Real physics cannot keep them billions of years old.
Pluto May Be Erupting
November 10, 2015
Two mountains that look like giant volcanoes hint at current activity on Pluto.
Planet Recipe Cooked Up
August 24, 2015
Just add pebbles, stir, and get a planet. Is it real science, or just a game show?
Is Pluto Another Geyser World? "Shocking" Images Baffle Scientists
July 17, 2015
In addition to featureless plains, Pluto may even sport active geysers—with no recourse to tidal heating to power them.
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.
Of Planets and People
September 29, 2014
Here's a quick tour of the planets to see what's newsworthy.
Active Moon Triton Revisited
August 25, 2014
25 years ago today, Voyager 2 flew by Triton, a moon of Neptune, astonishing scientists with its active geology.
Every Planet Surprises Secular Astronomers, III: Formation Theories
May 4, 2014
"Surprise" or "puzzling" are the most common words in news reports about bodies in the solar system. Here are recent examples that discuss the origin of planets.
Scientists Dodge Youthfulness of Saturn Moon Titan
August 17, 2013
Like Enceladus, Saturn's moon Titan shows multiple signs of being far less than 4.5 billion years old – yet the press releases are strangely silent about the implications.
Astronomers Wrestle with "Endless Mysteries"
June 3, 2012
Some of the biggest questions in the universe remain completely baffling to astronomers, a leading journal admitted.
Swinging at Saturn’s Moons: Keep Your Eye on the Ball
March 1, 2010
To avoid being misled by planetary scientists, keep your attention focused on the age issue.
Active Moons Challenge Old-Age Beliefs
December 3, 2007
The best planetary scientists in the world, constrained within their chosen billions-of-years mindset, have many questions and few answers.