Summaries | Headlines Path To Finding Life On Mars And In Outer Space Begins By Looking At Earth's Inner Space (February 2, 2006) — Clues to finding current or past life on Mars now or at some point in the past begins with an examination of Earth's most extreme environments and the adaptable microscopic life that thrives there, according to a group of researchers launching an international broadcast science expedition with The JASON Project. > full story   Mars Rovers Advance Understanding Of The Red Planet (February 2, 2006) — NASA's Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have been working overtime to help scientists better understand ancient environmental conditions on the red planet. The rovers are also generating excitement about the exploration of Mars outlined in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. > full story
 NASA's Stardust Spacecraft Placed Into Hibernation Mode (February 1, 2006) — NASA's Stardust spacecraft was placed into hibernation mode this past Sunday (Jan. 29). Stardust successfully returned to Earth samples of a comet via its sample return capsule on Jan. 15. The spacecraft has logged almost seven years of flight. > full story
 Life Leaves Subtle Signature In The Lay Of The Land (January 26, 2006) — If life were suddenly eliminated from the Earth, would a visitor from another planet be able to tell what once was here? Can the landforms of Mars tell us whether it once had a biota? Two UC Berkeley scientists conclude that life leaves a detectable but very subtle signature, including more rounded than angular hills. This was a surprise, since life has a big impact on erosion, both directly and through its effects on climate. > full story
 Predicting The Weather On Titan? (January 23, 2006) — Using recent Cassini, Huygens and Earth-based observations, scientists have been able to create a computer model which explains the formation of several types of ethane and methane clouds on Titan. > full story
 Martian Snow Source Of Tropical Glaciers, Research Team Reports (January 20, 2006) — Recent images beamed from Mars reveal intriguing evidence of glacial deposits in the tropics of the Red Planet. But how did this Martian ice form so far from the poles? Ancient snows, according to new research appearing in Science. > full story
Study Highlights Role Of Hit-and-run Collisions In Planet Formation (January 16, 2006) — Hit-and-run collisions between embryonic planets during a critical period in the early history of the Solar System may account for some previously unexplained properties of planets, asteroids, and meteorites, according to researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz. > full story  NASA Prepares For Return Of Interstellar Cargo (December 30, 2005) — NASA's Stardust mission is nearing Earth after a 4.63 billion kilometer (2.88 billion mile) round-trip journey to return cometary and interstellar dust particles back to Earth. Scientists believe the cargo will help provide answers to fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar system. > full story
Mars Region Probably Less Watery Than Thought, Says New Study (December 29, 2005) — A region of Mars that some planetary scientists believe was once a shallow lakebed and likely habitable for life may not have been so wet after all, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study. > full story  Mission To Mars Via Antarctica (December 28, 2005) — A few weeks before leaving for the Antarctic Concordia Station, the Italian-French crew that will spend over one year in one of the harshest, isolated environments on Earth, attended two days of preparatory training at ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France. During their stay at the research station the crew will participate in a number of ESA experiments -- the outcome of which will help prepare for long-term missions to Mars. > full story
 Possible Evidence Found For Beagle 2 Location (December 22, 2005) — The news that Beagle 2 may have been spotted on the surface of Mars in the immediate vicinity of where it was expected to land was welcomed by the European Space Agency. > full story
Geologists Suggest Mars Features Are Result Of Meteorite Strikes, Not Of Evaporated Lakes (December 22, 2005) — Geologic features at the Opportunity landing site on Mars were formed not by a lake that evaporated but by constant strikes from meteorites, say two Arizona State University geologists. The researchers published their findings in the current issue of Nature. > full story < previous summaries | next summaries > Summaries | Headlines Path To Finding Life On Mars And In Outer Space Begins By Looking At Earth's Inner Space (February 2, 2006) — Clues to finding current or past life on Mars now or at some point in the past begins with an examination of Earth's most extreme environments and the adaptable microscopic life that thrives there, according to a group of researchers launching an international broadcast science expedition with The JASON Project. > full story Mars Rovers Advance Understanding Of The Red Planet (February 2, 2006) — NASA's Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have been working overtime to help scientists better understand ancient environmental conditions on the red planet. The rovers are also generating excitement about the exploration of Mars outlined in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. > full story NASA's Stardust Spacecraft Placed Into Hibernation Mode (February 1, 2006) — NASA's Stardust spacecraft was placed into hibernation mode this past Sunday (Jan. 29). Stardust successfully returned to Earth samples of a comet via its sample return capsule on Jan. 15. The spacecraft has logged almost seven years of flight. > full story
Life Leaves Subtle Signature In The Lay Of The Land (January 26, 2006) — If life were suddenly eliminated from the Earth, would a visitor from another planet be able to tell what once was here? Can the landforms of Mars tell us whether it once had a biota? Two UC Berkeley scientists conclude that life leaves a detectable but very subtle signature, including more rounded than angular hills. This was a surprise, since life has a big impact on erosion, both directly and through its effects on climate. > full story Predicting The Weather On Titan? (January 23, 2006) — Using recent Cassini, Huygens and Earth-based observations, scientists have been able to create a computer model which explains the formation of several types of ethane and methane clouds on Titan. > full story Martian Snow Source Of Tropical Glaciers, Research Team Reports (January 20, 2006) — Recent images beamed from Mars reveal intriguing evidence of glacial deposits in the tropics of the Red Planet. But how did this Martian ice form so far from the poles? Ancient snows, according to new research appearing in Science. > full story Study Highlights Role Of Hit-and-run Collisions In Planet Formation (January 16, 2006) — Hit-and-run collisions between embryonic planets during a critical period in the early history of the Solar System may account for some previously unexplained properties of planets, asteroids, and meteorites, according to researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz. > full story NASA Prepares For Return Of Interstellar Cargo (December 30, 2005) — NASA's Stardust mission is nearing Earth after a 4.63 billion kilometer (2.88 billion mile) round-trip journey to return cometary and interstellar dust particles back to Earth. Scientists believe the cargo will help provide answers to fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar system. > full story Mars Region Probably Less Watery Than Thought, Says New Study (December 29, 2005) — A region of Mars that some planetary scientists believe was once a shallow lakebed and likely habitable for life may not have been so wet after all, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study. > full story Mission To Mars Via Antarctica (December 28, 2005) — A few weeks before leaving for the Antarctic Concordia Station, the Italian-French crew that will spend over one year in one of the harshest, isolated environments on Earth, attended two days of preparatory training at ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France. During their stay at the research station the crew will participate in a number of ESA experiments -- the outcome of which will help prepare for long-term missions to Mars. > full story Possible Evidence Found For Beagle 2 Location (December 22, 2005) — The news that Beagle 2 may have been spotted on the surface of Mars in the immediate vicinity of where it was expected to land was welcomed by the European Space Agency. > full story Geologists Suggest Mars Features Are Result Of Meteorite Strikes, Not Of Evaporated Lakes (December 22, 2005) — Geologic features at the Opportunity landing site on Mars were formed not by a lake that evaporated but by constant strikes from meteorites, say two Arizona State University geologists. The researchers published their findings in the current issue of Nature. > full story < previous summaries | next summaries > |
