Scientists Aflutter Over Gravitational Wave Rumors
If the rumors are true, then humanity is about to learn a lot about the heaviest stuff in the universe.
Space
Why The U.S. Still Has No Viable Alternatives To Russian Rocket Boosters
When it comes to launching top-secret military satellites, the Pentagon relies almost entirely on rocket engines made in Russia. The U.S. has been using Russian rocket boosters for the past 2 decades.
NASA Mission: Orion's Next Step
The space agency hopes the Orion capsule, which has been transported to the Kennedy Space Center, will one day take astronauts to the moon and Mars. The program, however, faces budget challenges.
Luxembourg Hopes To Rocket To Front Of Asteroid-Mining Space Race
The tiny European country will be investing in research and building a regulatory framework to help make a futuristic industry — the extraction of minerals from objects in space — a reality.
Scientists Say The Moon Really Does Impact Rainfall On Earth
When the moon is overhead or "underfoot," the chance of rainfall diminishes ever so slightly, a new study concludes.
30 Years After Explosion, Challenger Engineer Still Blames Himself
Bob Ebeling, an anonymous source for NPR's 1986 report on the disaster, tells NPR that despite warning NASA of troubles before the launch, he believes God "shouldn't have picked me for that job."
Track Jupiter's Path Like An Ancient Babylonian
Clay tablets show that Babylonian astronomers tracked planets using a method that was thought to be invented 1,400 years later. In a way, scientists say, the ancient techniques were "very modern."
NPR Contest: Send Us Your Stories Of Happy Accidents In Science
Scientists need curiosity, determination — and luck. We're especially interested in that last bit, so tell us your stories of mistakes and surprises that led to discoveries in the past few years.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson Gets Into A Rap Battle With B.o.B Over Flat Earth Theory
The famed astrophysicist got into a Twitter spat with the rapper, which then turned into a bona fide rap battle.
Massive Space Telescope Is Finally Coming Together
In a NASA facility just outside Washington, D.C., workers are building the James Webb Space Telescope, an $8 billion successor to the Hubble. It'll be the largest ever, and it's set to launch in 2018.