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Images were sent between a NASA probe and Earth in the first test of an internet-like data transmission system for space

A balloon-borne experiment in Antarctica detected energetic electrons from space that may be the signature of dark matter

Hunting for a planet that can support life? There's more to it than looking for Earth's distant twin, says David Shiga

Chemical fingerprints in the soil suggest Mars may have had a succession of oceans

LATEST NEWS

Water recycler and beds installed on space station

23:30 19 November 2008  | 1 comment

The work will pave the way for the station's crew size to double to six next year

'Interplanetary internet' passes first test

NASA successfully tested an internet-like protocol for space, which could some day automate communication with craft and bases beyond Earth's orbit (Illustration: NASA/JPL)

21:47 19 November 2008  | 2 comments

Images were sent between a NASA probe and Earth in the first test of an internet-like data transmission system for space

Mysterious electrons may be sign of dark matter

A balloon-borne experiment flying over Antarctica measured a surprisingly high number of energetic electrons streaming in from space (Image: T Gregory Guzik)

18:30 19 November 2008  | 15 comments

A balloon-borne experiment in Antarctica detected a high number of energetic electrons from space that may be the signature of dark matter

Why the universe may be teeming with aliens

Even a desert planet might maintain enough liquid water to sustain life (Image: Ariadne Van Zandbergen/Lonely Planet/Getty)

FEATURE:  18:00 19 November 2008  | 59 comments

Hunting for a planet that can support life? There's more to it than looking for Earth's distant twin, says David Shiga

Why Europe should build its own crewed space vehicle

How can the International Space Station live up to its name if a major contributor doesn't have the means to get there?

COMMENT AND ANALYSIS:  10:13 19 November 2008  | 14 comments

How can the International Space Station live up to its name if a major contributor doesn't have the means to get there, asks Piers Bizony

New report lists NASA's biggest challenges

The process of retiring the space shuttles has already begun (Image: NASA/Sandra Joseph-Kevin O'Connell)

20:37 18 November 2008  | 5 comments

NASA's independent oversight office lists the agency's five top challenges - what to do about the shuttle tops the list

China denies attempting to get US space data

18:28 18 November 2008  | 12 comments

The denial comes a day after a physicist in the US pleaded guilty to illegally exporting data for space launch vehicles to China

More evidence points to past oceans on Mars

This 3D map superimposes gamma-ray data from Mars Odyssey onto topographic data from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. Blue and violet mark potassium-poor areas, while red and yellow mark potassium-rich sedimentary deposits. Shield volcanoes in the area are marked with a red arrow (Illustration: University of Arizona/NASA)

00:11 18 November 2008  | 18 comments

Chemical fingerprints in the soil suggest Mars may have had a succession of relatively short-lived oceans

Shuttle astronauts deliver space station's new gear

Astronauts inside the space station used a robotic crane to remove a cargo canister from the shuttle's payload bay and fly it to a berthing port on the station (Image: NASA TV)

23:00 17 November 2008

Tonnes of custom upgrades were delivered to the orbital outpost by shuttle astronauts on Monday

Sun shines on future Mars colonies

Solar power might actually be viable on Mars, despite its distance from the Sun (Image: Detlev Van Ravenswaay / SPL)

FEATURE:  11:58 17 November 2008  | 25 comments

Despite problems with NASA's Phoenix lander, the Sun's rays could match nuclear power for powering a human base on Mars, say energy specialists

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PHYSICS

Quantum effects bring no solace for physicists

Galaxies in the early universe (Image: NASA, ESA, Hubble Deep Field team)

Quantum uncertainties in space-time will make it impossible to ever know for sure that all of nature's forces were once unified

EXPLORING MARS

Sun shines on future Mars colonies

Solar power might actually be viable on Mars, despite its distance from the Sun (Image: Detlev Van Ravenswaay / SPL)

Despite problems with NASA's Phoenix lander, the Sun's rays could match nuclear power for powering a human base on Mars, say energy specialists

SPECIAL FEATURE

The most extreme life-forms in the universe

These creatures set records for surviving in the most inhospitable environments on Earth - their existence bodes well for finding extraterrestrial life

SPECIAL FEATURE

Moving the Earth: a planetary survival guide

The Sun is slowly heating up, and in a billion years the oceans will begin to evaporate - moving the Earth is our only hope for survival

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FROM THE BLOG

Why NASA should focus on the Moon, not Mars

Henry Spencer argues that astronauts should return to the Moon - but not for the reasons you might think

Why don't the Mars rovers have dust wipers?

The rovers depend on sunlight for power - why weren't they designed to handle dust?

Apollo 8 astronauts discuss NASA's future

Where should NASA aim for next: the Moon, or Mars?

Lunar lander trampolines towards the Moon

US company Odyssey Moon Ventures, the first team to complete registration for the Google prize, announced a partnership with NASA to land an unmanned robot on the Moon

GALLERY

Baby stars and cosmic votes: The week in space Movie Camera

This week's gallery includes images of stellar baby booms in a nearby galaxy and US astronauts who cast their votes from space

VIDEO STORY

How to make yourself a star Movie Camera

Want to know what's really happening inside a supernova? Then grab a megalaser and create one for yourself, says Stuart Clark

This week's issue

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22 November 2008

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