Archive for 2008

Building with DNA
April 30, 2008
News and Features Building with DNA

Scientists are using DNA to make intricate nano-sized objects smaller than the tiniest speck of dust. DNA is a primary building block for life, but its ability to self-assemble could also help develop technologies for medical, electronic and space applications.

4D Ionosphere
April 30, 2008
News and Features 4D Ionosphere

Today, NASA-funded researchers released to the general public a new "4D" live model of Earth's ionosphere. Without leaving home, anyone can fly through the layer of ionized gas that encircles Earth at the edge of space itself. All that's required is a connection to the Internet.

NASA Spacecraft Tracks Raging Saturn Storm
April 29, 2008
News and Features NASA Spacecraft Tracks Raging Saturn Storm

As a powerful electrical storm rages on Saturn with lightning bolts 10,000 times more powerful than those found on Earth, the Cassini spacecraft continues its five-month watch over the dramatic events.

Absolute Argon
April 29, 2008
News and Features Absolute Argon

By refining a technique used to date rocks and fossils, scientists have now determined the date of the dinosaurs' extinction with pinpoint accuracy. The finding sheds new light on one of the most dramatic periods in the evolution of life on Earth.

'Broken Heart' Image the Last for NASA’s Long-Lived Polar Mission
April 28, 2008
News and Features 'Broken Heart' Image the Last for NASA’s Long-Lived Polar Mission

As far as endings go, this one’s a real heart breaker. NASA’s Polar satellite concludes its successful mission at the end of April with a breathtaking visible-light image of the colorful dancing lights of the aurora. The Polar team has dubbed this final image "The Broken Heart."

Oldest Known Objects May Be Surprisingly Immature
April 28, 2008
News and Features Oldest Known Objects May Be Surprisingly Immature

Some of the oldest objects in the Universe may still have a long way to go, according to a new study using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. These new results indicate that globular clusters might be surprisingly less mature in their development than previously thought.

Cosmic Time Warp Revealed in Slow-Mo Supernovae
April 28, 2008
News and Features

Once upon a time, time was different. Supernova explosions in the early universe appear to age more slowly than today's supernovae, as if time itself was running slower back then, according to a recent series of astronomical observations.

The Physics of Whipped Cream
April 25, 2008
News and Features The Physics of Whipped Cream

Let's do a little science experiment. If you have a can of whipped cream in the fridge, go get it out. Spray a generous dollop into a spoon and watch carefully.

Icy Active Mars
April 25, 2008
News and Features Icy Active Mars

New evidence shows that Mars' climate may have been much more dynamic than previously thought. The research has implications in understanding whether or not Mars could have supported life in its past.

Galaxies Gone Wild!
April 24, 2008
News and Features Galaxies Gone Wild!

Astronomy textbooks typically present galaxies as staid, solitary, and majestic island worlds of glittering stars. But galaxies have a wild side. They have flirtatious close encounters that sometimes end in grand mergers and overflowing “maternity wards” of new star birth as the colliding galaxies morph into wondrous new shapes.

Scientists ready to dig into polar air research
April 24, 2008
News and Features

The aircraft and scientists have left Fairbanks but the polar atmosphere research continues. For the majority of April, more than 250 scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Energy joined in Fairbanks to gather research on air pollution in the Arctic.

Shoulder Motor Balks on Opportunity’s Robotic Arm
April 23, 2008
Press Releases

A small motor in the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity that began stalling occasionally more than two years ago has become more troublesome recently.

Orbiter to map lunar surface
April 23, 2008
News and Features Orbiter to map lunar surface

A robotic precursor of resuming human expeditions to the moon will likely be postponed by at least a few weeks from its October launch target, but NASA does not foresee any problems launching the lunar orbiter and high-speed impactor before the end of this year.

A Dot in the Void
April 23, 2008
News and Features A Dot in the Void

Astronomers have constructed an image of material around the star AB Aurigae that appears to be coalescing into a celestial body. The finding will help scientists understand the early stages of planetary formation.

NASA Hosts Media Briefing on How Ecosystems Are Changing
April 22, 2008
Press Releases

NASA will hold a media briefing Tuesday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the latest research documenting changes in Earth's ecosystems using NASA remote-sensing data. The event will be held at The Inn & Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, Md., Room 1312.

NASA Satellites Aid in Chesapeake Bay Recovery
April 22, 2008
News and Features NASA Satellites Aid in Chesapeake Bay Recovery

From the distant reaches of the universe, to black holes and Saturn’s rings, NASA explores some of the most far-out parts of space. But NASA also does research much closer to home. In fact, NASA Earth Science satellites are taking part in the management and recovery of an ecosystem right in our own backyard, the Chesapeake Bay.

Radiation Belt Storm
April 22, 2008
News and Features Radiation Belt Storm

NASA will launch two probes into the radiation belts in order to study how violent space weather can affect astronauts and space equipment. The knowledge gained will be essential in designing safe future space missions.

The Present is the Key to the Past
April 21, 2008
News and Features The Present is the Key to the Past

Mike Russell thinks life began in iron sulfide deposits at ocean vents. In this interview, he expands on his theory of how life originated, and explains why “life from space” scenarios are dead wrong.

Moondust and Duct Tape
April 21, 2008
News and Features Moondust and Duct Tape

At this year's Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Alabama, Prof. Paul Shiue of Christian Brothers University was overheard joking that duct tape was his team's "best engineering tool." Others felt the same way. The sound of gray tape being torn from rolls practically filled the race course as dozens of college and high school student engineers busily assembled and repaired their homemade moonbuggies.

Powerful Antenna Attached to NASA's GLAST Satellite
April 21, 2008
News and Features Powerful Antenna Attached to NASA's GLAST Satellite

The powerful antenna system that will enable NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope (GLAST) to communicate with stations on Earth has been successfully connected to the spacecraft in the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

DNA Barcodes
April 20, 2008
News and Features DNA Barcodes

Researchers are developing a new and rapid way of identifying an organism's species based on DNA. The technology will help in finding new species and will be a valuable tool in understanding and documenting the evolution of life on Earth.

Mars radar opens up a planet’s third dimension
April 17, 2008
News and Features Mars radar opens up a planet’s third dimension

ESA’s Mars Express radar sounder, MARSIS, has looked beneath the martian surface and opened up the third dimension for planetary exploration. The technique’s success is prompting scientists to think of all the other places in the Solar System where they would like to use radar sounders.

The Moon and the Magnetotail
April 17, 2008
News and Features The Moon and the Magnetotail

Behold the full Moon. Ancient craters and frozen lava seas lie motionless under an airless sky of profound quiet. It's a slow-motion world where even a human footprint may last millions of years. Nothing ever seems to happen there.

Jet stream moving slowly northward
April 17, 2008
News and Features

The jet stream — America's stormy weather maker — is creeping northward and weakening, new research shows.

ET contact odds 'extremely low'
April 17, 2008
News and Features ET contact odds 'extremely low'

The odds of intelligent life arising on another Earth-like planet are low, a British scientist has calculated.

New NASA Moon Mission Begins Integration of Science Instruments
April 16, 2008
Press Releases

Several instruments that will help NASA characterize the moon's surface have been installed on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. The powerful equipment will bring the moon into sharper focus and reveal new insights about the celestial body nearest Earth.

Osmium Tracks Earth Impacts
April 16, 2008
News and Features Osmium Tracks Earth Impacts

Scientists have developed a new way of determining the size and frequency of meteorites that have collided with Earth in the past. Their work has provided new information about the impact that may have caused the demise of the dinosaurs.

Stellar Birth in the Galactic Wilderness
April 16, 2008
News and Features Stellar Birth in the Galactic Wilderness

A new image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows baby stars sprouting in the backwoods of a galaxy -- a relatively desolate region of space more than 100,000 light-years from the galaxy's bustling center.

Building a Super Greenhouse
April 15, 2008
News and Features Building a Super Greenhouse

Scientists have shown that biological productivity may have been responsible for super greenhouse episodes during the Cretaceous and Eocene. The finding provides important insights into the links between the biosphere and our planet's climate.

NASA Extends Cassini's Grand Tour of Saturn
April 15, 2008
News and Features NASA Extends Cassini's Grand Tour of Saturn

NASA is extending the international Cassini-Huygens mission by two years. The historic spacecraft's stunning discoveries and images have revolutionized our knowledge of Saturn and its moons.

Intelligence: A Rare Cosmic Commodity
April 14, 2008
News and Features Intelligence: A Rare Cosmic Commodity

A mathematical model taking into account the limited habitable lifespan of the Earth suggests that four evolutionary steps were required for intelligent life to evolve. If this applies to other worlds, intelligent life may be rare in the universe.

Earth's First Animal
April 13, 2008
News and Features Earth's First Animal

A new study shows that Earth's first animal was probably more complex than previously believed. By analyzing massive volumes of genetic data, scientists have defined the earliest splits at the base of the animal tree of life.

Moondust in the Wind
April 10, 2008
News and Features Moondust in the Wind

Moondust is dry, desiccated stuff, and may seem like a dull topic to write about. Indeed, you could search a ton of moondust without finding a single molecule of water, so it could make for a pretty "dry" story. But like the dust in your mother's attic, moondust covers something interesting – the moon – and even the dust itself has curious tales to tell.

NASA Earth Scientist to Head Programs Office in Science Directorate
April 10, 2008
Press Releases

Michael R. Luther has been named deputy associate administrator for programs in NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the directorate, made the announcement Wednesday.

Dust in the Central Mediterranean
April 10, 2008
News and Features Dust in the Central Mediterranean

On April 9, 2008, numerous dust plumes blew off the Libyan coast and over the Mediterranean Sea. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image the same day.

Phoenix Fine Tunes Course for Mars Landing
April 10, 2008
News and Features Phoenix Fine Tunes Course for Mars Landing

NASA engineers have adjusted the flight path of the Phoenix Mars Lander, setting the spacecraft on course for its May 25 landing on the Red Planet.

HiRISE Images Mars Moon in Color and in 3D
April 09, 2008
News and Features HiRISE Images Mars Moon in Color and in 3D

A new stereo view of Phobos, the larger and inner of Mars' two tiny moons, has been captured by a NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars.

NASA Sets Sights on Lunar Dust Exploration Mission
April 09, 2008
Press Releases

NASA is preparing to send a small spacecraft to the moon in 2011 to assess the lunar atmosphere and the nature of dust lofted above the surface.

Int'l Year of Astronomy 2009 Website Launches
April 09, 2008
News and Features Int'l Year of Astronomy 2009 Website Launches

NASA invites YOU to join us in the celebration of IYA 2009. This website will be your portal to exciting NASA resources, events, and opportunities for involvement as we develop our program of regional and national IYA activities for students, teachers, and the public.

Astro-combing for Planets
April 09, 2008
News and Features Astro-combing for Planets

A revolutionary laser technology will enable scientists to spot Earth-sized worlds in Earth-like orbits around distant stars. The new technology is a major step forward in the search for habitable planets.

Meteorites Made Life Left-Handed
April 08, 2008
News and Features Meteorites Made Life Left-Handed

Scientists have provided evidence that the building blocks of life could have formed from the interactions of desert heat, water and meteorite impacts. The findings may also explain why amino acids used by life are predominantly 'left-handed'.

Crescent Moon Alert
April 03, 2008
News and Features Crescent Moon Alert

The date was March 8th, less than a month ago. In a remote corner of Kansas, the sun was going down and the deepening twilight beckoned to photographer Doug Zubenel driving through the countryside. Something photogenic, he knew, was about to happen.

Following the Paper Trail of Ancient Life
April 01, 2008
News and Features Following the Paper Trail of Ancient Life

Researchers have found the earliest direct evidence of biological material on Earth in the form of cellulose microfibers. The finding also indicates that cellulose could be an excellent biosignature to search for on other planets.

Researchers Confirm Dead Zone Off Texas Coast Since 1985
April 01, 2008
News and Features Researchers Confirm Dead Zone Off Texas Coast Since 1985

Researchers at Texas A&M University have confirmed for the first time that a "dead zone" has existed off the Texas coast for at least the past 23 years and will likely remain there, causing potential harmful effects to marine life in the area.

Archive Summary