NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology
helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet,
microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries
and innovations that began with NSF support.
![Photo of a student observing patterns of flowering and pollinators.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/citizen_scientists1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Novel Answer to That Perennial "Earth Day" Question: "What Can I Do to Help?" Groups of citizen scientists are making pivotal contributions to research on the Earth, its place in the universe and other natural phenomena Released
April 19, 2012
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Image of two white starts orbiting one another.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/sdss1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Predicting "Cosmic Fireworks" From Our Own Backyard Using the largest map of the cosmos ever, astronomers have counted nearby double white dwarfs, stars thought to cause an important type of supernova Released
March 13, 2012
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of an NSF-funded ISR radar in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/isr_radar_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Tracking the Causes of Space-based Weather Disruptions Scientists use innovative Radio Aurora Explorer satellite to discover conditions that cause disruptions in space-based communication and navigation signals Released
March 16, 2011
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![High-resolution image of a sunspot taken at the Sacramento Peak Observatory, New Mexico.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/sunspot_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
How the Sun Gets Its Spots To prevent solar damage to communication, navigation and other high tech systems, scientists are determining the temperatures, composition and movement of materials inside the sun Released
January 7, 2011
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Kavli Prize logo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/kavli_prize_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Three NSF-Funded Scientists Among Recipients of $3 Million Kavli Prize Among the latest winners of the Kavli Prize are three scientists who have received NSF funding over the past several years Released
November 28, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Diagram showing gravitational lensing.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/gravitational_lens1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Gigantic Gravity "Lenses" Magnify Galaxies Far, Far Away Submillimeter observatories penetrate cold, dusty galaxies to see stars forming in the primeval past Released
November 19, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a Blackhawk helicopter lifting off in front of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/blackhawk_down1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Observatory Staff Aid in Military Helicopter Crash Rescue Green Bank Telescope's staff typically spend their days helping scientists carry out their research, but on one dramatic day in February 2010, they helped rescue soldiers from a crashed helicopter Released
September 10, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Image of the observable surface of a star about 3,000 degrees cooler than our sun.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/solar_revision2_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
3-D Images Reveal New Composition of the Sun Improved 3-D simulations carried out at the NSF-supported Texas Advanced Computing Center are leading scientists to reevaluate the sun's composition and theories about the structure and evolution of stars Released
August 18, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Image of an interacting galaxy.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/citizen_sci1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Coming to a Home Near You: Citizen Science Contributes to Research Discovery may be in front of your home computer, thanks to "citizen scientist" projects Released
March 24, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Image from a simulated interplanetary disturbance caused by an solar magnetic eruption (SME)](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/solar_storm_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Taking the "Surprise" out of Surprise Solar Storms Scientists are learning to predict giant solar storms that could, at any time, hit the Earth and produce cascading catastrophes Released
March 18, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Color-enhanced optical image of the galaxy DDO 87 in the constellation Ursa Major showing stars.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/galaxies1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Tiny Galaxies Reveal How First Stars Formed Lowell Observatory astronomer Deidre Hunter and her team studies small, diffuse galaxies to learn about star formation in those regions and, perhaps, shed light on the birth of the first stars after the Big Bang Released
February 25, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Image shows a composite visible/infrared view of Titan.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/titan_climate1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Titan: A Climate Out of This World Researchers using ground-based telescopes and space probes make amazing discoveries about the atmospheric cycle of Saturn’s largest moon, and find similarities to Earth Released
January 7, 2010
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Composite of two Hubble Space Telescope images of a global dust storm on Mars.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/extra_weather1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Monitoring and Predicting Extraterrestrial Weather Scientists adapt a weather research and forecasting tool to model global weather on the Earth, Mars and beyond Released
September 22, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Adaptive optics image of Titan showing storm feature.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/titan_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Methane Clouds Observed Near Titan's Equator May Explain Presence of Riverbeds on the Surface The Huygens probe discovered fluid-formed channels in the arid equatorial regions of Titan, Saturn's largest moon Released
August 12, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo showing Caroline Moore at work in her home observatory](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/supernova1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
New Supernova Is Discovered by Young Citizen Scientist Caroline Moore's discovery has made experts question how stars die Released
July 9, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Eight thumbnail images and 2008 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2008_review_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
2008: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities that made news last year Released
March 13, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Illustration of a highly-magnetized neutron star undergoing a "starquake."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/starquake1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Shockwave of X-ray Starquake Enthralls Scientists For postdoctoral researcher Andrew Steiner and other astrophysicists, the shockwave that jolted the Earth in late December 2005 was a lucky find, providing new data on neutron stars Released
March 2, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Artist's conception of the Milky Way.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/milky_way_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
New Galactic Distance Measurements Increase Milky Way's Mass and Rotation Speed Galaxy is spinning faster and is 50 percent more massive than earlier studies indicated Released
January 30, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in Green Bank, Pocahontas County, W. Va.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/magnetics_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Magnetic Fields in Far Away Galaxies Observed to be 10 Times Stronger than those in Milky Way Conventional theories of star and galaxy formation challenged Released
November 12, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Timothy Beers, professor of astronomy and physics at Michigan State University.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/beers2_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Archaeology of the Stars Michigan State researcher Timothy Beers studies the formation and evolution of stars born many billions of years before the Sun Released
September 17, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![A picture of the setting sun off the coast of Estonia and the letter "A."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/baltica_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Cracking the Code of Images New software easily detects pictures' hidden messages Released
July 15, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Illustration of a supernova explosion.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/quark_star1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Not a Quirk But a Quark ... a Quark Star! Super-luminous stellar explosion observed via Caltech's Palomar Observatory, possibly resulting in a quark star Released
June 26, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of galaxy NGC 2770 showing location of star and lines from John Keats' poem.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/supernova1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
International Gemini Observatory Captures Birth of a Supernova Stellar discovery marks a new epoc in astronomical research Released
May 28, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![2007 In Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2007_review_text_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
2007: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities reported last year Released
January 30, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Composite image of supernova remnant W49B showing a barrel-shaped nebula.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/supernova_1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Search Is on for Hot Young Stars Long duration gamma-ray bursts allow astronomers to collect more information than ever imagined Released
September 21, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of TW Hydrae](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/dustdisk_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Planetary Construction Zone? Astronomers detect the beginnings of planet formation in a dusty disk surrounding a nearby star Released
July 5, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![2006 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2006inreview_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
2006: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported activities highlighted last year Released
January 9, 2007
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![The Spiral Galaxy M51, with supernova.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/m51_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Teachers Strike Scientific Gold at Kitt Peak Workshop participants take lucky images of a brand-new supernova Released
August 26, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Young man stands in front of a row of white telescopes.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/vla12_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
New Mexico Graduate Student Receives Costa Rica's Top Science Honor At 26, Esteban Araya is the youngest person to ever receive the top science award from his native Costa Rica. A graduate student in astronomy at New Mexico Tech, Araya was honored for his research into the formation of massive stars. Released
August 5, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Star Kills Companion!](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/pic_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Star Killed by Companion Bizarre remains bear silent witness Released
March 2, 2005
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928085603im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
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