NASA’s Artemis era may finally solve three major moon mysteries
If NASA’s ambitious lunar exploration plans succeed, scientists will cover the moon with sensors—and find answers to several long-standing questions about the inner solar system
NASA’s Artemis II mission nears its historic lunar flyby
The fifth day in space for Artemis II saw space suit tests, an Easter egg hunt and final preparations for an imminent close encounter with the moon
NASA’s Artemis II launched on first crewed moon mission of the 21st century
A daring 10-day voyage took four astronauts on a loop around the moon and set the stage for future forays to the lunar surface
Astronomers witness the birth of a new solar system
The decades since scientists confirmed the first planet around another star have been rich in discovery, but it’s rare to see a new solar system as it forms
When did plate tectonics on Earth begin? New research finds some of the earliest clues
Scientists have found the oldest direct evidence for tectonic motion on Earth by more than half a billion years
There might be less water on the moon than we’d hoped
New satellite data come up dry as the search for lunar ice continues
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover discovers even older lost rivers at Jezero Crater
By plying its ground-penetrating radar in the depths of Mars’s Jezero Crater, this rover has found even older deltas buried beneath those seen on the surface from space
How to build a moon base
China and the U.S. are in a high-stakes race to build permanent lunar outposts. Can both nations coexist on the moon?
Is this where China’s astronauts will land on the moon?
An obscure lunar region called Rimae Bode is emerging as a high-priority landing site for China’s first crewed moon mission
Notorious asteroid 2024 YR4 won’t crash into the moon after all
Earthlings aren’t the only ones safe from a city-wrecking-sized asteroid. Future lunar inhabitants won’t have to worry about a strike in 2032 either
‘Conan the Bacterium’ could really conquer the solar system, new study suggests
New insights into a tiny, tough microbe have huge implications for the search for life beyond Earth
How far are we from finding exomoons and exorings?
Although astronomers have found thousands of exoplanets, the number of confirmed exomoons—and exorings—is still zero. But that may soon change