Japanese space startup aborts 2nd satellite launch attempt minutes after liftoff

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese space startup said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff Wednesday, nine months after the company's first launch attempt ended in an explosion. Space One's Kairos No. 2 rocket lifted off...

Takeaways from the AP's reporting on nuclear bunkers

Global security leaders are warning that nuclear threats are growing as weapons spending has surged around the world. At the same time, private bunker sales are on the rise globally. Critics warn these bunkers create a false perception that a nuclear war is survivable. They argue that people...

An underground detector in China will sniff out mysterious ghost particles called neutrinos

KAIPING, China (AP) — Underneath a granite hill in southern China, a massive detector is nearly complete that will sniff out the mysterious ghost particles lurking around us. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory will soon begin the difficult task of spotting neutrinos:...

Nuclear bunker sales increase, despite expert warnings they aren’t going to provide protection

When Bernard Jones Jr. and his wife, Doris, built their dream home, they didn’t hold back. A grotto swimming pool with a waterfall for hot summer days. A home theater for cozy winter nights. A fruit orchard to harvest in fall. And a vast underground bunker in case disaster strikes. ...

NASA's 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts just got their space mission extended again. That means they won’t be back on Earth until spring, 10 months after rocketing into orbit on Boeing’s Starliner capsule. NASA announced the latest delay in Butch Wilmore and...

NASA's 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March

The winter solstice is almost here, the Northern Hemisphere's darkest day

The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere — ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets. For those who would rather have more sunlight, you can try to make your way to the Southern Hemisphere, where...

Two stars may be orbiting each other near a supermassive black hole in our Milky Way galaxy

NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have spotted what appear to be two stars whipping around each other near the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Nearly every large galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its heart. The one in the middle of the Milky Way,...

What's behind rising autism rates: A broader definition of autism and better screening

President-elect Donald Trump seemed to entertain the discredited theory that vaccines cause autism as he answered questions from journalists at a press conference Monday at his Mar-a-Lago club. Trump said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human...

How old are Saturn's rings? Study suggests they could be 4.5 billion years old just like the planet

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — New research suggests that Saturn’s rings may be older than they look — possibly as old as the planet. Instead of being a youthful 400 million years old as commonly thought, the icy, shimmering rings could be around 4.5 billion years old just like...