Latest Planets News
Are we all aliens? NASA's returned asteroid samples hold the ingredients of life from a watery world
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Asteroid samples fetched by NASA hold not only the pristine building blocks for life but also the salty remains of an ancient water world, scientists reported Wednesday. The findings provide the strongest evidence yet that asteroids may have planted the...
Newly spotted asteroid has a tiny chance of hitting Earth in 2032
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A newly discovered asteroid has a tiny chance of smacking Earth in 2032, space agency officials said Wednesday. Scientists put the odds of a strike at slightly more than 1%. “We are not worried at all, because of this 99 percent chance...
What to know about Trump's first executive actions on climate and environment
President Donald Trump's first week in office included a flurry of executive orders with implications for Earth's climate and environment. While former President Joe Biden made climate change a hallmark of his administration and some of his policies remain, at least for now, Trump is...
A private US spacecraft headed to the moon captures a glorious view of Earth
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private U.S. spacecraft bound for the moon has captured stunning images of Earth one week into its flight. Still circling Earth, Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander fired its thrusters Thursday to put it on a path to reach the moon in over a month....
Scientists detect chirping cosmic waves in an unexpected part of space
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have detected cosmic waves that sound like birds chirping in an unexpected place. These bursts of plasma, called chorus waves, ripple at the same frequency as human hearing. When converted to audio signals, their sharp notes mimic high-pitched bird calls....
A meteorite strike was captured on video by a Canadian home's doorbell camera
NEW YORK (AP) — A doorbell camera on a Canadian home captured rare video and sound of a meteorite striking Earth as it crashed into a couple's walkway. When Laura Kelly and her partner returned home after an evening walk in July, they were surprised to find their walkway littered...
How to glimpse a parade of planets in the January night sky
NEW YORK (AP) — Six planets grace the sky this month in what's known as a planetary parade, and most can be seen with the naked eye. These planetary hangouts happen when several planets appear to line up in the night sky at once. “They’re not in a straight line,...
In their own words: AP photographers explain how selected images capture warming world
Around the globe, Associated Press photographers in 2024 documented what scientists on Friday said was the hottest year on record, the latest in a long string of heat milestones that have been shattered in recent years as the burning of gas, coal and oil accelerate global warming. ...
Scientists drill nearly 2 miles down to pull 1.2 million-year-old ice core from Antarctic
An international team of scientists announced Thursday they’ve successfully drilled one of the oldest ice cores yet, penetrating nearly 2 miles (2.8 kilometers) to Antarctic bedrock to reach ice they say is at least 1.2 million years old. Analysis of the ancient ice is expected to...
Spacecraft buzzes Mercury's north pole and beams back stunning photos
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft has beamed back some of the best close-up photos yet of Mercury’s north pole. The European and Japanese robotic explorer swooped as close as 183 miles (295 kilometers) above Mercury's night side before passing directly over the planet's...
