Planetary Science

More Stories in Planetary Science

  1. Planetary Science

    Scientists find a long-sought electric field in Earth’s atmosphere

    The Earth’s ambipolar electric field is weak but strong enough to control the shape and evolution of the upper atmosphere.

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  2. Planetary Science

    The Webb telescope’s peek into a stellar nursery finds baby planets too

    Images by the James Webb telescope of six Jupiter-sized worlds, one of which may have a moon-forming disk, reveal clues into how planets and stars form.

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  3. Space

    Moonquakes are much more common than thought, Apollo data suggest

    The discovery of 22,000 previously unseen moonquakes, plus a new idea of what causes them, could help us better prepare for trips there.

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  4. Planetary Science

    NASA’s Perseverance rover finds its first possible hint of ancient life on Mars

    The NASA Mars rover examined a rock containing organic compounds and “leopard spots” that, on Earth, are associated with microbial life.

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  5. Space

    A planet needs to start with a lot of water to become like Earth

    Rocky planets around fiery stars could hide their water for later use, but it takes 3 to 8 times the amount in our world’s oceans to end up Earthlike.

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  6. Planetary Science

    Jupiter’s Great Red Spot may be less than 200 years old

    An analysis of images spanning hundreds of years suggests a dark spot spied in the late 1600s and early 1700s is distinct from the Red Spot seen today.

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  7. Planetary Science

    Sulfur was key to the first water on Earth

    Hydrogen bonded with sulfur may have given our world its first water after the hydrogen broke away and joined with oxygen in the planet’s crust.

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  8. Planetary Science

    Venus might be as volcanically active as Earth

    Data from NASA’s Magellan spacecraft suggest that volcanic activity is widespread on Venus.

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  9. Earth

    A weaker magnetic field may have paved the way for marine life to go big

    Decreased protection from cosmic radiation may have increased oxygen levels in the atmosphere and oceans, allowing animals to grow larger.

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