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Good News From Planet Earth

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An artist's rendering of NASA's Europa Clipper passing over the ice-covered moon Europa as it orbits Jupiter. The spacecraft is scheduled to reach Jupiter in 2030.
science

How Many Other Oceans Exist in Our Solar System?

Some of the moons orbiting Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus may hide deep saltwater expanses beneath their icy crusts.
Robin George Andrews March 18, 2025
Our planet frequently gets dinged with smaller, harmless asteroids like RW1. Planetary defense systems able to detect them should also be able to spot bigger threats.
meteorites

Asteroid 2024 RW1 Just Hit Earth. That's a Good Thing.

The asteroid that exploded over Luzon was not a threat—but it was a victory for our planetary defense systems.
Robin George Andrews September 5, 2024
A variety of animals, from birds to mammals, including lemurs, have been observed eating fermented fruit, apparently to get a little tipsy.
science

From Naming Each Other to Getting Drunk, Animals Are More Like Us Than We Thought

We're not so special after all.
Robin George Andrews July 24, 2024
An interferogram of Kathmandu shows the amount of land deformation after a 2015 quake: Each color represents about an inch of deformation. In areas that appear speckled, including the large area on the right, the ground deformed more than three feet.
science

Plate Tectonics Has a Surprise Silver Lining

Without this restless geologic process, which triggers destructive earthquakes, Earth would not be habitable.
Robin George Andrews May 29, 2024
Even from 140 million miles away, we are impacted by our smaller planetary neighbor.
mars

We Know the Moon Makes Tides, but What About Mars?

Recent research suggests that our planetary neighbor causes a stir deep under the ocean.
Robin George Andrews April 2, 2024
A bathymetric map shows the Solito Seamount off the coast of Chile. Scientists on a recent expedition found isolated seamounts like these to hold distinct ecosystems, including thriving deep-sea coral reefs and sponge gardens.
volcanoes

Every Time They're Found, Underwater Volcanoes Just Burst With Life

New discoveries off the Chilean coast include dozens of species new to science.
Robin George Andrews March 12, 2024
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was a test—and a first in the history of aviation
space exploration

Where the Little Helicopter on Mars Fits in the History of Aviation

If the past is any guide, things are going to take off quickly.
Robin George Andrews February 13, 2024
Eggnog, technically, comes from space.
astronomy

Asteroid Collisions, Wandering Spacecraft, and Eggnog

Taking holiday a moment to appreciate how Earth got its water—and eggnog and mulled wine.
Robin George Andrews December 21, 2023
A illustration imagines the aftermath of Earth's collision with Theia, and how the material ejected by it slowly began to reform into an orbital body.
science

Theia and the Collision That Gave Birth to the Moon

Evidence deep within the planet suggests that remnants of Earth's catastrophic twin might still lie below.
Robin George Andrews December 4, 2023