Astrophysics Topics
First Light for the Fermi Space Telescope
2008 — April 6, 2011
Today, NASA revealed first light images and announced a new name for its latest space telescope.
Naked-Eye Gamma-ray Burst Aimed Directly at Earth
2008 — April 6, 2011
Scientists are beginning to unravel the mystery of an extraordinary gamma-ray burst on March 19, 2008, which was visible to the naked eye. It turns out the explosion was aimed directly at Earth.
The Case of the Missing Gamma-ray Bursts
2008 — April 6, 2011
Gamma-ray Burstsare by far the brightest and most powerful explosions in the Universe, second only to the Big Bang itself. So it might seem a bit surprising that a group of them has gone missing.
Surprises from the Edge of the Solar System
2006 — April 6, 2011
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has entered a new realm of space, and it's beaming back some surprises.
Back-to-School Time for Astrobiologists
2001 — April 6, 2011
NATO and NASA are joining forces to host an Advanced Study Institute for students and practitioners of astrobiology.
Solving Charles Darwin's 'Abominable Mystery'
2001 — April 6, 2011
About 130 million years ago the first flowering plants suddenly appeared -- an event Charles Darwin described as an 'abominable mystery.' Now, scientists using chemical fossils are unraveling this ancient puzzle.
Sweet Meteorites
2001 — April 6, 2011
A NASA scientist has discovered sugar and several related organic compounds in two meteorites -- providing new evidence that the building blocks of life on Earth might have come from outer space.
Life as We Didn't Know It
2001 — April 6, 2011
Biologists always thought life required the Sun's energy, until they found an ecosystem that thrives in complete darkness.
Precocious Earth
2001 — April 6, 2011
Tiny zircon crystals found in ancient stream deposits suggest that Earth harbored continents and liquid water remarkably soon after our planet formed.
Ballooning for Cosmic Rays
2001 — April 6, 2011
Astronomers have long thought that supernovas are the source of cosmic rays, but there's a troubling discrepancy between theory and data. A balloon flight could shed new light on the mystery.