News & Features
Follow mission news or learn about exciting new discoveries from NASA centers and research partners.
As the Seasons Change, Will the Plankton?
Feb. 17, 2011
To understand the planet’s biggest food source—phytoplankton—and perhaps its most important sink for carbon dioxide, you’ve got to get out on the water.
Musical Chairs around the Periodic Table
Feb. 17, 2011
The claim of a microbe that swaps arsenic for phosphorus may be questionable, but alternative chemistries for life is still a question worth considering, say researchers.
Herschel Measures Dark Matter for Star-Forming Galaxies
Feb. 17, 2011
The Herschel Space Observatory has revealed how much dark matter it takes to form a new galaxy bursting with stars. The findings are a key step in understanding how dark matter contributed to the birth of massive galaxies in the early universe.
Triple Tropical Threat in Southern Hemisphere
Feb. 16, 2011
Three tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere are causing concern for Madagascar and Australia. NASA's Hurricane page provides updated satellite data and information. Shown here is System 97S, near western Australia.
Counting Down to Glory's Launch
Feb. 16, 2011
The launch of NASA's Glory spacecraft is scheduled for February 23. Data from Glory, managed by Goddard, will allow scientists to better understand how the sun and tiny particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate.
SDO Sundog Mystery
Feb. 16, 2011
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), best known for cutting-edge images of the sun, has made a discovery right here on Earth.
NASA Releases Images of Man-Made Crater on Comet
Feb. 16, 2011
NASA's Stardust spacecraft returned new images of a comet showing a scar resulting from the 2005 Deep Impact mission.
Solar Dynamics Observatory: One Year in Space
Feb. 15, 2011
A year after launch, SDO has sent back millions of stunning images of the sun and a host of new data to help us understand the complex star at the heart of our solar system.
New View of Family Life in the North American Nebula
Feb. 15, 2011
"One of the things that makes me so excited about this image [from the Spitzer Space Telescope] is how different it is from the visible image, and how much more we can see," says researcher Luisa Rebull.
Glory Set to Launch Feb. 23 on Climate Mission
Feb. 15, 2011
The Glory spacecraft and its Taurus XL launch vehicle is set to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California 5:09 a.m. EST on Feb. 23. It will study the role tiny particles known as aerosols play in the planet's weather.