National Geographic News - Science

NEW ROBOT PICTURES: Best Moon-Digging Rovers Named

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

In a battle for the lightest yet strongest, robotic competitors in the 2009 Regolith Excavation Challenge hauled hundreds of pounds of simulated moon soil. Winning designs may actually end up on the moon if NASA builds a lunar outpost.

SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: Test Rocket, Moon Plume, More

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Get an astronaut's-eye view of a volcanic eruption, examine a newfound Martian meteorite, see proof that a NASA craft smashed into the moon, and more in the week's best space pictures.

Crime-Fighting Leech Fingers Perp

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Police in Australia say a blood-engorged leech, through DNA testing, led them to a man responsible for the robbery eight years ago of a 71-year-old woman.Video

Googling Fights Dementia, Study Suggests

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Using search engines may help stave off dementia and memory loss among older people, according to a new report. During the study, key areas of Web newbies' brains were activated after regular Googling.

2009 Orionid Meteor Shower Peak Begins

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The annual Orionid meteor shower, caused by debris from Halley's comet, should put on a "decent show" this year as up to 25 meteors an hour streak across a moonless sky, astronomers say.

32 New Planets Found Outside Our Solar System

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The massive haul of new worlds brings the number of known extrasolar planets to more than 400, astronomers say.

Chimps Display Humanlike Good Will

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Without having been trained to do so, chimps in a Japanese study helped their fellow apes access elusive juice. The researchers say this adds to evidence that chimps are more similar to humans than previously thought. Video

"Rejected" Protons Offer a New View of the Moon

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Solar particles bounced back into space by the lunar surface are giving scientists new insight into how the sun affects the moon, a new study says.

Orionids Meteor Shower Starts This Weekend

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The annual Orionids meteor shower, caused by debris from Halley's comet, should put on a "decent show" this year as meteors streak across a moonless sky, astronomers say.

FIREBALL PICTURE: Meteor Explodes Over the Netherlands

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A huge fireball streaked over several Dutch towns on Tuesday before it broke apart, creating a sonic boom that rattled windows, witnesses report.