Space

If our living space is to become outer space, we have a lot of challenges to address. And our first line of defense will be space architects.

By John Donovan

Nobody's nose knows better than NASA's George Aldrich. He's the longest-serving member of the space agency's odor panel, which basically sniffs and smells everything that goes up into space.

By John Donovan

On Earth, we have a constant supply of fresh air. But what happens in the tiny, confined cabins of spacecraft, like the space shuttle or space stations? How is oxygen supplied to the people on board?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

In the confined cabins of spacecraft, like the space shuttle or space stations, carbon dioxide, which is toxic, poses a problem for astronauts. Keep reading to see how that CO2 is eliminated.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Exoplanets, planets beyond our solar system, have been found in their thousands in the last two decades. Before that, we barely knew about the variety in outer space.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

If you consider throwing down a welcome mat on the porch of the International Space Station the same as living "elsewhere," then yes. But what about the moon and destinations beyond?

By William Harris

We've been cruising to and from the International Space Station since 2000. Isn't it about time we started moving on to other space destinations and establishing human outposts?

By Patrick J. Kiger

It's tough to wrap your mind around a time when the Earth wasn't here. So how do Earth and the rest of the planets out there get their start in the universe?

By Robert Lamb

We can't defy the odds of an asteroid taking a turn for Earth forever, so the world's astronomers watch the sky. What happens once they spot something?

By Robert Lamb

GPS is great, but it's kind of Earth-centric. If we have our hearts set on traveling to distant planets and faraway stars, then it's time to come up with a new navigation system. NASA, of course, has an idea.

By William Harris

It's not just NASA pros staring into the night sky. Lots of skilled amateurs are out there pointing their telescopes into the great beyond. But can the average space enthusiast actually make a critical discovery?

By Kate Kershner

Leash your cheetah, buckle your seatbelt and tell Usain Bolt to take a knee. We're about to power through some of the speediest stuff this universe - both in the real world and in fiction - has to offer.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus & Kate Kershner

From sporting goods to movie memorabilia, members of the space program have been inventive about what they take into space. Here are 10 offbeat items that have taken the ride.

By Laurie L. Dove

It's not uncommon for planets to wander alone through the universe like big, sullen teenagers. But how do they end up flying solo, and could they still harbor life?

By Kate Kershner

Yes, we have some amazing inventions thanks to space exploration, and we're curious about life on other planets. But the cosmos also touches a deeper part of our psyches. Here are 10 reasons space exploration matters to you.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Our knowledge of space changes all the time as new discoveries are made. But some ideas about the universe have never really held water - including the one that everything is made of frozen H2O.

By Nathan Chandler

A dying star can explode with the force of a few octillion nuclear bombs and create any element in the universe. But why do stars go supernova?

By Laurie L. Dove

These days, we may take the stars for granted, but it's not hard to imagine the wonder early humans must have felt gazing up at those inexplicable points of light. Naturally, superstitions were bound to develop - some more fortuitous than others.

By Bambi Turner & Sascha Bos

When you think about massive, mysterious cosmic bodies like accretion disks, the water swirling around your bathtub probably isn't the first thing to come to mind. But hey, physics works the same magic on all scales.

By Kate Kershner

The history of space exploration is full of firsts: first animal in space, first human on the moon, first probe to reach mars. But as they say, you've got to look before you leap. So what was the first telescope launched into space?

By Kate Kershner

The government's secret Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program has spent millions researching UFOs and alien life. Are they covering up their findings?

By Diana Brown

Check out this video of what astronauts in space see as the shadow of the moon crosses our planet.

By Christopher Hassiotis

And don't worry. Even if NASA misses, we'll be fine.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D.

In space, poop is often a problem. Maybe it will be part of the solution, thanks to a study showing waste can become protein and fat.

By Nathan Chandler

And it's just a galactic hop, skip and a jump away.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D.