Space

Although most people today will never set foot on the moon, it's likely you come into contact with a NASA byproduct every day.

Are we alone? Jodie Foster's character in "Contact" didn't think so, and neither do the scientists who've been listening for an extraterrestrial message for decades.

By William Harris

Why should space agencies and private companies get to have all the fun of making and launching true spacecraft, or those that cross the Karman line? Can't the rest of us seize a little cosmic glory, too?

By Robert Lamb

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

Galaxies got their start nearly 14 billion years ago, with one unimaginably hot, dense and tiny pinpoint. How did we arrive at the universe's sprawling state of galactic affairs today?

By Robert Lamb

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

Comic books have happily subscribed to the theory of multiple universes for decades. After all, how else could flying and leaping versions of Superman exist at the same time? In the real world, things are a little different.

By Robert Lamb

Humans in space may age just a bit more slowly than the rest of us, but they also experience rapid muscle and bone mass loss. Why does this happen, and do astronauts recover?

By Jessika Toothman

It wasn't so long ago that astronomers thought the universe contained normal matter, or baryonic matter, the base unit of which is the atom. But when it comes to the cosmos, there's always more than meets the eye. What else is hanging out in space?

By William Harris

Not a star. Not an airplane. No, this is something radically different. It moves through the night sky with amazing speed and pulsates with radiance beyond anything you've ever witnessed. UFO?

By Robert Lamb

Forget about curb appeal. This cosmic fixer-upper requires some serious renovations before we can start living on it. So how serious are we talking? And are they going to happen in our lifetime?

By Robert Lamb

Whether we head there to mine some helium-3 or take the first steps in expanding humanity's reach into the solar system, we want to go to the moon -- permanently. When's that going to happen?

By Robert Lamb

The occasional sunspot can interrupt communications here on Earth. But major solar flares have the potential to cause more havoc. Could a flare-up wipe out all our electronics?

By Jonathan Strickland

Scientists have discovered the existence of water on both our moon and on Mars. Both findings are significant, but what do they mean? Can we use this information to our advantage for space exploration?

By Josh Briggs

It's safe to assume there won't be a moon colony any time soon. But it's still a tantalizing thought. But wouldn't it be cool to be able to live, vacation and work on the moon?

By Marshall Brain

Pluto is relatively round and orbits the Sun. So, why doesn't it qualify as a planet?

By Patrick J. Kiger & Kathryn Whitbourne

Project Mercury launched the first American into space. Have a look back at this historic mission.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

SETI is the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and it's dedicated to discovering signals sent to Earth from far, far away. Find out what would happen if an extraterrestrial were to make contact.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Don't worry. We still love you, Earth, but we've been wondering about the possibility of life on other worlds for centuries, and now we have the tools to do some exploring. What have astronomers found so far?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D., Patrick J. Kiger & Nicholas Gerbis

Alien life forms would probably differ from those on Earth but still adhere to certain principles. Learn about astrobiology and the search for alien life forms.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Get a sneak peek (even before NASA scientists) at a new type of spacecraft that could be jolted through space by electromagnets.

By Kevin Bonsor

Since the 1960s, we've been captivated by the planet Mars. How different is our neighbor, and what have we learned about the most explored planet?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D., Nicholas Gerbis & Mark Mancini

Asteroid mines could become an incredible source of building supplies for a colony on the moon. Learn how they will work!

By Kevin Bonsor

Imagine waking up in the morning, looking out your window and seeing the planet Earth below you. What would it be like to live in space? Find out all about the International Space Station.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.