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Editors of EarthSky

Mars rover takes 3-year journey to rim of crater

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has reached the Endeavour crater to study clay minerals that may have formed at a warmer, wetter time.

Wildfire in Virginia’s Dismal Swamp

A satellite image of southern Virginia shows dense smoke as fire burns peat in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Researchers digitize brains, seek patterns of behavior

The UCSD Brain Observatory preserves each brain as a collection of digitized images that researchers can examine for patterns relating to behavior.

Heat-seeking vampire bats hone in on blood

UCSF researchers discover heat-detecting molecules on the nose nerve endings of vampire bats, similar to those that enable a human tongue to detect spicy food.

Krakatoa target of Earth Observing-1 satellite

The Earth Observing-1 satellite passes over Anak Krakatau - Krakatoa - and snaps a revealing shot of the growing volcano. Read more.

Sun packs double punch: Solar flare effects to reach Earth tonight

Aurora alert! The combined effects of two solar flares will reach Earth around 23 UTC on August 4. That is 7 p.m. EDT tonight. No major problems expected.

LEGO figurines going to Jupiter with Juno spacecraft

NASA’s Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft will carry LEGO likenesses of Galileo Galilei, the Roman god Jupiter, and his wife Juno to Jupiter.

Some types of nanoparticles negatively affect test heart

Researchers found that some commonly used nanoparticles negatively affected the heart rate, rhythm and ECG values of a test heart.

Astronomers find 96 new star clusters hidden in Milky Way dust

Astronomers found 96 new star clusters in our Milky Way - the first time so many have been found at once. Each spans light-years and contains 10-20 stars.

Crop-circle art created using physics?

A physicist suggests that crop-circle art might be done using GPS, lasers and microwaves to create intricate patterns on farmer's fields.