Betelgeuse - the somber red star in the shoulder of the constellation Orion the Hunter - is one of the largest stars visible to the eye alone. Massive stars like Betelgeuse will eventually explode as supernovae. Astronomer Brad Schaefer told Earth & Sky that Betelgeuse could become a supernova any day now.

Microcredit - loans to the poor made without collateral - is catching on in Latin America with the help of the Whole Planet Foundation, according to Muhammad Yunus.

In 2007, scientists took a step forward in finding evidence for former life on Mars. A rock split open by the wheels of the Mars Spirit rover revealed that it, and rocks surrounding it, were made of more than 90 percent silica. These silica-rich rocks might be deposits from former hot springs on Mars, similar to hot springs found at Yellowstone National Park.

David Deutsch talks about quantum computers in his book, The Fabric of Reality, and "tries to present a unified world view that incorporates all our best knowledge."

Recycling expert Jeremy O'Brien responds to a student's question about why some materials can be recycled and others can not.

EarthSky Communications, Inc., announced today that it has opened new company headquarters with state-of-the-art production facilities in its hometown of Austin, Texas.

In 2007, astronomers discovered Gliese 581c, a planet whose radius is 50% larger than that of our Earth. Using computers to investigate the properties of distant worlds like this one, these scientists believe that plate tectonics - shifting land plates - might be possible. That's significant because plate tectonics on Earth drive a key mechanism for earthly life.

EarthSky Communications has joined 57 universities and other organizations in a major effort to mount a presidential debate on science, technology, and the economy.

Evidence from the Voyager spacecraft reveals that the shape of our solar system is 'squashed.' Ed Stone, Chief Scientist of the Voyager Mission, told EarthSky that the sun creates a bubble around itself. He said that in August of 2007, Voyager 2 reached the edge of the bubble about a billion miles closer to the sun than Voyager 1 did in 2004.

EarthSky Communications, Inc., is joining NASA and thousands of scientists around the world in celebrating the International Polar Year (IPY). Read more here.