Crack! Lightning over the Atlantic

John Entwistle captured this image on North Carolina's Outer Banks of "an insane lightning strike lighting up the clouds over the ocean."

Researchers find fast flip in Earth’s magnetic field

By studying the magnetic record left behind in earthly rocks, researchers found a magnetic field reversal - where magnetic north became magnetic south - lasting only 2 centuries.

InSight halfway there! Update on Opportunity rover

Updates on 2 Mars missions, 1 old and 1 new. Insight is on course for a November touchdown. The 15-year-old Opportunity rover lost contact with Earth months ago, due to a global dust storm, but the engineering team is hopeful.

Mars, the moon, a bottle rocket

It's been a gala summer for Mars!

Ice confirmed at moon’s poles

It's the 1st definitive evidence of water ice on the moon's surface.

Researchers say STEVE isn’t an aurora

What's been called a new kind of aurora - the striking sky phenomenon dubbed STEVE - isn't an aurora at all, according to a new study.

What are rare earth elements?

Most of us use rare earth elements every day – without knowing it. These little-known and fascinating elements make modern electronics possible.

North America’s smoky skies

Do your skies look hazy? Are your sunsets very orange, or layered-looking, or does the sun or moon look orange while high in the sky? If you're in the northern U.S. or Canada, the reason is still wildfire smoke.

Compare sizes of sun and stars

It’s hard to get your head around the sheer size of objects in space, but take 2 minutes and give it a try!

Earth’s ingredients pretty normal, say astronomers

Astronomers have discovered that the basic building blocks of some planetary systems are very similar to Earth's elements, helpful information in the search for truly Earth-like planets in other solar systems.