Do no harm to life on Mars? Ethical limits of Prime Directive

A philosopher argues that now is the time to figure it out, before we make the inevitable discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Moon and Jupiter on May 14

Watch for them. Really. The moon and Jupiter will be a sight to see in the sky on May 14, 2016.

Do you have friggatriskaidekaphobia?

May 13 is 2016's lone Friday the 13th. Here’s the story behind Friday the 13th superstition and numerology.

Volcanic eruption in far south Atlantic

If it weren't for satellites, the eruption on Bristol island might have gone unnoticed. Instead, here are pics.

Old under-ice volcanoes on Mars

An oddly textured region of southern Mars is not ice-covered today. Yet landforms here - and now certain minerals - are associated with under-ice volcanoes.

Ride along as a rocket lands

A rocketcam gives you a ringside seat on the view from space, as Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket plummets earthward for an upright landing.

Jupiter can guide you to the Beehive

Look for Jupiter tonight, and note its location. Then - when the moon drops out of the evening sky - use Jupiter to find the famous Beehive star cluster.

Kepler confirms 1,284 new planets

The announcement more than doubles Kepler's confirmed exoplanets and suggests that, somewhere out there, we'll discover another Earth.

Where red Mars looks blue

Most images of Mars show colors homogenized by red dust and regolith. This infrared-red-blue color image shows Mars' bedrock ... and many colors.

Watch SpaceX Dragon depart ISS May 11

The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, carrying valuable science research, will depart from the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth. Watch it live.