Latest articles by Elizabeth Howell
US-Sized Dust Storms Seen on Mars
Two large dust storms in two weeks, each spanning an area larger than the United States, have researchers pondering the atmospheric dynamics on Mars.
Mars Colonists Might Need to Radically Alter Their Bodies and Minds
Training in Antarctica or on the International Space Station won't provide adequate preparation for human settlement on Mars, according to new research.
Blue Jets Swirl Above Thunderstorm in Photo from Space Station
In views from the International Space Station, a mysterious set of electrical discharges shine above a roiling thunderstorm in Earth's upper atmosphere.
Look Up Friday! Green Comet and Snow Moon Eclipse Team Up for Skywatchers
Skywatchers this weekend will get two special, subtle treats: a penumbral lunar eclipse on Friday (Feb. 10) and a strange green comet reaching its peak viewing time the following morning.
'Alien' Life Could Exist High in Earth's Atmosphere
If high altitude balloons find basic microorganisms in the stratosphere and mesosphere, it could have serious implications for the hunt for extraterrestrial life in the atmospheres of other worlds.
Great, Mysterious Balls of Fire Speed by Dying Star
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has seen planet-size cannonballs of hot gas whipping past a dying star, but the origin of these plasma balls remains a mystery.
NASA Probe Sees the Edge of the Sun
The solar wind's evolution is finally coming to light, thanks to new analysis of observations from NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO).
Watch Earth Spin Through a Full Year in This Spectacular Time-Lapse Video
A sped-up video of Earth spinning through space shows a dizzying array of clouds and continents from a satellite located 1 million miles away.
Solar Probe Plus: We're Going to Dive Into the Sun
NASA's Solar Probe Plus mission is moving ahead with its daring 2018 launch to study the sun's super-heated atmosphere.
Move Over, 'Star Trek' — Hubble Telescope Sees the Real Final Frontier
Just in time for the new "Star Trek" movie arrival in theaters this weekend, the Hubble Space Telescope released its latest image from its "Frontier Fields" program.
SETI Seeks Ideas to Hunt Strange Alien Life-Forms
Alien life may not live by our rules, and it's time we appreciate that as we look to the stars for signs of alien biology.
By Jove! 7 Weirdest Facts About Jupiter
Here are some of the weirdest facts astronomers know about Jupiter.
Did the Sun Eat a Primordial Super-Earth?
Was there a so-called 'super-Earth' planet that formed inside the orbit of Mercury? If so, it might have been eaten by our sun.
First Supernova Shock Wave Image Snapped by Planet-Hunting Telescope
For the first time, scientists have seen the shock wave emanating from an exploding star in visible light.
