Asteroids
An Asteroid Just Passed Very Close to Earth
The truck-sized space rock came within 2,200 miles of our planet, closer than some satellites
The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2022
From Omicron’s spread to a revelation made using ancient DNA, these were the biggest moments of the past year
Why Frogs Survived the Asteroid That Wiped Out the Dinosaurs
Not too big, not too small—they were just the right size to live through Earth’s worst day
Three Near-Earth Asteroids Were Hiding in the Sun’s Glare
One of them, which measures nearly one mile wide, might cross paths with Earth in the distant future
NASA Successfully Altered an Asteroid’s Orbit
The agency's DART mission exceeded expectations, marking the first time humans have changed the trajectory of a celestial body
NASA Successfully Crashed a Spacecraft Into Its Asteroid Target
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a first step toward defending Earth from threatening space rocks
The Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid May Have Had a Companion
A newly discovered crater suggests a second impact that would have triggered underwater landslides and tsunamis
Building Blocks of Life Found on Samples Collected From an Asteroid
The find suggests that amino acids could land on Earth on meteorites
Mercury's Cratered Crust May Hold Glittering Gemstones
Fragments of a graphite shell from the planet's past and a series of violent meteorite impacts may have combined to form sparkling diamonds
Asteroid That Decimated the Dinosaurs Struck in Spring
Clues from fossil fish help scientists pinpoint the season when Earth’s fifth mass extinction began
Was Georgia O'Keeffe's Genius Appreciated Outside of America? And More Questions From Our Readers
You've got questions. We've got experts.
Ten Dazzling Celestial Events to See in 2022
Stargazers in North America can look forward to meteor showers, lunar eclipses and a stunning multi-planet lineup this year
This Metal-Rich, Potato-Shaped Asteroid Could Be Worth $10 Quintillion
In August, NASA is sending an orbiter to the space object, which may be the partial remains of planet-forming material made of nickel and iron
What Five Grams of 'Primordial' Stardust From an Asteroid Tell Scientists About How the Early Solar System Formed
Ryugu is a carbonaceous, water-rich space rock with a unique, dark coloration and porous composition
The Very Real Effort to Track Killer Asteroids and Comets
In "Don't Look Up," researchers warn authorities about a comet hurtling towards Earth. Such a scenario isn’t just science fiction
The Ambitious Idea to Study the Evolution of a Comet
Researchers want to send a spacecraft near Jupiter to join up with a chunk of rock and ice as it’s flung toward the sun
A Chip Off the Moon May Be Tailing Earth on Its Orbit Around the Sun
Researchers suspect the fragment may have been debris from a cratering event on the lunar surface
NASA's Lucy Probe Asteroid Mission Will Study Fossil-Like Origins of Our Solar System
The spacecraft launches on October 16 and is expected to reach its target by 2027
In 2182, It Could Be Cloudy With a Chance of Asteroid
Scientists calculate Bennu will come close, but will most likely miss Earth in about 160 years
Dinosaurs May Have Been Declining Before the Asteroid Struck Earth
The researchers say the cataclysmic impact may have simply been the final nail in the dinos’ coffin
