Planetary Science

We can’t yet tell how life got its start on Earth. That’s one great reason to keep looking for life elsewhere

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, owes his superstar success to self-satisfied competitors who blew obvious opportunities

Wispy whorls on the moon’s surface are as lovely as they are strange. Scientists are starting to unravel their origins

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer spacecraft took a shortcut to the giant planet by way of the Earth and the moon

August’s supermoon will be the first of four supermoons in a row

Surging solar activity means enormous sunspots are in the space-weather forecast. Here’s how to view them safely

New evidence points to a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer solar system as the culprit for Earth’s most recent mass extinction

Coronal mass ejections from the sun sparked dazzling auroras that were visible from the ground and from space

The possibility of liquid water beneath the surface of Saturn’s moon Mimas may offer clues to how such seas form, and another spot to search for life

Identifying asteroids with potential moons could aid researchers in understanding unique aspects of our solar system

Newfound spiderlike features suggest lunar explorers should watch their step

Mysterious “leopard spots” on a Martian rock could be evidence of extraterrestrial life—or of mere lifeless chemistry. Finding out the truth may require bringing the rock back to Earth