Planet-Hunting Spacecraft Shows Its Stuff by Detecting a Known Exoplanet
from Scientific American
NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which may soon help scientists put our planet in its galactic context by showing how common Earth-like worlds are throughout the Milky Way, is off to a good start. Full Article

Do Clouds Come From Outer Space?
from ScienceNow
Most of Earth's clouds get their start in deep space. That's the surprising conclusion from a team of researchers who argue that interstellar cosmic rays collide with water molecules in our atmosphere to form overcast skies. Full Article

Miniature Gravity Detector Could Peer Inside Planets
from NewScientist
Peering beneath the surface of Mars and other planets to reveal buried geological features could get easier, thanks to a nifty new silicon gadget. The device, called a gravity gradiometer, has been designed to measure how much the force of gravity changes from place to place, enabling it to map a planet's gravitational field. Full Article

A Source of Haze
from ScienceNews
Scientists now know how a natural hydrocarbon emitted in large quantities by plants can be transformed into light-scattering aerosols that contribute to haze and influence climate. The finding will improve models of atmospheric chemistry and climate and may help explain puzzling field observations in some parts of the world, the researchers report. Full Article