Scientists and philosopher team up, propose a new way to categorize minerals
A diamond lasts forever, but that doesn't mean all diamonds have a common history.
Earth Sciences
Dec 21, 2020
2
298
News tagged with planetary science
Best region for life on Mars was far below surface
The most habitable region for life on Mars would have been up to several miles below its surface, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fueled by geothermal heat, a Rutgers-led study concludes.
Space Exploration
Dec 02, 2020
2
520
Radioactive elements may be crucial to the habitability of rocky planets
The amount of long-lived radioactive elements incorporated into a rocky planet as it forms may be a crucial factor in determining its future habitability, according to a new study by an interdisciplinary team of scientists ...
Astronomy
Nov 10, 2020
19
790
Island-building in Southeast Asia created Earth's northern ice sheets
The Greenland ice sheet owes its existence to the growth of an arc of islands in Southeast Asia—stretching from Sumatra to New Guinea—over the last 15 million years, a new study claims.
Earth Sciences
Sep 24, 2020
2
295
Meteorites show transport of material in early solar system
New studies of a rare type of meteorite show that material from close to the Sun reached the outer solar system even as the planet Jupiter cleared a gap in the disk of dust and gas from which the planets formed. The results, ...
Astronomy
Sep 08, 2020
0
428
New clues to deep earthquake mystery
A new understanding of our planet's deepest earthquakes could help unravel one of the most mysterious geophysical processes on Earth.
Earth Sciences
May 27, 2020
4
263
Tectonic plates started shifting earlier than previously thought
An enduring question in geology is when Earth's tectonic plates began pushing and pulling in a process that helped the planet evolve and shaped its continents into the ones that exist today. Some researchers theorize it happened ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 22, 2020
4
3962
New models hint at longer timescale for Mars formation
The early solar system was a chaotic place, with evidence indicating that Mars was likely struck by planetesimals, small protoplanets up to 1,200 miles in diameter, early in its history. Southwest Research Institute scientists ...
Space Exploration
Feb 12, 2020
5
411
Scientists develop new method to detect oxygen on exoplanets
Scientists have developed a new method for detecting oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres that may accelerate the search for life.
Astronomy
Jan 06, 2020
1
1145
Investigating the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis
About 2.4 billion years ago, at the end of the Archean Eon, a planet-wide increase in oxygen levels called the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) created the familiar atmosphere we all breathe today. Researchers focused on life's ...
Earth Sciences
Dec 05, 2019
0
155
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets, moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation, interrelations and history. It is a strongly interdisciplinary field, originally growing from astronomy and earth science, but which now incorporates many disciplines, including planetary astronomy, planetary geology (together with geochemistry, geophysics and geomorphology as applied to planets), atmospheric science, theoretical planetary science, and the study of extrasolar planets. Allied disciplines include space physics, when concerned with the effects of the Sun on the bodies of the Solar System, and astrobiology.
There are interrelated observational and theoretical branches of planetary science. Observational research can involve a combination of space exploration, predominantly with robotic spacecraft missions using remote sensing, and comparative, experimental work in Earth-based laboratories. The theoretical component involves considerable computer simulation and mathematical modelling.
Planetary scientists are generally located in the astronomy and physics or earth sciences departments of universities or research centres, though there are several purely planetary science institutes worldwide. There are several major conferences each year, and a wide range of peer-reviewed journals.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
