Science

Asteroid samples escaping from jammed open NASA spacecraft

By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

The sample container on the end of the robot arm penetrated so deeply into the asteroid and with such force that rocks got sucked in and became wedged around the rim of the lid.

Washington state discovers first 'murder hornet' nest in U.S.

By Nicholas K. Geranios, Associated Press

Despite their nickname, the hornets kill at most a few dozen people a year in Asian countries, while other bugs cause more deaths in the U.S. The real threat is their devastating attacks on already at-risk honeybees.

Can't crush this: Beetle armor gives clues to tougher planes

By Marion Renault, Associated Press

The aptly named diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand being crushed by forces almost 40,000 times its body weight.

WATCH: NASA releases first images from OSIRIS-REx touchdown on asteroid

By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft crushed rocks and sent rubble flying as it briefly touched an asteroid, a strong indication that samples were collected for return to Earth, officials said Wednesday.

Lawsuit says Trump administration ignored risk of huge spills to endangered species

By Janet McConnaughey, Associated Press

Environmental groups asked a federal court Wednesday to throw out the Trump administration's assessment of oil and gas activity’s likely effects on endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico, saying it dismisses the chance of another disastrous blowout like the…

NASA spacecraft successfully touches asteroid for rare space samples

By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

A NASA spacecraft has descended to an asteroid and momentarily touched the surface to collect a handful of cosmic rubble for return to Earth. It was a first for the U.S.

WATCH: NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to collect sample from asteroid Bennu

By Elizabeth Cantwell, The Conversation

OSIRIS-REx will touch down on asteroid Bennu, collect a sample of the dust and begin its journey back to Earth, where scientists will study it, hoping to learn secrets of the solar system's origin.

Marine heat wave 'blobs' are becoming more severe as oceans warm

By Nicola Jones, Yale Environment 360

With oceans absorbing more than 90 percent of global warming, marine heatwaves are becoming hotter and larger and are lasting longer. Scientists say the trend has major ecological consequences, from altering fish and plant populations to forcing whales into hazardous…

PG&E lacked basic training before California blackouts

By Michael Liedtke, Justin Pritchard, Associated Press

When Pacific Gas & Electric cut power to large swaths of wildfire-prone Northern California last fall, few of the emergency personnel managing the blackouts for the nation’s largest utility had learned the fundamentals of managing an emergency in their home…

Touch-and-go: US spacecraft sampling asteroid for return

By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

After almost two years circling an ancient asteroid hundreds of millions of miles away, a NASA spacecraft this week will attempt to descend to the treacherous, boulder-packed surface and snatch a handful of rubble.