Science News for Writers

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle  This artist's concept compares Earth (left) to the new planet, called Kepler-452b, which is about 60 percent larger in diameter. Bigger, older cousin to Earth discovered NASA's Kepler mission confirms planet in 'habitable zone' around sun-like star NASA: 23 July 2015.  NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed the first near-Earth-size planet in the "habitable zone" around a sun-like star. This discovery and the introduction of 11 other new small habitable zone candidate planets mark another milestone in the journey to finding another "Earth." The newly discovered Kepler-452b is the smallest planet to date discovered orbiting in the habitable zone -- the area around a star where liquid water could pool on the surface of an orbiting planet -- of a G2-type star, like our sun. The confirmation of Kepler-452b brings the total number of confirmed planets to 1,030. "On the 20th anniversary year of the...

Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF The National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory . Accelerating search for intelligent life in the universe The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope will join in the most powerful, comprehensive, and intensive scientific search ever for signs of intelligent life in the Universe. Breakthrough Listen The National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope (GBT) will join in the most powerful, comprehensive, and intensive scientific search ever for signs of intelligent life in the Universe. The international endeavor, known as the Breakthrough Listen, will scan the nearest million stars in our own Galaxy and stars in 100 other galaxies for the telltale radio signature of an advanced civilization. In a contract signed with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, significant funding -- approximately $2 million per year for 10 years -- will go to the GBT to participate in thi...