Basics of Astronomy and Space Exploration

Man has long been intrigued by the possibility of life on other worlds. In that vein a group of scientists and amateur astronomers has set out to search for signals from intelligent beings outside our world. What have we found so far? Is there life on other worlds?

What is a planet? It is one of the questions that I get most often in my astronomy class, and its a question that is at the source of great controversy. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union decided to answer that question and in doing so stripped Pluto of its planet-hood. The resulting fallout has caused rifts within the scientific...

Nearly all of us have wished, at one time or another, that we could travel through time. Whether it is to correct a mistake in the past, or to fast-forward to a much anticipated future event, the lure of time travel is unmistakable. But what does science say about time travel? Come along as we see whether it is possible to travel into the future.

There have been times when I wish that I could revisit the past. Perhaps to undo a mistake, or to visit a hero of history. Time travel is an often used plot device in many science fiction works, but is there any science behind it? Is it possible to time travel into the past?

Humans have been doing science for thousands of years creating such advances as medicine and traveling to the Moon. However, much of scientific research has become too costly without the corresponding benefit. Or has it?