Compiled by David Kaplan, Michael Wright and William Gray

Firefighters forced to backtrack on meteorite fire claim

Firefighters in Maryland backtrack after blaming a meteorite for a brush fire.

Extending the New Horizons mission

“We call this mission to explore the Kuiper Belt (KB) “KEM” — for KB Extended Mission. The centerpiece of the KEM is the close flyby of an ancient Kuiper Belt object (KBO) called 2014 MU69 on Jan 1, 2019.”

A hunt for clues to the universe’s birth

PPPL’s new PTOLEMY Laboratory will help scientists hunt for elusive Big Bang neutrinos that could offer clues to the origins of the universe.

Art meets physics at Princeton Art Museum exhibit

PPPL graduate students get out of the laboratory and into the gallery in a collaboration on the connection between art and physics at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Maria Popova reviews Janna Levin’s ‘Black Hole Blues’

In “Black Hole Blues: And Other Songs From Outer Space,” the astrophysicist and novelist Janna Levin chronicles the decades-long development of LIGO — a quest marked by the highest degree of human intelligence, zest and perseverance.

‘The Universe in Your Hand’ and ‘Seven Brief Lessons on Physics’

Jennifer Ouelette reviews Christophe Galfard’s “The Universe in Your Hand,” and Carlo Rovelli’s “Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.”

Albert Einstein’s wonderful letter of support to Marie Curie

Few things are more disheartening to witness than the bile which small-spirited people of inferior talent often direct at those endowed with genius. And few things are more heartening to witness than the solidarity and support which kindred spirits of goodwill extend to those targeted by such loathsome attacks.

How to Talk to Aliens?

In the Victorian era, a small group of scientists worked on proposals for extraterrestrial communication. Many involved giant mirrors.

A visionary project aims for Alpha Centauri

Silicon Valley scientists and billionaires announce an effort to send probes to explore Alpha Centauri, an interstellar mission that could take decades.

Planets stripped bare by host stars

Astronomers have defined a class of planet that have had their atmospheres stripped away by their host stars.

Lessons from the Retrofit Revolution

From the IDA: Policymakers are under ever-increasing pressure to save energy, reduce costs and lower taxes, all while continuing to make their cities safer and more attractive. Although joining the LED streetlight revolution seems like a great solution, this seemingly good short-term answer often comes with misinformation, creating potential long-term negative effects on the environment and human health.

You could snooze your way through an asteroid belt

Misconception: In an asteroid belt, spaceships have to dodge a fusillade of oncoming rocks.

Actually: If you were in the middle of an asteroid belt, you probably wouldn’t see any asteroids at all.

NASA is facing a climate change countdown

Kennedy Space Center and other NASA facilities near coastlines are facing the prospect of continually rising waters.

Japanese satellite Hitomi: Lost in space?

Dozens of Japanese engineers and scientists are scrambling to save an X-ray satellite – and more than a quarter of a billion dollars of investment – tumbling out of control in space.

Comet 67P presented in silhouette

Perfectly backlit by our star, Comet 67P was photographed in dramatic fashion by the Rosetta spacecraft – 260 million km from Earth.

The first inflatable home being launched into space

NASA’s inflatable space home was launched on 8 April. Take a peek at what it looks like and why it’s so important.