World News Center

Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years

March 11, 2010

NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington.

Shuttle lands at California air base

March 11, 2010

NASA officials Sunday waved off the first opportunity for space shuttle Endeavour to return to Earth, citing poor weather conditions.

iReporters watch planets, moon align

March 11, 2010

Inspiration for 'Contact' still listening

March 11, 2010

From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe.

Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise

March 11, 2010

Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft.

Deforestation conference to turn plans to action (AP)

March 11, 2010

AP - French President Nicolas Sarkozy will open a daylong conference Thursday of some 40 nations to start turning plans into action to save the world's forests and help rein in the noxious gases blamed for climate change.

Endangered listing eyed for US loggerhead turtles (AP)

March 11, 2010

AP - The federal government on Wednesday recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles in U.S. waters, a decision that could lead to tighter restrictions on fishing and other maritime trades.

Personal look at genes locates disease causes (AP)

March 11, 2010

AP - Children inherit about 30 mutated genes from each parent, fewer than had been thought, but enough in at least one case to pass on inherited illnesses, according to a first detailed look at the blueprint for human life in a family.

'Doomsday' Seed Vault Stores 500,000 Crops (LiveScience.com)

March 11, 2010

LiveScience.com - A mold-resistant bean, a German pink tomato and a wild strawberry plucked from the flanks of a Russian volcano are just some of the crops whose seeds are being tucked away this week in a giant vault dug out of a mountainside of the Norwegian island Svalbard.

48 Hawaii-only species given endangered listing (AP)

March 11, 2010

AP - Honeycreeper birds, a fly and several ferns, trees and shrubs found only on a Hawaiian island were among 48 species added Wednesday to the endangered species list, boosting the number of such classifications by the Obama administration from two to 50.