http://bigblog.com/space_science.html The latest in Space Science http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/3439/why-sea-lilies-walk Summary: New research has shown that sea urchins have been preying on sea lilies for over 200 million years, and this interaction led to lilies developing the ability to creep along the ocean floor. The study provides a unique look into how organisms are able to evolve in response to environmental pressures over time. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0321-space-sidebar-20100321,0,5588916.story NASA’s future cloudy as U.S. plans to shift focus in space exploration NASAs future cloudy as U.S. plans to shift focus in space exploration http://www.physorg.com/news187979117.html New thermal images from ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and other ground-based telescopes show swirls of warmer air and cooler regions never seen before within Jupiters Great Red Spot. The image on the left was obtained with the VISIR on the VLT in Chile on May 18, 2008. It was taken in the infrared wavelength range of 10.8 microns, which is sensitive to Jupiter's atmospheric temperatures in the 300 to 600 millibar pressure range. That pressure range is close to the altitude of the white, red and brown aerosols seen in the visible-light image on the right, which was obtained by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope on May 15, 2008. These images show the interaction of three of Jupiter's largest storms -- the Great Red Spot and two smaller storms nicknamed Oval BA and Little Red Spot. http://www.physorg.com/news188147327.html NASA's Operation IceBridge mission will make science flights from Kangerlussuaq and Thule, Greenland, in spring 2010 to survey the area's ice sheet, outlet glaciers and sea ice. Credit: NASA http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2010-03/21/c_13218848.htm File photo shows a NASA satellite image from September 16, 2007 and released on September 21, 2007, shows Arctic summer sea ice. Arctic sea ice melted to its lowest level ever this week, shattering a record set in 2005 and continuing a trend spurred by human-caused global warming, scientists said on September 20, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters File photo) http://www.physorg.com/news188361870.html A Russian Proton-M rocket launched a US EchoStar 14 telecommunications into orbit Sunday, the Khrunichev space centre announced. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Most-primitive-supermassive-black-holes-known-discovered/articleshow/5701420.cms WASHINGTON: Astronomers claim to have discovered two of the earliest and most primitive supermassive black holes known, which may provide a better understanding of the roots of the universe. http://www.aerotechnews.com/local/Space/Soyuz-landing-caps-milestone-space-station-mission Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Max Suraev landed their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft on the steppes of Kazakhstan March 18, wrapping up a five-and-a-half-month stay aboard the International Space Station. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/19/BAJ81CGP6A.DTL&type=science (03-19) 11:03 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The ringed planet Saturn, brilliant jewel of the night sky, has revealed new insights into the behavior of its rings for scientists studying signals from the Cassini spacecraft still flying through the Saturnian neighborhood after six years in orbit. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0321-space-future-20100321,0,1555584.story The STS-131 crew is at Kennedy Space Center for a practice countdown, getting ready for the scheduled launch of Discovery on April 5, 2010. http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/online/news/articles/2010-03/New-Research-Initiative-by-eHydr eHydrogen Solutions has announced a major new research and development initiative utilising solar energy as the main power source for real-time hydrogen creation. http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90781/90879/6925659.html NASA on Sunday kicked off the second year of a mission designed to conduct a airborne survey of the Earth's polar ice. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/21/dotcom-space-race As the space shuttle ages and Nasa's funding is cut, America's technology entrepreneurs are building a new generation of rockets with their own money to fill the gap and make a profit http://fe8.story.media.sp1.yahoo.com/news/story/maple/en-US/afp/20100319/sc_afp/russiausspaceiss AFP Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov displays a toy duck, during a press conference outside Moscow in http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article365915.ece The government is considering reopening apartheid-era space rocket launch sites to fast-track a national space programme http://explainers.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/planet-gazing/ On the retreat last weekend, a bunch of us were trying to identify which of the stars were actually planets. Nobody knew, but we did come up with some questions: http://media-newswire.com/release_1114808.html WASHINGTON -- Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Max Suraev landed their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft on the steppes of Kazakhstan Thursday, wrapping up a five-and-a-half-month stay aboard the International Space Station. http://www.planetary.org/about/press/releases/2010/0317_Planetary_Society_Offers_Funding_to.html Pasadena, CA, "In a cosmic game of pinball with asteroids and comets, we dont want Earth to get hit," said Planetary Society Director of Projects Bruce Betts. "At least not by anything big enough to cause damage." http://www.firstscience.com/home/news/atmospheric-science/esa-and-thales-alenia-space-enter-negotiations-for-mtg_81143.html The tendering process that will result in the supply of Europe's next series of meteorological satellites, Meteosat Third Generation, has reached an advanced stage as ESA invites Thales Alenia Space to enter formal contract negotiations. http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/3438/shrimp-under-ice Summary: While taking the first images of the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica, scientists have made a surprising discovery. They captured video of a complex, shrimp-like animal swimming through the cold and dark subglacial waters. http://www.itwire.com/science-news/space/37732-3202010-equinox-brings-moon-pleiades Subscribe to our FREE daily ICT NewsletterGet stories like this delivered to your in box free - Subscribe http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0321-space-future-20100321,0,1555584.story The STS-131 crew is at Kennedy Space Center for a practice countdown, getting ready for the scheduled launch of Discovery on April 5, 2010. http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/article.php?q=100320107-princeton-scientists-say-einstein-theory-applies-beyond-the-solar-system Physics | Chemistry | Geology and palaeontology | Biology | Environment | Astronomy | Health | Technology | In pictures | InMotion http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/article.php?q=100320100-mysterious-cosmic-dark-flow-tracked-deeper-into-universe Physics | Chemistry | Geology and palaeontology | Biology | Environment | Astronomy | Health | Technology | In pictures | InMotion http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/03/review-hubble-3d/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wiredunderwire+%28Blog+-+The+Underwire%29 And what beautiful movies they are. The stunning space vistas and intimate moments with astronauts make for a fascinating flash of interstellar eye candy.