Building with DNA
Scientists are using DNA to make intricate nano-sized objects smaller than the tiniest speck of dust. DNA is a primary building block for life, but its ability to self-assemble could also help develop technologies for medical, electronic and space applications.

The Astrobiology Universe
The Astrobiology Science Conference, recently held in Santa Clara, California, was a complex universe teeming with topics and ideas. Although there were far too many interesting presentations to cover in full, this overview provides a few highlights.

Radiation Belt Storm
NASA will launch two probes into the radiation belts in order to study how violent space weather can affect astronauts and space equipment. The knowledge gained will be essential in designing safe future space missions.

Cassini to Continue
NASA is extending the Cassini-Huygens mission by two years. The mission has provided exciting and unexpected findings from locations like Titan and Enceladus, and will now continue is important observations of Saturn and the planet's unique moons.

ENDURANCE – Self Control
Researchers gathered last week in wintery Wisconsin to test a robotic probe under ice. Astrobiology Magazine’s Henry Bortman submits his final report on the probe’s progress in the field.

ENDURANCE Night Dive
Researchers have gathered this week in wintery Wisconsin to test a robotic probe under ice. Astrobiology Magazine’s Henry Bortman submits his second report on the probe’s progress in the field.

ENDURANCE Cold Water Test
Researchers have gathered this week in wintery Wisconsin to test a robotic probe under ice. Astrobiology Magazine’s Henry Bortman reports on the probe’s progress in the field.

Mapping Gases
Venus Express has peered below the thick clouds of Venus to provide accurate maps of water vapor and other gases in the planet's lower atmosphere. The data will teach scientists about Venus, and may yield important clues about climate change on Earth.

Can a Robot Draw a Map?
Scientists will need detailed geologic maps of Mars to guide their search for life there. Typically such maps are produced through painstaking human field work. A group of scientists from Carnegie Mellon University wants to know whether a robot could do the job instead.

Getting a Peek at Mercury
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has made its first flyby of Mercury. The craft collected data that shows a diversity of geological processes on the planet, and provides a new look at the planet's magnetosphere.