2009 Science News of the Year

December 29th, 2009

While most people probably never even hear about many of these stories, anyone that reads a little about science will come a crossed team and be amazed. Many this year have to do with things not of this Earth.

Grab a heated blanket and get ready to read. Here are some of the top Science News of 2009 stories:

Water on the moon
The moon isn’t bone dry: Although planetary scientists had suspected as much for years, recent studies show that the surface is surprisingly dewy and the interior contains more water than previous analyses had indicated (SN: 10/24/09, p. 10).

Fresh view
Astronauts transform the Hubble Space Telescope into a new and improved observatory, which by September results in a series of new images for astronomers (SN Online: 5/19/09; SN: 9/26/09, p. 7).

Young heavyweights
Peering into the centers of five of the youngest galaxy clusters known in the universe, astronomers find several full-grown, massive adults among the myriad of toddlers. The discovery could call into question the leading theory of galaxy formation (SN: 4/25/09, p. 5).

Extra pounds
The biggest supermassive black holes may be two to four times heavier than previously thought (SN: 7/4/09, p. 5).