EARTH

Two separate reports recently confirmed ice covering the Arctic Ocean is melting at an alarmingly fast pace.

More than 50 new alien planets- - including one super-Earth that could potentially support life -- have been found in the largest extrasolar planet haul announced at one time, astronomers say.

Astronomers have observed extreme brightness changes on a nearby cool brown dwarf that may indicate a massive storm ever seen on a planet.

A recent extrasolar planet haul has identified one earth-like planet that exists only 36 light-years away from the Earth. The announcement about the discovery of this planet was made by European astronauts on Monday.

The Arctic sea ice extent in the last few days have decline slowly, the National Snow and Ice Data Center on Tuesday said that Arctic sea ice extent is currently at the second-lowest levels in the satellite record since 1979.

Arctic sea ice this summer melted to a record low extent or will come a close second, two different research institutes said on Tuesday, confirming a trend which could yield an ice-free summer within a decade.

A defunct satellite poised to fall back to Earth will make its final plunge during the last week of September, NASA officials say.

The odds of a planet other than Earth being able to support life are vanishingly small, but astronomers believe a super earth just outside our solar system may be hospitable to life.

The European astronomers have discovered 50 alien planets outside our solar system, they said in an announcement on Monday.

Astronomers announced on Monday that they have discovered 50 alien planets outside our solar system, including 16 so-called super-Earths, one of which orbits the edge of the habitable zone of its star.

Astronomers have discovered 50 new exoplanets, including a possible habitable planet in what is considered as a significant event that could lead to the discovery of other small rocky habitable planets around stars similar to our Sun.

European astronomers announced on Monday that they have found 50 new planets outside our solar system, including 16 so-called super-Earths that could potentially support life.

Astronomers using a powerful new planet hunting telescope have discovered more than 50 new planets, including one just outside our solar system that could be hospitable to life.

Particles of a defunct 7-ton research satellite falling towards Earth could potentially shatter on the earth's surface and rain debris on densely populated areas including Britain, NASA reports.

The Arctic sea ice has reached a record historical low point on Sept. 8th, since satellite observations began in 1972.Global warming is melting the Arctic ice cap in a much higher speed than scientists had predicted, despite a rainy and cold summer.

Guinea's parliament adopted a new mining code that more than doubles the share the West African state can take in mining projects to 35% and toughens procedures for acquiring development permits, the government said on Saturday.

A defunct NASA satellite is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere by early October, sparking concerns that some debris might shower down on populated areas.

Reports about an Arctic summertime sans ice due to global warming and natural swings in regional wind patterns are quite alarming. The extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean reached a record low this week since satellite observations began in 1972, according to the University of Bremen's Institute of Environmental Physics.

A new study has made a surprising finding that a serendipitous crash of a mammoth meteorite onto ancient Earth brought gold and other complex and heavy elements from outer space. The study also shows that -- hold your breath -- precious metals are super-abundant in the crust of our planet.

The North Pole's ice skull cap shrank to an historic low this week. Shrinking to its lowest point since satellite observations began in 1972, the area covered by the Arctic sea ice shrank to 4.24 million square kilometers (1.637 square miles) on Sept. 8, according to the University of Bremen's Institute of Environmental Physics.

The 6.5 ton falling NASA satellite will hit earth’s atmosphere by early October filling a 500-mile-wide range of land in Britain, Europe, northern Canada and southern South America and three oceans with its remains.