NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, or TRMM satellite looked at the rate rain was falling in Hurricane Earl yesterday, and it was intense.

In a bid to unlock long-standing mysteries of the sun, including the impacts on Earth of its 11-year cycle, an international team of scientists has successfully probed a distant star.

GREENBELT, Md.

WASHINGTON — A new report by the National Research Council identifies the highest- priority research activities for astronomy and astrophysics in the next decade that will "set the nation firmly on the path to answering profound questions about the cosmos." The decadal survey -- the Research Council's sixth -- prioritizes activities based on their ability to advance science in key areas, and for the first time also takes into account factors such as risks in technical readiness, schedule, and cost.

The chemical breakdown of minerals that may be lurking in space dust soon will be available to scientists around the world.

What if trains, planes and automobiles all were powered simply by the air through which they move? What if their exhaust and by-products helped the environment?

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug.