From mapping the moon’s gravity to intense views of the Northern Lights, view our monthly roundup of cosmic highlights from February 2013.
Dazzling Northern Lights over Iceland
The Northern Lights, more properly known as the Aurora Borealis, have long enchanted visitors to Iceland. With their dazzling colors and otherworldly glow, they might look like magic, but the science behind them is well …
How Computers Can Learn: For Starters, Chuck the Silicon
The power of every computer you’ve ever owned is also its weakness: the digital microchip
EcocentricGoing Green
Why the Debt Crisis Has Trumped the Climate Crisis—at Least in D.C.
Washington media and politicians are certain that something must be done—and soon—about the debt crisis. But climate change rarely gets that kind of traction. Why it matters which crisis we choose
Cosmic Fuggedaboudit: Dark Matter May Not Exist At All
A once-improbable theory is challenged by a new, even less probable one
EcocentricEnergy
Why Innovation Alone Isn’t Enough to Win the Climate Fight
After the failure of cap and trade, many climate advocates have focused on energy innovation as a way to sidestep tough politics. But there’s avoiding the battle over climate change
Discovered: The Most Adorable Planet Yet
A newly discovered world orbiting a distant star makes us consider anew how we define a planet at all
EcocentricFood
Buyer Beware—Your Fish May Be Something Else Entirely
A new report by a conservation group shows that as much as one-third of the seafood sold in the U.S. is mislabeled.
First Video of the Near-Miss Asteroid
For something that made so much news and caused so much anxiety, the asteroid known as 2012 DA14 sure doesn’t look like much. A 150-ft. (45 m) rock that passed just 17,200 mi. (28,680 km) from Earth (or thousands of miles below …
Deep-Space Photos: Hubble’s Greatest Hits
The Hubble Telescope has been active for nearly a quarter of a century. Here are some of the telescope’s most striking images—a tiny fraction of the things it’s seen and the images it’s sent home in its long and productive life.