The International Astronomical Union defines a planet as a celestial body that orbits the sun, is massive enough that gravity has forced it into a spherical shape, and has cleared away other objects ...

Planetary scientists are proposing a new definition of a planet to replace one that many researchers view as sun-centric and outdated. The current definition—established in 2006 by the International ...

Many words in the English language that seem remarkably common have a surprising secondary definition known mostly to scientists in different disciplines. Here are 18 words drawn from the American ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American Remember that news-making ENCODE study with ...

What is science? It’s the methodical investigation of the natural world. Here, a geologist obtains a sample of molten lava. Image via Bob Tilling/ USGS (PDM 1.0). Science is a way of learning about ...