Leonard is the brightest comet all year. Here's how to see it The comet was discovered less than a year ago near the orbit of Jupiter. Now, observers in North America can see it in the northeastern sky around sunrise. Scott Neuman
We may be one step closer to storing data in DNA Researchers at Microsoft have developed a faster way to write data into DNA — a biological alternative to the bits on a hard drive. Christopher Intagliata
Astronomers find a new planet that's mostly made of iron NASA's TESS telescope finds a small, iron-rich planet which could help explain the origins of Mercury, the innermost planet in our solar system Nell Greenfieldboyce
Living robots made in a lab have found a new way to self-replicate, researchers say Xenobots, a type of programmable organism made from frog cells, can replicate by spontaneously sweeping up loose stem cells, researchers say. This could have implications for regenerative medicine. Scott Neuman
Ancient footprints mistakenly attributed to bears were made by early humans A new look at nearly 3.7-million-year-old fossil footprints uncovered in Tanzania shows that multiple species of early humans lived together at the same time. Nell Greenfieldboyce
Conservationists flew 30 white rhinos to Rwanda in a huge operation to protect them The roughly 2,000-mile journey took the rhinos to their new home in Akagera National Park, where advocates hope the animals will be able to establish a new breeding stronghold and evade poachers. Joe Hernandez
Climate change and city lights are tricking trees into growing leaves too soon A study of trees in dozens of cities found that urban heat and light pollution are pushing urban trees to sprout leaves about a week earlier than trees in more rural settings. Jason Fuller
In a first test of its planetary defense efforts, NASA's going to shove an asteroid NASA is about to launch the first mission of its new planetary defense office. A spacecraft will attempt to knock a small asteroid off course by ramming into it. Nell Greenfieldboyce
How you can see the nearly total lunar eclipse Friday morning It will be the second and final eclipse of the year. West Coast night owls and East Coast early risers could catch the peak of the cosmic event. Joe Hernandez
An Australian zoo acquires a venomous, fanged 'megaspider' and is searching for more The Australian Reptile Park wants to find the anonymous donor of the megaspider, which may lead them to an area with more unusually large arachnids that could boost the zoo's antivenom program. Joe Hernandez
