Science News

Hundreds of icebergs that split off ice shelves in Antarctica are drifting toward New Zealand. Officials say the massive chunks of ice could pose a hazard to ships in the area. The nearest iceberg, measuring about 30 yards in height, was spotted 160 miles southeast of New Zealand's Stewart Island.

NASA and the space industry are looking at a human mission to an asteroid as a way to prepare for long stays on the moon and Mars. Teams are studying sending an Orion spacecraft -- NASA's replacement for the space shuttle -- to a space rock. But will the White House buy into the plan?

A new study says that since 2006, the melting Antarctic ice sheet has caused sea levels to rise faster than originally predicted. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin used satellite images to track the process. "If the current trend continues or gets worse," says one researcher, "Antarctica could become the largest contributor to sea level rises in the world."

While up at the International Space Station, 42-year-old astronaut Randolph Bresnik announces some stellar news: the birth of his baby daughter, Abigail.