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The Countdown, Episode 2: a Mars Party, Star vs. Black Hole, Thunderous Gamma Rays, Meteoroid Fireworks, Money for Space Taxis

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Story 5

NASA's Curiosity rover touched down on Mars early Monday morning, setting off a worldwide celebration.

Links:

NASA's Curiosity Rover Lands Safely on Mars

Video: NASA Lands Car-Sized Rover Near Martian Mountain

Curiosity Targets Gale Crater

Mars Party of the Decade Reaches Fever Pitch

Story 4

Black holes have the size and mass to devour entire stars, although this has never been observed--until now.

Links:

Satellites Watch Stellar Death Throes

Story 3

Scientists are beginning to understand how thunder clouds produce powerful gamma rays--and antimatter.

Links:

Thunderclouds Make Gamma Rays—and Shoot Out Antimatter, Too [Preview]

Story 2

Early in the morning on August 12th, you'll be able to see the Perseid meteor shower, named for the constellation Perseus.

Links:

August Perseid Meteor Shower Has Long Legacy, Bright Future

Perseid Meteor Shower Weather Forecast

EarthSky’s Meteor Shower Guide for 2012

Story 1

NASA recently granted three companies 1.1 billion dollars to develop private space taxis, which will ferry astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit.

Links:

NASA Chooses SpaceX to Return US Astronauts to Space

NASA Awards $1.1 Billion in Support for 3 Private Space Taxis

NASA Press Release

About Eric R. Olson

Eric is multimedia journalist and producer who specializes in science and natural history. His work has appeared on the websites of Scientific American, Nature, Nature Medicine, Popular Science, Slate and The New York Times among many others. He is a former video producer & editor for Scientific American.

More by Eric R. Olson