ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN

AP science writer

Ramakrishnan is a science reporter for The Associated Press, based in Dallas. She covers scientific research and early human history and development.

International astronomy group joins calls for a lunar clock to keep time on the moon

An international group of astronomers has joined calls to create a standard for keeping time on the moon, where seconds tick by faster.

Faint auroras may be visible in Northern Hemisphere skies after weekend solar storms

Space forecasters say solar storms persisting from the weekend may produce colorful auroras across the Northern Hemisphere.

Fossils suggest even smaller ‘hobbits’ roamed an Indonesian island 700,000 years ago

New research suggests ancestors of the “hobbits” were even smaller. Two decades ago, researchers discovered fossils of an early human species in an Indonesian cave that stood 3 1/2 feet tall, earning them the nickname “hobbits.”

Fossils show huge salamanderlike predator with sharp fangs existed before the dinosaurs

Scientists have identified a giant salamanderlike predator with sharp fangs that likely ruled waters 280 million years ago.

NASA astronauts will stay at the space station longer for more troubleshooting of Boeing capsule

NASA says two astronauts will stay in space longer to continue troubleshooting Boeing’s capsule. NASA on Friday did not give a return date.

A harmless asteroid will whiz past Earth Saturday. Here’s how to spot it

An asteroid will whiz harmlessly past Earth this weekend. The space rock called 2024 MK will make its closest approach to Earth on Saturday.

It’s summer solstice time. What does that mean?

Summer kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere with the summer solstice on Thursday. The Earth spins on a tilt as it revolves around the sun.

NASA’s Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, is doing science again after problem

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is sending science data again. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the spacecraft’s four instruments are back in business after a computer problem in November.

New research explores how a short trip to space affects the human body

New research shows space tourists experience some of the same body changes as astronauts who spend months in orbit.

What you will and won’t see from June’s planetary parade

Six planets will line up in the early morning sky on June 3, but most won’t be visible to the naked eye.

How cockroaches spread around the globe to become the pest we know today

A new study tracks how cockroaches spread around the globe to become the survival experts we know today.

When the first warm-blooded dinosaurs roamed Earth

A new study suggests that the first warm-blooded dinosaurs may have roamed Earth about 180 million years ago.

A scorching, rocky planet twice Earth’s size has a thick atmosphere, scientists say

A thick atmosphere has been detected around a planet that’s twice as big as Earth in a nearby solar system.

A horse-shaped nebula gets its close-up in new photos by NASA’s Webb telescope

NASA’s Webb Space Telescope has revealed the sharpest images yet of a portion of a horse-shaped nebula.

Your morning coffee may be more than a half million years old

The coffee that picked you up this morning is 600,000 years old. Researchers have found that the world’s most popular type of coffee, known as arabica, emerged hundreds of thousands of years ago through natural crossbreeding of two other coffee species.

Can’t get enough of the total solar eclipse or got clouded out? Here are the next ones to watch for

If you missed North America’s total solar eclipse or if you caught the eclipse bug, there are more chances to see the sun disappear.

Total solar eclipse sweeps across North America

DALLAS (AP) — Millions across North America witnessed the moon block out the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday.

East Coast earthquakes aren’t common, but they are felt by millions. Here’s what to know

Earthquakes large enough to be felt by a lot of people are relatively uncommon on the East Coast. Since 1950 there have only been about 20 quakes with a magnitude above 4.5, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Looking at a solar eclipse can be dangerous without eclipse glasses. Here’s what to know

Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can lead to permanent eye damage. Eye experts say it’s easy to take safety precautions.