Mark your calendars all you architectural and experimental music enthusiasts. This is an event not to be missed! more ›

At 10:26 a.m., the final Space Shuttle launch went off without a hitch, leaving Cape Canaveral for the International Space Station at a brisk 2,600 miles an hour when the broadcaster on the NASA feed noted: "the Space Shuttle spreads it wings a final time for a sentimental journey into space." The Atlantis' final mission is a 12-day jaunt, and we can't help but feel a little nostalgic for the end of an era. When you're not checking out the live mission coverage from NASA fire up your imagination with one of our five favorite movies about space: more ›

Take a look at these amazing before-and-after shots from NASA's AQUA satellite of downstate Cairo before and after the Army Corps of Engineers blew up the Birds Point Levee in Mississippi County, MO to prevent further flooding. more ›

Sorry, Adler Planetarium. Not even an ambitious pavilion plan could help you land a decommissioned space shuttle for display, now that NASA is ending the shuttle program. NASA is giving the space shuttle Enterprise (currently on display at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum) to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York. The Smithsonian will receive the space shuttle Discovery as a replacement for the Enterprise. more ›

On Thursday, Adler Planetarium announced plans for a new lakefront glass pavilion that they intend to build if they are able to acquire one of the soon-to-be-retired space shuttles. Adler is just one of 20 museums that are currently bidding on Endeavour and Atlantis, the two shuttles that are up for grabs. NASA will reveal which two museums will get each shuttle on April 12, a day that marks the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle flight. Discovery--the oldest shuttle--was already promised by NASA to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. more ›

The above video, purported to play the sounds the rings of the planet Saturn make, came across our inbox this morning. We did a bit more digging and found that this is actually a couple of years old and that it's the planet itself, not just its rings, but it's still damn fascinating if not downright terrifying. A NASA report from 2005 explains: more ›

The long, slow roll to Spring has, as usual, given us ants in our pants. Yes, we know, complaining about the cold in Chicago is like complaining about the heat in Miami. But we can't help. Scooter's is open, baseball is being played, and we're ready to dust off the flip flops and enjoy some sun sun sun. And there's nothing like a satellite image to remind us that, as of this week, we actually have it pretty good. The above image was taken yesterday, March 4, 2010, and shows how the melt line is creeping its way north to us and that we could always have it worse. We could be in Iowa. more ›

So what did part of the Midwest look like after last week's Snowpocalypse? While it cuts off just south of our area, the above satellite image still gives you a good idea and just how expansive the storm was. more ›

There's been plenty of rain this autumn, particularly in Western Illinois where there's been flooding along both the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The quick eyes of NASA were able to catch some cool images of the flooding via satellites. more ›

• Now that Mother's Day is over, let's focus on finding something to do with dear old Dad on Father's Day for a bit of bonding. How about robbing banks together?
• Lafayette, Indiana police are looking for information regarding the theft of a life-sized dog statue taken from in front of the public library. The sudden appearance of a life-sized dog statue atop a keg inside a Purdue frat house just a coincidence.
• Chicago's Roosevelt University is adding an athletic program after 20 years without one and are just working out some minor snafus, like not having any athletic facilities.

In our youth, we were one of those kids that liked to dream big and routinely answered the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" with "Astronaut." While that didn't quite work out (nor did our second choice of playing in the NBA) and we wound up with the equally lofty career of writing things on the internet, we still enjoy nerding out and watching space shuttle launches on T.V. more ›

Highland Park native and U of C alum John M. Grunsfeld will be making his fifth trip to space and fourth trip to the Hubble space telescope. He's scheduled to be on the shuttle Atlantis's October mission. According to NASA, "Dr. Grunsfeld has logged over 45 days in space, including 5 space walks totaling 37 hours and 32 minutes." more ›

If you're reading this, there's a good chance it's because you're one of the few still stuck in the office after lunch today. We feel your pain. Here are a few things to get you through until 5 p.m. and freedom. FREEDOM! more ›