Vote Now! Top Space Stories of the Week - Jan. 13, 2013

Finding Alien Earths, A Near-Miss by Asteroid Apophis and Could Space Make You Taller?

ESO/M. Kornmesser

Last week scientists said finding an alien Earth is likely, we found out asteroid Apophis will just miss our planet when it zooms by and the largest structure in space was discovered. See the top stories of the last week here.

FIRST STOP: Strange But True: Astronauts Get Taller in Space

Strange But True: Astronauts Get Taller in Space

NASA

Astronauts can grow up to three percent taller while living in microgravity. Their spines stretch, yet once they return to Earth, they shrink again. [Full Story]

NEXT: 'Exocomets' Common Across Milky Way Galaxy

'Exocomets' Common Across Milky Way Galaxy

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Comets may be as common as planets in star systems throughout the Milky Way galaxy, a new study reports. [Full Story]

NEXT: 'Zombie' Planet's Rogue Orbit Around Star Shocks Scientists

'Zombie' Planet's Rogue Orbit Around Star Shocks Scientists

NASA, ESA, and P. Kalas (University of California, Berkeley and SETI Institute)

The unbalanced orbit of a so-called "zombie planet" in a dusty star system has astronomers struggling to explain the exoplanet's behavior. [Full Story]

NEXT: Alien Earth: What It Will Mean to Find Our Planet's Twin

Alien Earth: What It Will Mean to Find Our Planet's Twin

C. Pulliam & D. Aguilar (CfA)

Finding Earth 2.0 is just a matter of time, and the discovery will likely transform the way we think about our place in the cosmos, astronomer Natalie Batalha said Tuesday (Jan. 8). [Full Story]

NEXT: Most Distant 'Standard Candle' Star Explosion Found

Most Distant 'Standard Candle' Star Explosion Found

Space Telescope Science Institute

Astronomers have discovered the most distant supernova of its kind, an ancient and massive star explosion that could shed light on some of the universe's biggest mysteries. [Full Story]

NEXT: Alien Life May Exist on Exoplanet Moons

Alien Life May Exist on Exoplanet Moons

R. Heller, AIP

In the search for an Earth-like alien world, astronomers have had their eyes set on planets beyond our solar system, but some moons orbiting some of these exoplanets may be just as likely to support life, scientists say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Whew! Huge Asteroid Apophis Won't Hit Earth in 2036

Whew! Huge Asteroid Apophis Won't Hit Earth in 2036

Dan Durda – FIAAA

The Earth is safe from the giant asteroid Apophis when it flies extremely close to our planet in 2029, then returns for seconds in 2036, NASA scientists announced today (Jan. 10). The chances of an impact in 2036 are less than one in a million, they added. [Full Story]

NEXT: Largest Structure in Universe Discovered

Largest Structure in Universe Discovered

ESO/M. Kornmesser

Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe, a clump of quasars 4 billion light-years wide. [Full Story]

NEXT: NASA Buys Private Inflatable Room for Space Station

NASA Buys Private Inflatable Room for Space Station

Bigelow Aerospace

NASA has officially signed a deal to attach an inflatable private module to the International Space Station, space agency officials confirmed today (Jan. 11). [Full Story]

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Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.