A private lunar lander from Japan has fallen silent while descending to a touchdown on the moon. Flight controllers lost contact with the spacecraft Friday and were uncertain of its fate.

In about 5 billion years, our Sun will run out of hydrogen fuel and expand into a red giant. This massive change will destroy the inner planets, including Earth, as the Sun swells beyond their orbits.

In approximately 4.5 billion years, as the sun transforms into a red giant and engulfs Earth, Jupiter's moon Europa may offer a temporary refuge. Research suggests Europa's icy shell will sublimate, ...