Even as a few of its sensors cause problems, the Curiosity rover became the first robotic visitor to bore into the Martian surface. John Matson reports

Despite digital certificate services from major companies like Google, MasterCard and Visa, digital wallets other than PayPal have not penetrated consumer consciousness. Larry Greenemeier reports

The star TW Hydrae should be too old to still have planets forming around it, but its gas and dust indicate it still has planetary potential. John Matson reports

Web users--except those in North Korea itself, where Internet use is restricted--now have a view of the secretive kingdom's landmarks, infrastructure and prison camps. Larry Greenemeier reports

More than 200 million phablets (smart phone-tablets) will be sold in 2015, twice as many as last year. Larry Greenemeier reports

Tree-ring data from A.D. 774 show a sudden spike in radioactive carbon 14, pointing to a burst of charged particles or high-energy radiation that struck Earth. A relatively nearby gamma-ray burst could be the culprit. John Matson reports

Sensors on this smart fork lead to a vibration if you're eating too fast. Larry Greenemeier reports

After a few false alarms, the star SN 2009ip appears to have gone supernova at last. John Matson reports

Six volunteers spent 520 days in a simulation of a trip to Mars, and wound up experiencing sleep disturbances and becoming more sedentary. John Matson reports

Opening the door to the paying public means that less healthy individuals will soon have access to space--if their doctors approve. John Matson reports