If you've ever wondered why we are here, then you can thank Jupiter for part of the answer. A new study from Rice University suggests that if it weren't for the gas giant, the Earth would have ...

1 / 6 | Visual: In this diagram, J, S, U, and N are the solar system’s giant planets. What’s the collective name for the objects in blue?

After Pluto was stripped of its planetary status in August 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU)—on the grounds that it was too similar to newly discovered objects beyond Neptune’s ...