Science/Astronomy:

* A Cloudy Target: Europe's Venus Express Probe to Explore Shrouded Planet

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/051026_techwed_venusexp.html

Despite a delayed start, Europe's first Venus probe is preparing to launch spaceward on a mission to study the planet's soupy atmosphere and, hopefully, answer many of the nagging questions raised by past expeditions to the cloudy world.

* New Mars Map: Similarities to Earth Revealed
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/051025_sci_tues.html

A new high-resolution map of Mars's magnetic field indicates that the red planet's crust once moved like present-day Earth's.

* Venus and Earth: World's Apart
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/051024_mystery_monday.html

Venus is commonly known as Earthís "twin sister," but when it comes to being alike, these two are more like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito than Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.