Giant Solar Flare...

NASA is tracking a large sunspot group, named Active Region 1302 (or AR1302).  One of its satellites captured this image of AR1302 emitting a gigantic flare.  The photo inset of the Earth is there to give you an idea just how big that flare is.  Via APOD, of course...

They Ate What?

Via reader Doug S., these stories of things that pets ate.  The grand prize winner's photo is at right: a dog taken to the vet for lameness in a hind leg, but X-rays showed nine handballs where they shouldn't oughtta be...