WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists pinpoint exotic new particle called quantum droplet. In the field of quantum physics, you could call this a droplet in the bucket. Physicists in Germany and the United States said on Wednesday they have discovered an exotic new type of particle that they call a quantum droplet, or dropleton. OSLO (Reuters) - Global warming slowdown likely to be brief: U.S., UK science bodies A slowdown in the pace of global warming so far this century is likely to be only a pause in a longer-term trend of rising temperatures, the science academies of the United States and Britain said on Thursday. Since an exceptionally warm 1998, there has been "a short-term slowdown in the warming of Earth's surface," Florida (Reuters) - NASA oversight led to spacewalker's near drowningA panel investigating an astronaut's near drowning during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station in July found that his spacesuit leaked during an earlier outing, officials said on Wednesday. NASA misdiagnosed the earlier leak, believing the water foundin the helmet of Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano on July 9 was due to a ruptured drink bag, said space station chief engineer Chris Hansen, who chaired an investigation panel appointed by the U.S. space agency. Florida (Reuters) - U.S. space telescope spots 715 more planets Scientists added a record 715 more planets to the list of known worlds beyond thesolar system, boosting the overall tally to nearly 1,700,astronomers said on Wednesday. The additions include four planets about 2-1/2 times as big as Earth that are the right distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water, which is believed to be key for life. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - NASA to use space images to help monitor California droughtNASA scientists plan to use images shot from space and within the Earth's atmosphere to help California monitor one of the worst droughts in its recorded history, officials said on Tuesday. Scientists said they would deploy imaging tools to measure snowpack andgroundwater levels and use a host of other technologies to help better map and assess the water resources in a state that produces half the nation's fruits and vegetables. Earth WASHINGTON (Reuters) - To put it mildly, this is one gem of a gem.Scientists using two different age-determining techniques have shown that a tiny zircon crystal found on a sheep ranch in western Australia is the oldest known piece of our planet, dating to 4.4 billion years ago. Florida (Reuters) - Moon punched in the face by a meteoriteA meteorite as large as 4-1/2 feet in diameter smashed into the moon in September, producing the brightest flash of light ever seen from Earth, astronomers said this week. Similarly sized objects pummel Earth daily, though most are destroyed as they plunge through the planet's atmosphere. NASA says about 100 tons of material from space enter Earth's atmosphere every day.OSLO (Reuters) - Sun-dimming volcanoes partly explain global warming hiatus-study. Small volcanic eruptions help explain a hiatus in global warming this century by dimming sunlight and offsetting a rise in emissions of heat-trapping gases to record highs, a study showed on Sunday. Eruptions of at least 17 volcanoes since 2000, including Nabro in Eritrea, Kasatochi in Alaska and Merapi in Indonesia, ejected sulfur whose sun-blocking effect had been largely ignored until now by climate scientists Florida (Reuters) - Next-generation GPS satellite launched into orbitA U.S. Global Positioning System satellite was launched into orbit on Thursday, buttressing a 31-member navigation network inconstant use by the military, civilian agencies and commercial customers worldwide. The satellite, built by Boeing, was carried into space aboard an unmanned Delta 4 rocket, which blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 8:59 p.m. EST/0159 Friday GMT.