Students are reported for possession of non-firearm weapons about 20 times as often as they are for firearms. But schools are still relatively safe places, and many crime statistics in schools have been improving for years, experts say. 

Easy to conceal, harder to detect: Knives more prevalent than guns in schools 

School lockers 

The National Conference on Active School Threats-East is convening in Raleigh, just two days after police say a teenager stabbed two fellow students, killing one of them, at Southeast Raleigh High School.

10 ways schools can curb violent threats, according to security expert

School generic with blurred students

All assets associated with the tag: telescope

Telescope Coverage

A team of astrophysicists analyzed images from the James Webb Space Telescope and found three bright objects that might be "dark stars," which are theoretical objects much bigger and brighter than our sun.

James Webb telescope catches glimpse of possible first-ever 'dark stars'

Galaxy, star

The exoplanet was uncovered using artificial intelligence.

New planet discovered by University of Georgia researchers using Artificial Intelligence

hypatia-h_a40eda91ce7080423ec53d0aa418c275-h_18d5e742bdd75717c7fe80679470d2c2-300

Popular stargazing events return to The Durham this week.



Stargazing events return to The Durham Hotel 

In a moment that was decades in the making, the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's premier space observatory of the next decade, successfully launched on Saturday morning.



I'LL SHOW YOU THE APRIL-LIKE >>> THIS MORNING NASA'S JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED INTO SPACE AND IT COULD RESHAPE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE. AS WRAL'S JOE FISHER EXPLAINS, THE NEW TELESCOPE IS NAMED AFTER A GRANVILLE COUNTY NATIVE FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPACE EXPLORATION. >> Reporter: THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN FOR THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE FOLDED INTO A ROCKET AND HEADED ONE MILLION MILES INTO THE UNIVERSE. >> EVERYTHING WAS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ON TRACK. >> Reporter: OVER THE NEXT MONTH, THE TELESCOPE SEEN HERE ON LAND WILL SLOWLY UNFOLD IN SPACE. >> THERE'S ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT MOTORS AND PULLEYS AND LATCHES AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT JUST HAVE TO WORK RIGHT OR IT IS GOING TO UNFOLD TO ABOUT THE SIZE OF A TENNIS COURT AND ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF A TWO-STORY BUILDING. >> Reporter: NASA AMBASSADOR TONY RICE SAYS THE TELESCOPE IS THE SUCCESSOR TO HUBBLE. IT TOOK 30 YEARS AND $10 BILLION TO BUILD. IT WILL LOOK BACK IN TIME 13 BILLION YEARS AND COULD DISCOVER NEW PLANETS. >> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LEARN, BUT, WE KNOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE RIGHT PLACE TO LEARN SOME THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FATHOM RIGHT NOW. >> Reporter: THE TELESCOPE IS NAMED AFTER JAMES WEBB, A GRANVILLE COUNTY NATIVE WHO GRADUATED FROM OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT ONTO LEAD NASA IN THE 1960s. >> THIS KIND OF EXPLORATION IT WILL BE DOING WAS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF WHAT JAMES WEBB WAS ENCOURAGING BACK IN THE 60s WHEN EVERYONE WAS TOTALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING TO THE MOON, HE MADE SURE WE KEPT A SCIENCE FOCUS. >> Reporter: RICE SAYS THE TELESCOPE'S FIVE YEAR MISSION COULD BE EXTENDED. >> JUST YESTERDAY, A NASA ADMINISTRATOR MENTIONED NASA WILL SHIFT ITS FOCUS TO BEING ABLE TO ROBOTICALLY REFUEL A MISSION LIKE WEBB. SO THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS IT COULD MOVE BEYOND TEN YEARS. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE WILL SEE THE TELESCOPE WHICH WILL SOON SEND IMAGES AND INFORMATION THAT COULD REVOLUTIONIZE ASTRONOMY. >> THIS COULD VERY WELL REWRITE SOME OF THE HISTORY BOOKS. >> Reporter: I'M JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS. >> I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE THOSE IMAGES. RICE SAYS WE COULD SEE THE

Telescope named after NC native launches into space 

It's a moment that has been decades in the making. The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's premier observatory of the next decade, is expected to launch on December 25.

The most powerful telescope ever built is about to change how we see the universe

What requires more gold, Oscars statuettes or the James Webb Space Telescope mirrors?

The signals were discovered by a radio telescope designed for the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment.

Unexplainable radio signals detected from outer space

A telescope in Australia is letting us see the Milky Way like never before.

Telescope in Australia shows off fascinating views of Milky Way

If you are planning to put a telescope under the tree for that curious child in your life, a few simple tips can ensure your money is well spent.