The search for habitable worlds
Scientists identified 47 near-Earth stars as the most likely to have rocky planets with ideal surface temperatures for life.
Tag: astrobiology
Are Martian organics remnants of ancient life?
Scientists found that organic molecules in Jezero Crater on Mars are similar to both biological and non-biological organic matter on Earth.
Finding alien life with light signals
Scientists compared light reflected from Earth to light reflected from Mars, and found that planets with life produce more complex,…
The long-term fate of Earth’s biosphere
Scientists modeled how Earth’s temperature and atmosphere will change over billions of years and predicted that plants and the life they…
Is Earth’s water why intelligent life evolved here?
A Columbia University scientist argued that the existence of humans provides strong evidence that intelligent life is more likely to evolve…
Clay minerals suggest a warm, wet past for Mars
Researchers studied clay deposits on Mars using tools aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and found evidence for a warm and humid past…
These gases could signify intelligent life beyond Earth
Astronomers proposed that the industrial gases nitrogen trifluoride and sulfur hexafluoride could provide measurable signs of advanced…
Lava tubes contain unknown “microbial dark matter”
Researchers discovered lava tubes on Mauna Loa containing previously unknown microorganisms with metabolisms and communities that could…
Stellar flares could masquerade as life on exoplanets
Astronomers tested whether energy bursts from stars could artificially elevate typical “biosignature” gases on exoplanets.
How do small galaxies get magnetic fields?
Astronomers showed that small galaxies orbiting larger galaxies become 2 to 8 times more magnetic after nearing their hosts.