How did Venus’s Ishtar highlands form?
Researchers modeled tectonic and magmatic processes on Venus. They determined that its highlands formed when molten rock rose, melting its…
Category: What might life look like elsewhere in the Universe?
What might life look like elsewhere in the Universe? How do we search for life?
What’s a Super-Earth made of?
Astronomers observed a super-Earth with properties requiring surface water or a steam atmosphere. It challenges the paradigm that rocky…
Astronomers find distant galaxies with neural networks
Researchers developed a computer algorithm that correctly predicted the light emission characteristics of ancient faraway galaxies based on…
Exoplanets with weird orbits might be more habitable
Astronomers modeled the ideal climatic and atmospheric conditions for exoplanets and found that planets with non-circular orbits had more…
Could life survive in the plumes of Enceladus?
Researchers showed that simple microorganisms could survive rapid boiling in conditions mimicking the geysers of water shooting out of…
How complex life arose under extreme stress
Scientists discovered molecules that helped the first complex life forms build strong cell membranes to withstand extreme environments.
Could tardigrades survive on Mars?
Researchers found tiny, indestructible “water bears” survived exposure to high levels of toxic salts similar to those found in Martian…
Could “iron snow” fuel life in Europa’s ocean?
Scientists calculated that microorganisms breathing iron oxide “snow” could produce enough energy to survive on Jupiter's icy moon…
Could we find evidence for life in fool’s gold?
Scientists looked for biosignatures in fool's gold from a Mars-like environment . They found small filaments within the rock that may once…
How to spot colorful life on icy exoplanets
In recent decades, astronomers have discovered more than 5000 planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system, with nearly 9000 more…