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…
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?
Searching for planets in a galaxy far away
Researchers surveyed over 20,000 stars thought to come from a nearby galaxy and found that no more than 1% harbored close-orbiting,…
What makes ‘chemically peculiar stars’ peculiar?
Scientists used a network of satellites to measure the rotational characteristics of 85 stars previously thought to have unique chemistries.
Could we find DNA on Mars?
Scientists used a highly sensitive DNA sequencing method to identify microbes from rock samples exposed to radiation levels equivalent to…
Has Earth received any radio signals from aliens?
Scientists affiliated with the SETI@home project analyzed 14 years of radio wave data collected by the Arecibo Telescope and identified 92…
“Radical mundanity” could explain why we haven’t met aliens
In response to the question, “Where are all the aliens?”, one astronomer argued that, if they are similar to humans, they may have faced…
Are aliens receiving radio signals from Earth?
Scientists calculated the maximum distance at which extraterrestrials with modern human-level technology could detect radio signals from…
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…
Hidden bacteria dominate Earth’s deep soils
Scientists showed that an understudied bacterium is widespread in deep soils worldwide and adapted to life with very little energy.
Spacecraft microbes “sleep” to survive sterilization
Researchers discovered a bacterium in NASA’s spacecraft assembly facilities that can enter a hibernation state to survive planetary…