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…
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?
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…
When life detoxifies itself, it leaves behind a helpful sign
Scientists found that a methylated gas produced by life as a waste product of detoxification could serve as a remotely observable sign of…
How do we choose which planets to search for life?
Scientists used computer models to determine how likely a planet is to be habitable by its age, size, and distance from its sun.
Microbes entombed in ancient salts could help search for life on Mars
Geologists discovered microbes trapped in 830-million-year-old salt minerals similar to those found on Mars.
Future telescopes could search for alien farms
Simulations suggest that the light observed from a distant planet around another star might be able to show evidence of ammonia and nitrous…