Kepler discovers the first planet believed to be very similar to Earth
1992 First exoplanet to orbit a main sequence star is discovered by Aleksander Wolszczan. The first confirmed exoplanet is a ‘hot…
Category: Astrobiology & Space Science
Are We Alone In the Universe?
Astrobiology is asking three fundamental questions: 1. What is life? 2. Are we alone out there? 3. What is the future of humankind? “Are…
What Causes Ice Ages? A New Proposal.
A new international study casts doubt on the leading theory of what causes ice ages around the world — changes in the way the Earth…
When Dolphins Learned to Swim
For more than 250 million years, four-limbed land animals known as tetrapods have repeatedly conquered the Earth’s oceans. These…
Hydrofracturing in the Greenland Ice Sheet
Surface meltwater regularly travels to the bottom of the Greenland Ice Sheet and lubricates the flow of the ice into the ocean, but new…
Abnormally high plume observed above surface of Mars
Plumes seen reaching high above the surface of Mars are causing a stir among scientists studying the atmosphere on the Red Planet On two…
Is the mind algorithmic?
Disagreements in how we use words can cause major confusion. Sometimes, someone uses the word “far” to mean 50 miles, and other times…
Can cold-loving bacteria help to clean up oil spills?
For several decades scientists have been interested in the ability of psychrophilic (cold- loving) microbial communities to degrade the…
How Long Will Human Civilization Last?
Human-caused climate change, ocean acidification and species extinctions may eventually threaten the collapse of civilization, according to…
Massive tectonic event may have triggered explosion of animal life
A new analysis of geologic history may help solve the riddle of the “Cambrian explosion,” the rapid diversification of animal…