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…
Category: Space
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 does a cabbage seed respond to being in space?
If humans are to ever leave planet Earth, one of the first challenges we must face is how to feed ourselves. Space is hostile to life, with…
Why did a bunch of asteroids hit the Earth billions of years ago?
The first cells of life on Earth had a lot to contend with. Conditions were harsh and unpredictable. The air was thick with volcanic gases.…
A crater lake on Mars was racked by ancient flash floods
One picture from the surface of Mars can tell us an entire story about the history and formation of that place. Often, the similarities and…
Bacteria found with superpowers that let them survive in space
Scientists who study how humans might travel through space found a handful of specific genes that give bacteria some cool superpowers.
A detailed look at a rare meteorite
A carbonaceous meteorite that fell in Costa Rica holds organic compounds that are preserved from the earliest stages of our solar system,…
Is lettuce grown in space nutritious and safe to eat?
Is a space salad healthier than salad grown on earth? We may be one step closer to finding out. A NASA team conducted a study onboard the…
Researchers propose making concrete with human bodily fluids
Imagine what it would be like to be an astronaut landing on Mars for the first time. The red planet has little more than dust and rocks as…
Mars could host a deep underground biosphere
Scientists estimate that parts of Mars’ would be able to support up to one million microbes per kilogram of rock deep underground.