Lava tubes contain unknown “microbial dark matter”
Researchers discovered that lava tubes on Mauna Loa contain previously unknown microorganisms with metabolisms and communities that could…
Category: Astrobiology & Space Science
Astronomers model early star clusters
Scientists used computer simulations to determine how ancient star clusters formed. Their results were similar to real clusters found with…
Scientists observe a changing exoplanet orbit
Astronomers conducted a multifaceted study of the exoplanet TrES-1 b and found that its orbit is shifting, possibly due to an unseen…
How did early galaxies form?
Astronomers observed a distant, ancient galaxy and found that it consisted of 5 distinct regions, suggesting a complex formation history…
How often are stars flung out of the center of the Galaxy?
Researchers surveyed stars in the Milky Way Galaxy and found they’re only rarely ejected from the Galaxy's center.
Could cells form in Venus’s clouds?
Astrobiologists demonstrated that cell membrane structures can form in high concentrations of sulfuric acid similar to the clouds of Venus.
Stellar flares could masquerade as life on exoplanets
Astronomers tested whether energy bursts from stars could artificially elevate typical “biosignature” gases on exoplanets.
The lifecycle of a steam world
Scientists studied exoplanets with high water contents and found that they initially have outer vapor layers, which then cool and shrink…
How do small galaxies get magnetic fields?
Astronomers showed that small galaxies orbiting larger galaxies become 2 to 8 times more magnetic after nearing their hosts.
Where do deep-space gamma-rays come from?
Researchers found that distant star-forming galaxies can only account for about half of the high-energy radiation from outside the Milky Way…