Upcoming Solar System exploration missions will search for extraterrestrial (ET) life, but ET life may…
Browsing: Astrobiology
Astrobiology is the interdisciplinary science dedicated to exploring the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. It combines insights from astronomy, biology, chemistry, planetary science, and geology to investigate fundamental questions such as how life began on Earth, whether it exists elsewhere, and what conditions are necessary for it to thrive. From studying extreme environments on our planet to analyzing data from Mars rovers and distant exoplanets, astrobiologists are pushing the boundaries of our understanding of life’s potential beyond Earth. This page highlights the latest discoveries, missions, and research in the rapidly growing field of astrobiology.
NASA’s newest Mars rover is beginning to study the floor of an ancient crater that…
The Sun isn’t the only star to produce stellar flares. On April 21, 2021, a…
New observations reveal that Mars could still be volcanically active, raising the possibility for habitable…
Astronomers detected hydroxyl on WASP-33b, marking a major step in exoplanet atmospheric studies and future…
The name honors recently deceased mission scientist Rafael Navarro-González, who helped lead the team that…
New research suggests that rocks in the Martian crust could produce the same kind of…
Telescope launching this autumn could spot biosignatures on other planets within three days. Research shows…
Oxygen in the atmosphere may not be an entirely reliable ‘biosignature,’ but there are ways…
A technique for scanning Mars rocks for microscopic fossils of ancient life is also being…
To confirm life on other planets, we need to detect far more molecules in their…
Studies suggest Earth’s carbon came from space and was preserved by avoiding vaporization and core…
Gliese 486 b is a nearby super-Earth orbiting a red dwarf star just 26 light-years…
In the quest for habitable planets beyond our own, NASA is studying a mission concept…
Challenging Assumptions About the Possibility of Modern Life on Mars In a comment recently published…
Lightning may have sparked life by delivering key phosphorus, much like meteorites. Lightning strikes were…
Layers of ice and rock obviate the need for “habitable zone” and shield life against…
Microbes grown on a Martian meteorite produced unique biosignatures, offering new insights into how life…