Salt Might Be the Key to Extraterrestrial Life
New research suggests that salt might be critical to life on Earth and beyond. The composition of the atmosphere, particularly the abundance of greenhouse gases,…
New research suggests that salt might be critical to life on Earth and beyond. The composition of the atmosphere, particularly the abundance of greenhouse gases,…
Scientists have reproduced in the lab how the ingredients for life could have formed deep in the ocean 4 billion years ago. The results of…
The universe consists of matter. Matter is everything we see around us. That’s strange – but why? In theory, there should also be large amounts…
On Sunday, March 25, a new program called “Finding Life in Outer Space” will debut on the Smithsonian Channel. The scientific lead for this program…
Scientists have used lab experiments to retrace the chemical steps leading to the creation of complex hydrocarbons in space, showing pathways to forming 2-D carbon-based…
Jupiter’s icy moon Europa is a major target of astrobiology research in light of the possibility that it offers a habitable environment in the Solar…
In popular culture, asteroids play the role of apocalyptic threat, get blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs — and offer an extraterrestrial source for mineral…
Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have developed a fascinating new theory for how life on Earth may have begun. Their experiments, described today…
A new study from the Carnegie Institution For Science shows that reservoirs of oxygen-rich iron between the Earth’s core and mantle could have played a…
An asteroid, also known as the Chicxulub Impactor, hit Earth some 66 million years ago, causing a crater 180 km (112 miles) wide. The impact…
A team of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered a compound that may have been a crucial factor in the origins of…
Scientists discover evidence of ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits on Mars, revealing an area on the planet that may offer clues about the origin of life…
A newly published study from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics reveals that UV light may have played a critical role in the emergence of life…
A newly published study reveals that an eight-legged micro-animal will survive the risk of extinction from all astrophysical catastrophes and survive long after humans are…
New research from NASA reveals that Europa’s ocean may contain the necessary balance of chemical energy for life, even if the moon lacks volcanic hydrothermal…
Scientists have developed a miniaturized laboratory, called Chemical Laptop, that could be used to search for signs of life outside Earth. If you were looking…
New research from the National Institutes of Natural Sciences shows that a previously unconsidered photochemical mechanism by titanium (IV) oxide (titania) can produce abiotic oxygen…
A new study from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggests that if life can travel between the stars (in a process called panspermia), it would…