Looking back at 14 years of Hubble telescope data for Jupiter's moon Europa has given Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists a better understanding of its tenuous atmosphere. The findings have cast doubt on previous ...
Astrobiology
May 18, 2026
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80
Oxygen has been the most important gas in our search for life among the cosmos thus far. On Earth, we have it in abundance because it is produced by biological synthesis. But that might not be the case on other planets, so ...
Planetary Sciences
Mar 17, 2026
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28
Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen, and sometimes these atoms are slightly heavier than usual. These heavier forms are called isotopes. As water evaporates or moves through the atmosphere, the amount of these isotopes changes ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 10, 2026
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54
The current image of Mars as an arid and hostile desert contrasts sharply with the history revealed by its surface. Channels, minerals altered by water, and other geological traces indicate that the red planet was, in its ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 4, 2026
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97
Water vapor (H2Ov) is an essential component of Earth's atmosphere, playing critical roles in climate regulation, weather patterns, and the water cycle. Its sources primarily come from natural processes such as ocean evaporation ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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12
A new study has examined how future human missions to Mars could access one of the planet's most vital resources—water. The "Martian aqua: occurrence of water and appraisal of acquisition technologies" paper, published in ...
Space Exploration
Jan 22, 2026
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48
Spectacular clouds swirl across the surface of Jupiter. These clouds contain water, just like Earth's, but are much denser on the gas giant—so thick that no spacecraft has been able to measure exactly what lies beneath.
Planetary Sciences
Jan 14, 2026
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8116
From dew at dawn to a foggy mirror after a shower, condensation is part of our daily lives on Earth. In space, microgravity alters how heat flows through gases and liquids, a potential enemy for spacecraft electronics needing ...
Space Exploration
Oct 23, 2025
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129
Caltech researchers have developed a new simulation of the hydrological cycle on Jupiter, modeling how water vapor condenses into clouds and falls as rain throughout the giant planet's swirled, turbulent atmosphere. The research ...
Planetary Sciences
Sep 29, 2025
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51
Despite being thinner and drier than Earth's atmosphere, Mars's atmosphere contains clouds composed of tiny water ice crystals. And just as on Earth, these clouds influence the planet's climate. However, most of what we know ...
Planetary Sciences
Aug 11, 2025
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291
