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Astrobiology news
Could comets have delivered the building blocks of life to ocean worlds like Europa, Enceladus and Titan?
Throughout Earth's history, the planet's surface has been regularly impacted by comets, meteors, and the occasional large asteroid. While these events were often destructive, sometimes to the point of triggering a mass extinction, ...
Astrobiology
4 hours ago
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Why are we so fascinated with aliens?
Robert Smith is convinced the aliens have won. "The invasion has happened—it's all over," says the University of Alberta space historian who teaches a course on the history of extraterrestrials.
Astrobiology
Sep 6, 2024
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Life on alien planets probably wouldn't experience day and night—here's how that may change evolution
Do aliens sleep? You may take sleep for granted, but research suggests many planets that could evolve life don't have a day and night cycle. It's hard to imagine, but there are organisms living in Earth's lightless habitats, ...
Astrobiology
Sep 4, 2024
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Belief in alien visits to Earth is spiraling out of control: Why that's so dangerous
The idea that aliens may have visited the Earth is becoming increasingly popular. Around a fifth of UK citizens believe Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials, and an estimated 7% believe that they have seen a UFO.
Astrobiology
Sep 3, 2024
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Researchers start first low frequency search for alien technology in distant galaxies
The SETI Institute, the Berkeley SETI Research Center and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research announced a study using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia. Led by Dr. Chenoa Tremblay ...
Astrobiology
Aug 26, 2024
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In the hunt for alien life, is man truly 'the measure of all things?'
Enrico Fermi's lunchtime question at wartime Los Alamos, "Where is everybody?" has been both a gift and a problem to scientists ever since. Known as "Fermi's Paradox," it simply asks, why, since life on Earth is ubiquitous ...
Professor proposes how a black hole in orbit around a planet could be a sign of an advanced civilization
In 1971, English mathematical physicist and Nobel-prize winner Roger Penrose proposed how energy could be extracted from a rotating black hole. He argued that this could be done by building a harness around the black hole's ...
Astronomy
Aug 23, 2024
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Astrobiologist explores likelihood of life originating on Earth
Florida Tech astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam has asked life's biggest questions from a young age. Though he can't recall his exact queries, he says his interests were perfectly consistent with those of other children: dinosaurs ...
Astrobiology
Aug 23, 2024
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The Wow! Signal deciphered—it was hydrogen all along, study says
In 1977, astronomers received a powerful, peculiar radio signal from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. Its frequency was the same as neutral hydrogen, and astronomers had speculated that any ETIs attempting ...
Astronomy
Aug 21, 2024
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Exoplanets may contain more water than previously thought
We know that the Earth has an iron core surrounded by a mantle of silicate bedrock and water (oceans) on its surface. Science has used this simple planet model until today for investigating exoplanets—planets that orbit ...
Astrobiology
Aug 20, 2024
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Rocks collected on Mars hold key to water and perhaps life on the planet: Researchers urge bringing them back to Earth
Over the course of nearly five months in 2022, NASA's Perseverance rover collected rock samples from Mars that could rewrite the history of water on the red planet and even contain evidence for past life on Mars.
Astrobiology
Aug 14, 2024
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Scientists find oceans of water on Mars. It's just too deep to tap.
Using seismic activity to probe the interior of Mars, geophysicists have found evidence for a large underground reservoir of liquid water—enough to fill oceans on the planet's surface.
Astrobiology
Aug 12, 2024
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Study reports dim odds for finding alien civilizations
Are there any advanced alien civilizations elsewhere in our galaxy? We don't know. All we do know is that there is at least one. Should we be optimistic or pessimistic about finding others?
New study suggests that our galaxy is crowded or empty—both are equally terrifying
Is there intelligent life in the universe? And if so, just how common is it? Or perhaps the question should be, what are the odds that those engaged in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) will encounter it ...
Astrobiology
Aug 8, 2024
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Scientists discuss why we might not spot solar panel technosignatures
One of NASA's key priorities is understanding the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. NASA has not found any credible evidence of extraterrestrial life—but NASA is exploring the solar system and beyond to help ...
Astrobiology
Aug 2, 2024
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The discovery of a new Earth-like planet could shed further light on what makes a planet habitable
In an exciting breakthrough for astronomy and the search for extraterrestrial life, a team of international scientists has announced the discovery of Gliese 12 b, a temperate, Earth-sized exoplanet just 40 light-years away—a ...
Astrobiology
Jul 30, 2024
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Study suggests cloud-to-ground lightning strikes may have generated building blocks for life on Earth
A large team of chemists at Harvard University has found evidence suggesting that cloud-to-ground lightning strikes may have helped generate some of the building blocks needed for life on Earth to arise.
Has NASA found evidence of ancient life of Mars? An expert examines the latest discovery
NASA has announced the first detection of possible biosignatures in a rock on the surface of Mars. The rock contains the first martian organic matter to be detected by the Perseverance rover, as well as curious discolored ...
Astrobiology
Jul 29, 2024
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Perseverance rover discovers rock with potential signs of ancient life
A vein-filled rock is catching the eye of the science team of NASA's Perseverance rover. Nicknamed "Cheyava Falls" by the team, the arrowhead-shaped rock contains fascinating traits that may bear on the question of whether ...
Astrobiology
Jul 25, 2024
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The ultraviolet habitable zone may set a time limit on the formation of life
The field of extrasolar planet studies has grown exponentially in the past 20 years. Thanks to missions like Kepler, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), and other dedicated observatories, astronomers have confirmed ...
Astrobiology
Jul 24, 2024
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