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'Space ice' is less like water than previously thought

"Space ice" contains tiny crystals and is not a completely disordered material like liquid water, as previously assumed, according to a new study by scientists at UCL (University College London) and the University of Cambridge.

What islands can teach us about planetary protection

As humanity ventures deeper into space, one critical question looms large: how do we prevent Earth's microbes from contaminating other worlds? A new study published in Journal of The Royal Society Interface by Daniel J. Brener ...

Other news

Plants & Animals
Pavlov's dogs were conditioned to go to their treat; why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?
Molecular & Computational biology
Mapping corn DNA reveals how genes shape plant traits and pest resistance
Plants & Animals
Fish species evolved different hunting strategies using distinct visual cues
Earth Sciences
Relief from drought in southwest U.S. likely isn't coming, according to new research
Plants & Animals
High ocean temperatures may slow deadly coral disease, new study finds
Astronomy
NASA's IXPE imager reveals mysteries of rare pulsar
Evolution
Reduction in supply of prey was decisive factor in extinction of saber-toothed tigers, study finds
Astronomy
Astronomers perform a comprehensive study of two open clusters
Condensed Matter
A promising pathway for the electrical switching of altermagnetism
Paleontology & Fossils
New evidence from pterosaur's fossilized stomach helps settle longstanding debate about its diet
Earth Sciences
Melting Arctic ice bolstering North Atlantic Ocean currents, for now
Archaeology
Genetic evidence casts doubt on early colonization timelines in Australia
Paleontology & Fossils
Ancient footprints reveal Neanderthal family hunts on beaches
Social Sciences
Don't bet on Friday: Research shows financial risk-taking rises at end of work week, without payoff
Astronomy
Ultra-hot Jupiter's death spiral could reveal stellar secrets
Planetary Sciences
Inverse relationship between solar corona brightness and velocity of coronal mass ejections discovered
Ecology
New study reveals how corals teach their offspring to beat the heat
Nanomaterials
2D materials design: Material strength and toughness simultaneously achieved through layer twisting
Optics & Photonics
Next-gen rod LEDs could transform smartphones and TVs with ultra-bright and color-rich displays
Nanophysics
New AI tool deciphers mysteries of nanoparticle motion in liquid environments

New model helps to figure out which distant planets may host life

The search for life beyond Earth is a key driver of modern astronomy and planetary science. The U.S. is building multiple major telescopes and planetary probes to advance this search. However, the signs of life—called biosignatures—that ...

Uncovering the chemistry of interstellar space

Many people imagine the space between the stars as an empty, cold infinity. In reality, it is teeming with extraordinary molecules: More than 300 different types have already been discovered. For her Ph.D. thesis, chemist ...

Finding a better way to distinguish life from nonlife

The search for life on other worlds needs a way to sift through the chemistry of their atmospheres. If another species observed Earth to search for life, they'd look for "smoking gun" chemistry in the atmosphere. That includes ...

Venus shows why ozone isn't a good biosignature

Just because we can find ozone in the atmosphere of other planets doesn't mean there's life. Ozone is a sign of life on Earth, but its detection on Venus shows that it can also be produced abiotically. This indicates that ...

Is the bar higher for scientific claims of alien life?

The search for extraterrestrial life has long gone back and forth between scientific curiosity, public fascination and outright skepticism. Recently, scientists claimed the "strongest evidence" of life on a distant exoplanet—a ...

Cosmic ray research helps unravel lithium-7 origin

The origin of lithium (Li), the third element of the periodic table, has long been shrouded in mystery. This element, commonly found in cosmic rays as two stable isotopes, 6Li and 7Li, is crucial to understanding the origins ...