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Astrobiology news
ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star
Astronomers have discovered a chemically rich collection of sulfur-bearing molecules surrounding the rare massive star HD 87643. The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a ...
Human-related microbes may survive moon's South Pole
Some of Earth's microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the moon's South Pole region, NASA scientists say.
Astrobiology
Aug 19, 2026
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Radio telescopes help scientists map molecules in space and uncover where and how stars form
You may have heard the phrase "we are made of star-stuff." This statement by the astronomer Carl Sagan refers to the fact that elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were forged in the centers of the first stars. But how ...
Astronomy
Aug 16, 2026
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What a dry meteorite tells us about water on Mars
Detecting water where none remains today: Neutron and X-ray tomography make it possible. In an international study conducted with the participation of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, researchers have brought to light macroscopic ...
Astrobiology
Aug 13, 2026
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Space travel doesn't affect the strength of heart muscle cells, study finds
It's common to see images of astronauts on the International Space Station exercising, running on special treadmills and pedaling cycles designed for tight quarters.
Space Exploration
Aug 12, 2026
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The ESCAPE mission will study the evolution of exoplanet atmospheres
The habitable zone concept is useful for understanding which worlds might, possibly, maybe, be habitable. It highlights exoplanets at the right distances from their stars for liquid water to potentially exist on their surfaces. ...
Astrobiology
Aug 11, 2026
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Mars could have carried liquid water more recently than we thought
For decades, astronomers have assumed that the Martian surface froze solid around 3 billion years ago and has stayed that way ever since. If this were really the case, any liquid water would have long since either been locked ...
Venus's polygonal plains could point to a watery past
Venus may be overwhelmingly inhospitable today, but many planetary scientists believe that it wasn't always this way. Billions of years ago, some observational evidence suggested that our planetary neighbor may have looked ...
Zodiacal dust in exoplanetary systems could hinder our search for life on other worlds
If you've ever been under a dark sky in the early morning before dawn, you may have seen a faint glow, almost like a column of light rising from the east. It's sometimes known as the false dawn because it appears before true ...
Astrobiology
Aug 3, 2026
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Laying odds on the potential for Martian water near future landing zones
We know Mars has water ice in its polar regions, but astronauts (and their solar-powered equipment!) would much rather experience life closer to Mars' equator. As NASA looks toward landing humans on the red planet, the Planetary ...
Astrobiology
Jul 31, 2026
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ELT's spectrograph could 'sniff out' biosignatures on other worlds
Before any major telescope commissioning, there are dozens of papers that attempt to define what we can expect from it. We're starting to see some come through for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which hopefully will ...
Astrobiology
Jul 31, 2026
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Scientists advance space agriculture for future moon and Mars missions
Space isn't known for rich soil or ideal agricultural conditions anywhere in the solar system. Yet amid extreme temperatures and vast distances, multidisciplinary teams at USF's Aerospace: Science, Technology, Research and ...
Space Exploration
Jul 30, 2026
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Could quantum physics help us find Earth 2.0?
When astronomers talk about directly imaging an exoplanet orbiting a faraway star, the analogy they most commonly use is trying to spot a firefly next to a massive searchlight. An Earth-like exoplanet is incredibly dim—usually ...
Astrobiology
Jul 30, 2026
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How NASA plans to build the Habitable Worlds Observatory
We've been covering the journey of the Habitable Worlds Observatory for some time now. Over the past few years, it's gone from a proposal to a relatively fleshed-out plan for how and what the next Great Observatory should ...
Astronomy
Jul 27, 2026
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Why Europa's hidden ocean may be more difficult to reach than scientists thought
Europa, one of Jupiter's icy moons, has long fascinated scientists because of what may lie beneath its frozen shell: a global ocean of liquid water. That hidden ocean has made Europa one of the most compelling places in the ...
Astrobiology
Jul 24, 2026
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UK in pole position to lead key instrument in NASA's hunt for Earth-like worlds
UK astronomers are a step closer to playing a leading role in NASA's search for alien life in the coming decades as they continue developing one of the core instruments of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). The exciting ...
Astrobiology
Jul 24, 2026
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Could alien signals be hiding on a different radio channel?
Astronomers searching for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence may have been missing alien signals in part of the radio spectrum that has not recently been explored.
Astronomy
Jul 23, 2026
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Finding Venus zone planets with PLATO will show us how habitable planets evolve
Dreams of finding a sort of Earth 2.0 motivate much of the thinking around the search for exoplanets. But there is more to exoplanet science than searching for potentially habitable worlds. Scientists need a deeper understanding ...
Astrobiology
Jul 21, 2026
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Researchers advance tech that could help scientists detect habitable worlds beyond our solar system
Are we alone in the universe? For scientists working on NASA's proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory, that question is no longer purely philosophical. It is increasingly becoming an engineering problem.
Astrobiology
Jul 20, 2026
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How the sun goes to 'sleep' could reveal future space weather when it wakes
Scientists have developed a new way to predict the strength of the sun's next activity cycle up to seven years before it reaches its peak.
Astrobiology
Jul 19, 2026
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More news
Alien world chemistry found inside meteorite that struck New Jersey home
Are we missing the universe's 'noosignatures?'
Six massive landslides discovered on icy Pluto
Nautilus array to track missing exoplanet atmospheres
The rise of space AI might explain the Fermi paradox
Other news
Egypt's deserts were once home to a diverse shark community
A near extinct plant in Galápagos is now recovering
3D atomic imaging reveals a new pathway to crystal formation
Texas wine grapes launch to space for research mission
Lava planet has hydrogen-rich, active atmosphere
Developing a genetic toolkit for manipulating abundant intestinal microbes
