Chemistry
Earth’s Old Trees Keep A Record of Powerful Solar Storms
Most of the time the Sun is pretty well-mannered, but occasionally it's downright unruly. It sometimes throws extremely energetic tantrums.…
Lessons From Ancient Earth’s Atmosphere: From Hostile to Hospitable
Will we ever understand how life got started on Earth? We've learned much about Earth's long, multi-billion-year history, but a…
Another Building Block of Life Can Handle Venus’ Sulphuric Acid
Venus is often described as a hellscape. The surface temperature breaches the melting point of lead, and though its atmosphere…
Dark Oxygen Could Change Our Understanding of Habitability
The discovery of dark oxygen at an abyssal plain on the ocean floor generated a lot of interest. Could this…
Fast-Tracking the Search for Habitable Worlds
Modern astronomy would struggle without AI and machine learning (ML), which have become indispensable tools. They alone have the capability…
Could We Detect an Alien Civilization Trying to Warm Their Planet?
Humanity is facing an atmospheric threat of our own device, and our internecine squabbles are hampering our ability to neutralize…
Life Probably Played No Role in Mars’ Organic Matter
The Martian surface shows ample evidence of its warm, watery past. Deltas, ancient lakebeds, and dry river channels are plentiful.…
Linking Organic Molecules to Hydrothermal Vents on Enceladus
Despite the vast distance between us and Saturn's gleaming moon Enceladus, the icy ocean moon is a prime target in…
New Answers for Mars’ Methane Mystery
Planetary scientists perk up whenever methane is mentioned. Methane is produced by living things on Earth, so it's considered to…
41,000 Years Ago Earth’s Shield Went Down
Earth is naked without its protective barrier. The planet's magnetic shield surrounds Earth and shelters it from the natural onslaught…