Chemistry
Did Cosmic Dust Deliver the Phosphorus Needed for Life?
Without phosphorus, there's no life. It's a necessary part of DNA, RNA, and other biological molecules like ATP, which helps…
Did Asteroid Impacts Provide Both the Heat and Raw Ingredients to Enable Life?
This is our Great Question: How did life begin on Earth? Anyone who says they have the answer is telling…
Stellar Flares May Not Condemn a Planet’s Habitability
Red dwarf stars are the most common kind of star in our neighbourhood, and probably in the Milky Way. Because…
The Interior of Enceladus Looks Really Great for Supporting Life
When NASA's Voyager spacecraft visited Saturn's moon Enceladus, they found a body with young, reflective, icy surface features. Some parts…
Solid Phosphorus has been Found in Comets. This Means They Contain All the Raw Elements for Life
Did comets deliver the elements essential for life on Earth? It's looking more and more like they could have. At…
One of the Building Blocks of Life Can Form in the Harsh Environment of Deep Space Itself. No Star Required
In many ways, stars are the engines of creation. Their energy drives a whole host of processes necessary for life.…
Astronomers Challenge Recent Findings About Venus. “No Statistically Significant Detection of Phosphine”
In September, a team of scientists reported finding phosphine in the upper atmosphere of Venus. Phosphine can be a biomarker…
Astronomers Report They’ve Detected the Amino Acid Glycine in the Atmosphere of Venus
Does it feel like all eyes are on Venus these days? The discovery of the potential biomarker phosphine in the…
Did Pioneer See Phosphine in the Clouds of Venus Decades Ago?
The discovery of phosphine in Venus' atmosphere has generated a lot of interest. It has the potential to be a…
A Supernova Exploded Dangerously Close to Earth 2.5 Million Years Ago
In its 4.5 billion year history, Earth has had to run the gauntlet. Numerous catastrophes have imperilled the planet, from…