Habitability
NASA’s Perseverance Rover is Going to Jezero Crater, Which is Looking Better and Better as a Place to Search for Evidence of Past Life on Mars
In 2018, NASA decided that the landing site for its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover would be the Jezero Crater. At…
Astronomers Define the “Really Habitable Zone”. Planets Capable of Producing Gin and Tonic
A hospitable star that doesn't kill you with deadly flares. A rocky planet with liquid water and an agreeable climate.…
How Will Clouds Obscure the View of Exoplanet Surfaces?
A new study shows how the presence of a cloud layer could make it harder for the James Webb Space…
Here’s What the Climate Might Look Like on Proxima Centauri B
NASA scientists have run simulations that show what the climate on Proxima b might be like, with encouraging results!
The Perfect Stars to Search for Life On Their Planets
We tend to think of our Earthly circumstances as normal. A watery, temperate world orbiting a stable yellow star. A…
TESS Finds its First Earth-Sized World in the Habitable Zone of a Star
NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) has found its first Earth-sized planet located in the habitable zone of its host…
Without a Magnetosphere, Planets Orbiting Flare Stars Don’t Stand a Chance
Earthlings are fortunate. Our planet has a robust magnetic shield. Without out magnetosphere, the Sun's radiation would've probably ended life…
Planet Sizes Matter for Habitability Too.
In order to be considered habitable, a planet needs to have liquid water. Cells, the smallest unit of life, need…
Venus Could Have Supported Life for Billions of Years
A new study by a team of NASA scientists indicates that Venus could have been habitable for billions of years…
NASA Promised More Smaller, Earth-size Exoplanets. TESS is Delivering.
When NASA launched TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) in 2018, it had a specific goal. While its predecessor, the Kepler…