Life
NASA Selects New Technology to Help Search for Life on Mars
The day when human beings finally set foot on Mars is rapidly approaching. Right now, NASA, the China National Space…
Since Interstellar Objects Crashed Into Earth in the Past, Could They Have Brought Life?
On October 19th, 2017, astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey detected an interstellar object (ISO) passing through our Solar System for…
There are Mysteries at Venus. It’s Time for an Astrobiology Mission
When scientists detected phosphine in Venus' atmosphere in 2020, it triggered renewed, animated discussions about Venus and its potential habitability.…
Organic Molecules Come from the Universe’s Cold Places
Life, as we all know, is based on chemistry. Prebiotic chemical building blocks existed on our planet for a long…
Entropy is the Key to a Planet’s Habitability
We all know that to have life on a world, you need three critical items: water, warmth, and food. Now…
Could Life Exist in Molecular Clouds?
Our search for life beyond Earth is still in its infancy. We're focused on Mars and, to a lesser extent,…
Even Tiny Amounts of DNA on Mars Will Be Detectable
The Search for Life is focused on the search for biosignatures. Planetary life leaves a chemical fingerprint on a planet's…
When did the First Continents Appear in the Universe?
On Earth, continents are likely necessary to support life. Continents 'float' on top of the Earth's viscous mantle, and heat…
Has the First Biosignature Been Found on an Exoplanet?
Astronomers have found tentative evidence of a biosignature on an alien world, but we are far from proving that extraterrestrial…
Is Anyone Planning for Diplomacy with an Extraterrestrial Civilization?
Imagine we detect an interstellar object entering our Solar System. At first, astronomers think it's just another natural interloper like…