Astrobiology
New Study Examines Cosmic Expansion, Leading to a New Drake Equation
In 1960, in preparation for the first SETI conference, Cornell astronomer Frank Drake formulated an equation to calculate the number…
Europa Clipper Begins Odyssey to Assess Jovian Moon’s Habitability
NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft today began its six-year cruise to the Jupiter system, with the goal of determining whether one…
How the ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover Will Drill for Samples on Mars
Russia's attack on Ukraine has delayed its launch, but the ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover is heading toward completion. It was…
Book Review: Is Earth Exceptional?
A new book looks at the latest scientific insights versus a key question in astronomy and space science.
Earth-like exoplanets might be in short supply for the Habitable Worlds Observatory
How common are Earth-like exoplanets—also called exo-Earths—and which exoplanetary systems should we target to find them? This is what a…
Elliptical Orbits Could be Essential to the Habitability of Rocky Planets
A seismic shift occurred in astronomy during the Scientific Revolution, beginning with 16th-century polymath Copernicus and his proposal that the…
Exomoons: Why study them? What can they teach us about finding life beyond Earth?
Universe Today has had the recent privilege of investigating a multitude of scientific disciplines, including impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets,…
Planetary Protection: Why study it? What can it teach us about finding life beyond Earth?
Universe Today has recently investigated a plethora of scientific disciplines, including impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets, astrobiology, solar physics, comets,…
Cryovolcanism: Why study it? What can it teach us about finding life beyond Earth?
Universe Today has had the privilege of spending the last several months venturing into a multitude of scientific disciplines, including…
Could Martian atmospheric samples teach us more about the Red Planet than surface samples?
NASA is actively working to return surface samples from Mars in the next few years, which they hope will help…