Sci-Fi Christmas is Ruined! Planet Vulcan Doesn’t Exist
According to a new study, the exoplanet 40 Eridani b (aka. “Vulcan”) was a false positive. Bad news for Star Trek fans, but possibly good for future exoplanet surveys.
Finding Oxygen on an Alien World Doesn't Always Mean There's Life There
Oxygen could indicate presence of life on another world, but for red dwarf planets finding oxygen isn’t enough.
It Should Be Easiest to Search for Young Earth-like Planets When They’re Completely Covered in Magma
How did Earth evolve from an ocean of magma to the vibrant, life-supporting, blue jewel it is now? In its early years, the Earth was a blistering hot ball of magma. Now, 4.5 billion years later, it’s barely recognizable. Is it possible to find exoplanets out there in the vast expanse, which are young molten …
Bad News For Proxima b: An Earth-Like Atmosphere Might Not Survive There
A new study led by researchers from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center indicates that Proxima b would be likely to retain an Earth-like atmosphere.
Researchers Think They Know Why Venus Doesn’t Have as Many Volcanoes as Earth
A new study by researchers from St. Andrews University and the University of Strasbourg has shed light on why Venus has so few volcanoes compared to Earth.
What Does “Earthlike” Even Mean & Should It Apply To Proxima Centauri b?
With so many exoplanet discoveries around distant (and neighboring) stars, it might be time to assess what terms like “Earth-like” really mean.
Earth-Like Planet Around Proxima Centauri Discovered
According to an unnamed source, the ESO has discovered a habitable planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, making it the closest Earth-like planet discovered to date
Help a Universe Today Writer Share Stories About Our Search For Earth-like Planets
Since 1995, astronomers have detected thousands of worlds orbiting nearby stars, sparking a race to find the one that most resembles Earth. The discovery of habitable exoplanets and even extraterrestrial life is often referred to as the Holy Grail of science. So with the gold rush of exoplanet discoveries these days, it’s pretty tempting in …
How Many Moons Does Saturn Have?
Saturn has 53 confirmed and named moons, though as many as 150 may exist. This makes it second only to Jupiter in terms of the number of natural satellites it has orbiting it
Possible Subterranean Life Means More Exoplanets Could Harbor Life
Artistic representation of the current five known potential habitable worlds. Will this list broaden under a new habitability model? Credit: The Planetary Habitability Laboratory (PHL) When we think of life on other planets, we tend to imagine things (microbes, plant life and yes, humanoids) that exist on the surface. But Earth’s biosphere doesn’t stop at …
Continue reading “Possible Subterranean Life Means More Exoplanets Could Harbor Life”