On August 21, 2017, about 215 million American adults watched one of nature’s most dramatic events: a total solar eclipse. However, most of the country could only see a partial […]
2017
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Missing Link between Exploding Stars, Clouds, and Earth's Climate
A breakthrough in the understanding of how cosmic rays from supernovae can influence Earth’s cloud cover and thereby climate has been published in the journal Nature Communications. The study reveals […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Mysterious New Seafloor Species Sheds Light on Early Animal Evolution
Japanese researchers have discovered a new species of the enigmatic marine worm Xenoturbella, which they have named Xenoturbella japonica, as reported in a new study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology. […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: New Tool For Looking For Life Beyond Earth
NASA has developed an innovative new spectroscopy instrument to aid the search for extraterrestrial life. The new instrument is designed to detect compounds and minerals associated with biological activity more […]
Posted inMars, Press Release
Mars Is Not As Dry As It Seems
When searching for life, scientists first look for an element key to sustaining it: fresh water. Although today’s Martian surface is barren, frozen and inhabitable, a trail of evidence points […]
Posted inMars, Press Release, Radiation
Dependence of the Martian Radiation Environment on Atmospheric Depth: Modeling and Measurement
The energetic particle environment on the Martian surface is influenced by solar and heliospheric modulation and changes in the local atmospheric pressure (or column depth). The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Water And The Interior Structure Of Terrestrial Planets And Icy Bodies
Water content and the internal evolution of terrestrial planets and icy bodies are closely linked. The distribution of water in planetary systems is controlled by the temperature structure in the […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Habitable Planets Around Pulsars Theoretically Possible
It is theoretically possible that habitable planets exist around pulsars. Such planets must have an enormous atmosphere that convert the deadly X-rays and high-energy particles of the pulsar into heat. […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Press Release
Cellular Division Strategy Shared Across All Domains Of Life
The three domains of life – archaea, bacteria, and eukarya – may have more in common than previously thought. Over the past several years, Ariel Amir, Assistant Professor in Applied […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Fossil Microorganisms Indicate Life in the Universe is Common
A new analysis of the oldest known fossil microorganisms provides strong evidence to support an increasingly widespread understanding that life in the universe is common. The microorganisms, from Western Australia, […]