Results from the solar-powered spacecraft provide a new measurement of the thickness of the ice shell encasing the Jovian moon’s ocean.
2026
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
ROSES-25 Amendment 40: Exoplanets Research Program Step-2 Due Date Deferred to February 2, 2026
The Exoplanets Research Program (XRP), element F.3 of ROSES-25, solicits basic research proposals to conduct scientific investigations that significantly improve our understanding of exoplanets and exoplanet formation.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
The Microbial Inhabitants of the Corona Lava Tube: Astrobiological Insights from a Mars Analog Environment
Lava tubes are recognized as strategic targets in the search for life on Mars. The Corona Lava Tube System in Lanzarote serves as a terrestrial analog for martian subsurface environments […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
410 Million Year Old Fossil Of Prototaxites Defies Classification
The genus ‘Prototaxites’ had previously been thought to be an early type of fungus. However, in a new paper published in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Edinburgh and […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Possible Favored Great Oxidation Event Scenario On Exoplanets Around M-Stars With The Example Of TRAPPIST-1e
The Great Oxidation Event (GOE), which marked the transition from an anoxic to an oxygenated atmosphere, occurred 2.4 billion years ago on Earth, several hundreds of millions of years after […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
Modeling the Impact of Unresolved Stellar Companions on Detection Sensitivity in Kepler’s Small Planet Occurrence Rates
Unresolved stellar companions can cause both under-estimations in the radii of transiting planets and over-estimations of their detectability, affecting our ability to reliably measure planet occurrence rates.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Autonomous Mars Rover Module for Soil Sampling and Life Component Analysis
The search for extraterrestrial life has long been a primary focus of scientific exploration, driven by rapid advancements in technology and our understanding of the universe.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Noncanonical Genetic Markers Resolve The Pre-GOE Emergence Of Aerobic Bacteria In Earth’s History
The transition from anaerobic to aerobic life was a pivotal adaptation in Earth’s history, yet the timing and genomic drivers remain poorly resolved.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Status Report
Atmospheric Circulation Of High-Obliquity Mini-Neptunes
With the operation of JWST, atmospheric characterization has now extended to low-mass exoplanets.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Deuteration Of HC3N And CH3CCH In The Pre-stellar Core L1544
Deuterated molecules are a useful diagnostic tool to probe the evolution and the kinematics in the earliest stages of star formation.