![Mapping of the science cases proposed by the Science Working Groups (center) to the questions and discovery areas identified by Astro2020 (left and right). The transparencies of the lines indicate the number of connections with darker lines indicating stronger links between the SWG and the Astro2020 topic. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Early-Exploration.png?resize=1200%2C711&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.IM] The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is a future NASA flagship mission concept identified by the Astro2020 Decadal Survey as the highest priority for large space missions. HWO should conduct […]
Atmospheres, Climate, Weather
![Top left: (pgas, Tgas) cross-section through the terminators of WASP-69 b, with the location of the CH4 quench point overlaid (light blue line). We define the CH4 quench level as the pressure where the absolute relative difference between the equilibrium and disequilibrium concentrations first exceeds 10−3. Top right: Column densities in the line-of-sight direction in the atmosphere of WASP-69 b for [M/H] = 1.0, and C/O = 0.55 for CH44. Bottom: The same as for CH4 but now for SO2 (left) and CO2 (right). The terminator pressure scale is used as a radius axis. The hotspot offset at 10−4 bars is reflected in the column density of SO2, with larger concentrations being formed on the evening terminator. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Chemical-Tracers.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Chemical Tracers For 3D Atmospheric Asymmetries On WASP-69 b
[astro-ph.EP] Warm giant exoplanets exhibit strong three-dimensional temperature contrasts that can significantly alter atmospheric chemistry through quenching and photochemistry, yet transmission spectra are commonly interpreted using one-dimensional, limb-averaged models. Such […]
Posted inVenus
Altered Cosmic Organics As Venus’ Ultraviolet Absorbers
[astro-ph.EP] Venus’ ultraviolet (UV) absorbers significantly contribute to the atmosphere’s energy budget. However, the composition of these absorbers remains a mystery.
Posted inPlant Biology
Is A Constitutive Red-shift An Advantage For Oxygenic Photosynthesis Under M Dwarf Starlight? Insights From Acaryochloris Marina sp. str. Moss Beach
[FEMS Microbes] In the next decades, space telescope missions will search for life evidence on exoplanets, focusing on robust biosignatures associated with oxygenic photosynthesis, including atmospheric oxygen accumulation and the […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware
Planetary Recon: Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys
[NASA] This proposal explores a new class of reconnaissance spacecraft that map minerals from orbit using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed flybys–without landing, sample return, or extended dwell. Editor’s note: for […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
Orbital Biosignature Assay: Pyramid Lake in Bloom
[NASA] The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on the Landsat 9 satellite acquired this natural-color image of the bloom in October 2024. One day earlier, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe noted […]
![(a) Schematic of Europan ice-ocean system [related image in 11]. (b) Map of sea surface temperature (◦C) showing the transition between the temperature-stratified North Atlantic Ocean and the salt-stratified Arctic Ocean; (c) Potential temperature (left) and salinity (right) profiles with depth from location near the North Pole. Different water-mass characteristics are labeled. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/What-can.png?resize=1200%2C582&ssl=1)
Posted inWater/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
What Can Planetary Ice Shells Teach Us about Ocean Mixing and Life, and Why Salt Matters
[astro-ph.EP] Past and present climates, both on Earth and in planetary systems, maintain ice covers with underlying oceans. This can range from sea ice in the Arctic Ocean to global […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Atmospheric Diversity of Giant Planet Analogs from 3-5µm with SPHEREx
[astro-ph.EP]. The emergent spectra of giant planets peak at thermal infrared wavelengths (3-5um) and possess atmospheric features in this regime that trace carbon chemistry, vertical mixing, clouds, and composition.
Posted inMars
The Search for Life and Biosignatures on Mars: A Mars System Science Approach (Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, Lithosphere, Geologic History)
[Astrobiology (Journal)] The most important quest in Mars exploration is the search for biosignatures. We adopt a Mars System Science approach, calling on information from the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Setting The Stage: The Early History Of The Solar System
[astro-ph.EP] This article reviews the early history of our solar system from an astrobiological perspective and presents evidence from meteorites and astronomical observations. The purpose is to trace the formation […]