[astro-ph.EP] The characterization of terrestrial exoplanets and the conditions that lead to divergent climate outcomes is a primary goal of exoplanetary science.
Biosignatures & Paleobiology
Posted inHabitable Zones
Detected: Rocky, Habitable-zone Exoplanet With An Atmosphere
[Carnegie Science] A team of scientists led by Harvard University’s Collin Cherubim and including Shreyas Vissapragada and other Carnegie astronomers has detected evidence of an atmosphere on a rocky planet […]
Posted inMars
MEDaL-1 Mars Lander Science Definition Team
[ESA] Join the Science Definition Team (SDT) to help define the Exploration Science Payload for a proposed future Mars lander: MEDaL-1. Full announcement
![The Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey (RACS) radio images of radio sources associated with candidates A (J1245-2652, top row) and B (J0356-4031, bottom row) are shown at three frequencies: 887.5 MHz (left), 1367.5 MHz (centre), and 1655.5 MHz (right), with each panel covering a field of view of 65" × 65" . White ellipses show the PyBDSF source fits from the RACS catalogues, with thick solid lines indicating the fits at the frequency of the image, while thin dashed lines show fits from the other radio frequencies for comparison. Large blue crosses (×) mark radio source positions for the corresponding frequency, and small blue plus signs (+) indicate positions at other frequencies. The red stars represent the Gaia positions propagated to the corresponding RACS observation epochs using the measured proper motions. -- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Archival-Diagnostics.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inSETI & Technosignatures
Archival Diagnostics for Potential Background Contaminants Of Project Hephaistos Dyson Sphere Candidates
[astro-ph.SR] We report on the diagnostic inspection of nine Project Hephaistos Dyson Sphere candidate M-dwarfs based on archival data. By comparing the Gaia positions, propagated to the AllWISE epoch, with […]
![The figure illustrates the four main phases of low-mass star formation: from the gravitational collapse of the natal core of gas and dust (Prestellar Core), to the main accretion phase (Class 0/I protostar, age ∼104 -105 yr), followed by the protostar and its surrounding protoplanetary disk (Class I/II, age ∼105 -106 yr), and finally the revealed planetary system after the disk has dispersed (Class III, age ∼107 yr). Typical spatial and timescales are indicated for each stage. Generated with Google Gemini 3 Flash and modified. -- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Cradle-of-Life.png?resize=1200%2C714&ssl=1)
Posted inHabitable Zones
Cradle Of Life: From The Formation Of Stars To Habitable Worlds With The SKAO
[astro-ph.SR] This chapter provides an overview of the different science cases covered by the “Cradle of Life” working group, which aims to leverage the capabilities of the Square Kilometre Array […]
![(A) Sampling location at the origin of Río Tinto, Spain (modified from García-Moyano et al., 2007). (B) The iron microbialites (white arrow) grew horizontally on a northeast-facing wall. (C) -- [GSA Bulletin]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Iron-microbialites.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAnalog Studies
Iron Microbialites From An Acidic Martian Analog (Río Tinto, Spain)—Implications For Finding Life On Mars
[GSA Bulletin] The search for life on Mars requires identifying suitable biosignatures detectable by rover missions or in returned samples. To support the progressing astrobiological exploration of Mars, we investigated […]
![Retrieved temperature, mixing ratios, and haze parameters from all three retrieval set ups. Left: Retrieved volume mixing ratios for all three retrieval cases shown at the approximate depth of the haze layer. Right: Haze opacity in dashed lines and temperature in solid lines as a function of pressure and altitude. Where available we show the Teanby et al. (2006) mixing ratios and temperature profile. Despite varying assumptions and haze schemes, all retrievals indicate a haze layer in approximately the same pressure location. Note that the POSEIDON haze location is inferred from the pressure contribution functions and is shown as a shaded region. - [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Piercing-through.png?resize=1200%2C710&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Piercing Through The Haze: Characterizing Titan-like Terrestrial Exoplanets With JWST
[astro-ph.EP] As we enter a new era of using JWST to characterize exoplanet atmospheres, a top priority is defining observational needs and parameters in the search for life on an […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Experimental Astrochemistry And Machine Learning Unravel The Formation Of Oxygen-bearing Organic Molecules In Extraterrestrial Ices
[Nature Communications Chemistry] Oxygen-bearing organic molecules, including aldehydes, alcohols, and peroxides, serve as key precursors to complex organics in extraterrestrial environments. Their non-equilibrium formation mechanisms critically constrain the molecular complexity […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Bacteria Form Herds To Survive Predators, Offering Fresh Insight Into Earth’s Carbon Cycle
[Queen Mary University of London] Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective “herds” when attacked by predators – a survival […]
Posted inMars
Perseverance Rover Provides A Record of Ancient Mars Impacts
[NASA] Old rocks exposed on the rim of Jezero Crater preserve a roughly 4-billion-year-old cosmic “weather report” from the solar system’s most dynamic era.