Using ESA’s Herschel space observatory, astronomers have discovered that a molecule vital for creating water exists in the burning embers of dying Sun-like stars. When low- to middleweight stars like […]
ESA
Posted inPlant Biology
Glowing Plants Are A Sign of Health
Radiant skin is considered a sign of good health in humans, but plants also glow when they are well. A potential new ESA satellite could use this fluorescence to track […]
Posted inMars, Planetary Protection & Biosafety
Planetary Protection: Preventing Microbial Hitchhiking
While astronauts might dream of discovering unknown life one day in their future career, ESA’s Planetary Protection Officer oversees activities that achieve it on a regular basis. As part of […]
Posted inIcy Worlds
Water Vapor Discovered At Ceres
ESA’s Herschel space observatory has discovered water vapour around Ceres, the first unambiguous detection of water vapour around an object in the asteroid belt. With a diameter of 950 km, […]
Posted inCaves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Status Report
ESA's CAVES: Searching for Life in Strange Places
Last year schoolchildren were invited to dig up some earth in search of creepy-crawlies and underground life. Astronauts taking part in ESA’s underground training course CAVES joined the worldwide experiment […]
Posted inMars
ExoMars Can Detect Life That Survives Simulated Environment on Mars
An instrument similar to those used on Earth by art detectives and to sense explosives at airports will be taken into space for the first time by ExoMars, the European […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Icy Worlds, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Space Physiology & Medicine
An Interview With Alexander Kumar at Concordia Station, Antarctica
Dr. Alexander Kumar is currently residing at Concordia station located at Dome C, Antarctica at 75°06’06”S – 123°23’43”E at an elevation of 3,800 meters. Alex is serving as Concordia Station […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Discoveries about life on Earth inspire Beagle 2
The nineteenth century spirit of discovery is inspiring the effort to land the first probe on Mars in the twenty first century. Last week, as if to give the inspiration […]