[NASA] Boulder-size blocks of water ice can be seen around the rim of this giant meteoroid impact crater on Mars, as viewed by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE camera) […]
habitability
Posted inHabitable Zones
The Viability of Life in Helium-Dominated Exoplanet Atmospheres
[astro-ph.EP] Helium is the second most abundant element in the Universe, yet helium-dominated atmospheres are rarely considered as environments for life.
Posted inMars
Zhurong Mars Rover Observations Primary Evaporite In Southern Utopia Planitia
[Nature] The Zhurong rover has identified a layer consisting of platy rocks enriched in hydrous minerals on a ~0.76-Ga surface in southern Utopia Planitia, indicating unexpected recent aqueous activity on […]
Posted inSpace Weather & Heliophysics
Intense but Harmless: Exo-Space Weather Around an M Dwarf with a Single-Hemisphere Dynamo
[astro-ph.SR] M dwarfs are among the most promising host stars in the search for habitable exoplanets. However, their active atmospheres drive intense magnetic activity, including energetic flares and possibly coronal […]
![TiO absorption variation during 8 years on surface of proxima centauri. Vertical lines depicts regions were used to measure B index. -- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Titanium-Oxide.png?resize=1200%2C715&ssl=1)
Posted inProxima Centauri
Titanium Oxide Absorption as a Proxy to Detect Long term Variation and Activity Cycle in Proxima Centauri
[astro-ph.SR] Stellar activity cycles on magnetically active stars can be estimated by molecular absorption bands.
![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)
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
Early Exploration Of The Scientific Discovery Space For The Habitable Worlds Observatory
[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 […]
Posted inMars
Biological Validation and Agnostic Experiments For Extant And Extinct Microbial Life Within The Martian Subsurface
[Astrobiology (Journal)] Over the last several decades, investigations of Earth’s subsurface and other extremely low-biomass systems have refined our understanding of the environmental limits of life, driven by methodological advances […]
![PANEL (A): Diagram of the net tidal accelerations acting on the planetary surface (caused by the host star’s gravity field). The planet is represented with a top view (i.e., as seen from above). Accelerations are computed in the reference frame of the planetary center. PANEL (B): Representation of the tidal bulge. The planet is represented with a top view. Planetary spinning (black arrow) is counterclockwise, as is the orbital motion around the star (red arrow). -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Simulation.png?resize=1200%2C575&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Simulation Of The Spin Evolution Of Some Selected Exoplanets And Inferences On Ttheir Climate
[astro-ph.EP] In this work, using the simulator VPLanet, we analyze the spin evolution of some selected exoplanets due to the tidal interaction with their host star.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather
Atmospheres As Habitats
[Astrobiology (Journal)]. The potential of planetary atmospheres as habitats is understudied and likely underestimated. Although planetary atmospheres can provide the fundamental physical, chemical, and energetic requirements for life, they also […]
Posted inHabitable Zones
Euhabitability: A New Term To Aid In The Search For Life In Addition To The Habitable Zone Framework
[Space Science Reviews] The search for life on exoplanets is difficult due to observational limitations stemming from vast separating distances. The Habitable Zone (HZ) is a simplifying framework for identifying […]