[USRA] Panspermia is the idea that life can originate on one planetary body and then be transferred to other bodies. Impacts are often the suggested method for transfer, as they […]
Habitable Zone
Posted inHabitable Zones
Nautilus: Fast Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of GKM Stellar Flares and Their Implications for Planetary Habitability
[astro-ph.SR] Low-mass GKM dwarfs are prime targets for finding habitable-zone Earth-sized planets, but their frequent flares, especially on M~dwarfs, can strongly affect planetary atmospheres through enhanced UV/XUV radiation and stellar […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
The Biological Cosmological Constant ΛB: Exploratory Propensity, Dynamical Habitability And The Geometric Origin Of Life
[BioSystems via PubMed] The emergence of life represents a fundamental geometric phase transition in the state space of complex systems, rather than a mere sequence of chemical syntheses. Building upon […]
Posted inUncategorized
An Agnostic Machine Learning Model of Photosynthetic Habitability
The search for exoplanet biosignatures is guided by whether planetary environments can sustain photosynthesis.
Posted inMars
Energy-Limited Radiolytic Habitability in the Shallow Martian Subsurface: Implications for ExoMars Rosalind Franklin and Tianwen-3
The surface of Mars is sterilized by ionizing radiation and pervasive oxidants; its shallow subsurface, shielded from ultraviolet light and the most reactive oxidation, may instead preserve habitable conditions.
Posted inIcy Worlds
Dynamic Controls On Subsurface Water Chemistry And Habitability On Icy Moons
Icy moons are natural satellites whose surfaces contain a substantial fraction of frozen materials, most notably water ice.
Posted inCallisto, Europa, Ganymede, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Journal articles, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Radar Echoes From Europa Reveal Secrets Beneath the Ice
A team of scientists has used NASA’s Goldstone Solar System Radar and the U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Telescope (NSF GBT) to carry out the most extensive radar study […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Status Report
Reflections of Life: Distinguishing Living from Nonliving Worlds with Complexity Metrics
Detecting life beyond Earth is the primary goal of astrobiology. In this study, we showcase the effectiveness of information and complexity-based metrics for detecting signs of life on exoplanets.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Connecting Polarization To Exoplanet Yield Calculations For Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)
The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) aims to enable the detection and characterization of Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars to search for possible signs of life elsewhere in our universe.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Exploring Exoplanets with Interferometry
(Extract from the Executive Summary) Humanity stands at the threshold of answering one of its most profound questions: Does life exist beyond Earth?