Himalayas Archives

Geographic distribution of extreme environments, that can serve as planetary analogues, overlaid on a hypsometric map of the Indian subcontinent and adjoining Indian Ocean. -- Frontiers via eartharxiv.org

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrobiology (general), Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

by Keith CowingFebruary 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Astrobiology seeks to understand the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe, focusing on habitability beyond Earth.

Schematic representation of extreme environments across the Indian subcontinent and the Indian Ocean that serve as planetary analogues. Terrestrial ecosystems include mud volcanoes, saline habitats, desert sandstorms, glaciers, ophiolites, geothermal springs, high-altitude lakes, and natural caves and mines. Marine ecosystems of the Indian Ocean remain relatively underexplored, with documented sites including deep-sea hydrothermal vents and subsurface trenches. This figure is adapted and inspired by Merino et al. (2019).617618619620

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

by Keith CowingOctober 5, 2025October 5, 2025

The central objective of astrobiology is to evaluate the habitability of other planetary bodies and given the high cost and logistical complexity of space missions, preliminary investigations of planetary analog […]

The photo, titled Cosmic Fireworks, won the Skyscapes category of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, hosted by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. This breathtaking image not only showcases the awe-inspiring beauty of sprite discharges but also sparks public interest in extreme weather phenomena and their scientific significance. Credit Angel An

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics

Unveiling The Mysterious Sprite Fireworks Over The Himalayas

by Keith CowingMarch 21, 2025March 21, 2025

Have you ever heard of—or even seen—red lightning? These are not animated characters but real atmospheric phenomena known as electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorms. Scientists refer to them […]

Smog over northern India on the edge of the Himalayan glaciers. CREDIT NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS/LANCE

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Icy Worlds, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Terraforming & Geoengineering

Short Term Impact of Human Activity During the Anthropocene: The Corona Pandemic Reduced The Melting Of Himalayan Glaciers

by Keith CowingDecember 21, 2023December 21, 2023

Editor’s note: Astrobiologists are often focused on how a planet’s life history shapes the life on it and how that life can, in turn, alter a planet’s life history. Life […]

The Himalayas as seen from the International Space Station during Expedition 53

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

600-million-year-old Ocean Water From The Himalayas Provides Clues To Earth’s Past

by Keith CowingJuly 28, 2023July 28, 2023

High up in the Himalayas, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Niigata University, Japan, have discovered droplets of water trapped in mineral deposits that were likely left […]

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release

Away Team Issues: Humans Are Leaving Behind A Frozen Signature Of Microbes On Mount Everest

by Keith CowingMarch 14, 2023December 17, 2023

Almost 5 miles above sea level in the Himalayan mountains, the rocky dip between Mount Everest and its sister peak, Lhotse, lies windswept, free of snow. It is here at […]

Imaging & Spectroscopy, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report

Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and Bhutan as Seen from Orbit

by Keith CowingOctober 10, 2014December 18, 2023

This Envisat Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) reduced resolution image was acquired on 16 October 2004 along the southern rim of the Himalayas defining the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

Imaging & Spectroscopy, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report

Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, Bhutan, China, and India As Viewed From Orbit

by Keith CowingSeptember 29, 2014December 18, 2023

This Envisat image captures Asia’s diverse topography, altitude and climate with the snow-sprinkled Himalayan Mountains marking the barrier between the peaks of the Tibetan Plateau (top) in Central Asia and […]

Image: Enjoying the last rays of the sun in April – the sunset for the last time in May – it has only just this week risen again at Concordia Station (Credit: Alexander Kumar)

Analog 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

by Keith CowingNovember 17, 2012December 17, 2023

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 […]

Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Away Teams & Field Reports, Moon, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Space Stations

Playing With Moon Rocks and Duct Tape at the Dinner Table

by Keith CowingAugust 11, 2009April 14, 2024

This evening I was prowling through pictures taken during the current Expedition aboard the International Space Station when I came across a picture of astronauts and a Moon rock. The […]

Himalayas

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

Unveiling The Mysterious Sprite Fireworks Over The Himalayas

Short Term Impact of Human Activity During the Anthropocene: The Corona Pandemic Reduced The Melting Of Himalayan Glaciers

600-million-year-old Ocean Water From The Himalayas Provides Clues To Earth’s Past

Away Team Issues: Humans Are Leaving Behind A Frozen Signature Of Microbes On Mount Everest

Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and Bhutan as Seen from Orbit

Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, Bhutan, China, and India As Viewed From Orbit

An Interview With Alexander Kumar at Concordia Station, Antarctica

Playing With Moon Rocks and Duct Tape at the Dinner Table

Underwater Oxygen Loss Threatens Earth’s Stability, Researchers Warn

Fire And Ice: Were Yellowstone’s Past Volcanic Eruptions And Glaciations Related?

Substrate-Agnostic 3x: Biosignatures, Technosignatures, Ecologies

Planet-moon Ejections In Close Stellar Encounters

First Study Hints Solar Storms May Alter The Weather During Martian Dust Storms