Nepal 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 […]

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 […]

Everest and Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Inside the Space Station Cupola With Astronaut Koichi Waka -- JAXA

Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Space Stations

Photo Update: Everest and Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Inside the Space Station Cupola

by Keith CowingFebruary 3, 2023December 18, 2023

Several photos were recently sent back to Earth showing the Everest and Apollo 11 Moon rocks that Scott Parazynski took to and from the summit of Mt. Everest Inside the […]

Scott Parazynski Arrives At Base Camp after summiting Everest

Book, Film, Video Reviews, Polar / Alpine Expeditions

Book Review: That Time My Friend Walked Above The Sky

by Keith CowingAugust 1, 2017December 17, 2023

The best explorer autobiographies deal equally with inner and external challenges. In “The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed” Scott Parazynski strikes a perfect balance between […]

Banner image: I took this image on my way to Everest Base Camp where I lived for a month. I am not exactly sure of the peak’s name. It was outside of Lobuche. This is not me in the picture – but I had been standing in that precise spot several minutes earlier and had turned to take a picture – and my echoed self was still there. That part of me is still there. Namaste.

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Missions & Hardware, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Science Fiction, Tricorders & Sensors

Keith Cowing: My Star Trek Episode at Everest

by Keith CowingJuly 26, 2016April 17, 2025

As we approach the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, I thought I’d write about how many experiences in my life have intersected with- and have been affected by its legacy. […]

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 […]

Polar / Alpine Expeditions

Everest Reunion At The South Pole

by Keith CowingDecember 16, 2012December 16, 2023

Keith Cowing: Former Astronaut Scott Parazynski, M.D. summitted Mt. Everest in 2009. A few weeks ago, Scott visited a variety of locations in Antarctica including the Amundsen-Scott Station at the […]