A planet that is about the size of Saturn, but with a temperature more like Earth’s, has an atmosphere rich in methane, according to a new study using NASA’s James […]
Penn State
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release, Sample Return
Amino Acids Discovered In Asteroid Bennu Formed In Space In The Early Solar System
Amino acids, the building blocks necessary for life, were previously found in samples of 4.6-billion-year-old rocks from an asteroid called Bennu, delivered to Earth in 2023 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release, Stellar Cartography
Newly Discovered Super-Earth Offers Prime Target In Search For Alien Life
The discovery of a possible “super-Earth” less than 20 light-years from our own planet is offering scientists new hope in the hunt for other worlds that could harbor life, according […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return
Are There Living Microbes On Mars? Check The Ice.
Frozen in time, ancient microbes or their remains could be found in Martian ice deposits during future missions to the Red Planet.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Intelligence & Language, Interstellar, Press Release, SETI & Technosignatures
If Aliens Explore Space Like Us, We Should Look For Their Calls To Other Planets
If an extraterrestrial intelligence were looking for signs of human communications, when and where should they look? In a new study, researchers at Penn State and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release, Radiation
Planet Formation In High UV Radiation Environments
The fundamental building blocks for planet formation can exist even in environments with extreme ultraviolet radiation, according to a new study by an international collaboration led by Penn State astronomers.
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
Combination Of Cosmic Processes Shapes The Size And Location Of sub-Neptunes
A combination of cosmic processes shapes the formation of one of the most common types of planets outside of our solar system, according to a new study led by researchers […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Intelligence & Language, Interstellar, Press Release, SETI & Technosignatures
Could An Earth-like Alien Civilization Detect Us?
If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with Earth-like technology, would they be able to detect Earth and evidence of humanity? If so, what signals would they detect and from how far […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
JWST Discovers A New Planet In The Kepler-51 System
An unusual planetary system with three known ultra-low density “super-puff” planets has at least one more planet, according to new research led by researchers from Penn State and Osaka University.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Brown Dwarfs, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Webb And Hubble Discover Brown Dwarf Protoplanetary Disks In The Orion Nebula
Newborn stars are surrounded by disks of gas and dust within which planets are born, known as protoplanetary disks. In the Orion Nebula, the brightest and most massive stars emit […]