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ScienceSpace & SpaceflightWhat Would Life on an Ocean Moon Look Like?
Special thanks to Darlene Lim of NASA’s Ames Research Center, Mike Malaska of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jill McDermott of Lehigh University, Kevin Raskoff of Monterey Peninsula College, and Samantha Trumbo of Caltech for contributing their expertise to this comic. JoAnna Wendel is a science cartoonist and writer in Washington, DC. She loves space, planets, … Continued
JoAnna Wendel -
ScienceBiologyFreaky Eight-Letter DNA Could Be the Stuff Aliens Are Made Of
Conventional DNA is comprised of the familiar A, C, G, and T base pairs, but a newly created genetic system is packed with eight, thus doubling the number of letters normally found in self-replicating molecules. Intriguingly, the new system, dubbed “hachimoji,” could resemble the building blocks of extraterrestrial life. New research published yesterday in Science … Continued
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EartherEarth Science
How Hawaii’s Volcanoes Could Help Us Find Life on Saturn’s Icy Moon
Kilauea’s historically huge 2018 eruption didn’t just transform the southeastern corner of Hawaii’s Big Island. Most of the lava wound up spilling into the ocean, creating an enormous new undersea delta that hardy ocean microbes are already colonizing. That finding, along with the broader exploratory campaign that made it possible, might inform the search for … Continued
By Maddie Stone -
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
A New NASA-Led Project Means the Search for Aliens Is Heating Up
To date, scientists have catalogued more than 3,500 exoplanets, some of which may even be capable of fostering life. But we simply don’t know. The ability to detect life on distant worlds still eludes us, but a new project coordinated by NASA now takes us a significant step closer to achieving that goal. Six new … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Dark Splotches on Venus Could Be Signs of Life
Venus, with its crushing atmospheric pressure and scorching surface temperatures, seems an unlikely place for life to take hold. But while the surface of this planet remains completely inhospitable, Venus’ atmosphere may be capable of harboring microbial life, according to new research. Venus may be a hellhole, but it wasn’t always this way. Climate models … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Experiment Shows Microbes Could Thrive on Saturn’s Moon Enceladus
Enceladus is one of the most fascinating objects in the Solar System. Parked in orbit around Saturn, the ice-covered moon features a warm subterranean ocean and the basic chemical ingredients for life. But could alien microbes actually survive there? A new experiment suggests the answer is yes. Methane-producing microbes can survive the conditions found on … Continued
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io9MoviesA New UFO Documentary Suggests Marilyn Monroe Was Killed Because She Knew About Aliens
Every time someone releases a documentary about UFOs, we secretly hope this is the one with the smoking gun that changes the world and proves aliens exist. Well, we don’t think Unacknowledged does that, but it’s not lacking in fascinating conspiracy theories. Directed by Michael Mazzola, Unacknowledged follows Dr. Steven Greer, who takes viewers through … Continued
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Tech NewsSaturn’s Moon Enceladus Has the Basic Ingredients For Life
Saturn’s moon Enceladus features a warm subterranean ocean covered in ice. In an extraordinary new finding, scientists have confirmed the existence of a chemical energy source within this moon’s water that’s capable of sustaining living organisms here on Earth. Enceladus is now officially the best place beyond Earth to look for life. Molecular hydrogen is … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Alien Life Could Be Island Hopping Between TRAPPIST-1 Planets
The TRAPPIST-1 system has totally entranced Earthlings since NASA announced its discovery last month. For both astronomers and tinfoil hat believers (*raises hand*), TRAPPIST-1 is a sign of hope for finding alien life, since three of its planets are located in the habitable zone which supports liquid water. With water comes life, and with life … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
NASA Didn’t Find Life on Mars—But It Did Find Something Very Cool
If we ever get proof of past life on Mars, it’ll come in the form of biosignatures, fingerprints that could only have been left by living organisms. We’re a long way from finding that smoking gun evidence, but an analysis of silica minerals discovered by NASA’s Spirit rover pushes us one step closer. Because of … Continued
By Maddie Stone -
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
There’s Growing Evidence That Venus Was Once Habitable
If you could hop in a time-traveling spacecraft, go back three billion years and land any place in our solar system, where would you want to end up? Earth, with its barren continents and unbreathable atmosphere? Or Mars, a chillier version its big brother? Wait, what about Venus? Venus has a rep for being a … Continued
By Maddie Stone -
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
The Prospects for Alien Life on Titan Keep Getting Better
Saturn’s moon Titan is a frigid hellscape by Earth standards, but it’s also one of the most hopeful spots for discovering alien life in our solar system. A new scientific paper hints that conditions on Titan’s surface might be favorable for the chemistry of life to emerge. Titan is the only other world we know … Continued
By Maddie Stone
