Joint NASA/ESA mission proposed to search for life on Europa

Ocean world: new proposed mission would search for evidence of life in Europa’s subsurface water ocean. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL/Ted Stryk

Europa is one of the most fascinating places in the Solar System, and is considered to be at or near the top of the list of worlds to search for possible evidence of life. Beneath its outer ice crust lies a deep and dark salty ocean, thought to be quite to Earth’s own oceans. Could that ocean be inhabited, even if just by microbes? Scientists want to know, and now a new proposal calls for a joint orbiter/lander mission between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), to try to answer that question.

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Nearby ‘super-Earth’ exoplanet may be best place yet to search for alien life

Artist’s conception of the exoplanet LHS 1140b. Image Credit: ESO

Just recently, an exo-planetary system called TRAPPIST-1, with seven known planets close in size to Earth, was announced by astronomers. Some of those planets are in the star’s habitable zone, meaning that they could potentially be habitable for some kind of life. Then, another Earth-sized world was found orbiting the star GJ 1132b, and may have water and methane in its atmosphere. Now, another similar planet has been found orbiting another nearby star. It is also close in size to Earth and resides in the star’s habitable zone. According to scientists, it is another prime candidate in the search for alien life and may even be the best one yet.

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New findings from two ‘ocean moons’ increase possibility of finding alien life

Illustration of the Cassini spacecraft flying through the water vapour plumes of Enceladus. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

For those who are hoping to find evidence of life somewhere else in the Solar System, there was some exciting news this week. Two moons, Europa and Enceladus, were already thought to be among the best places to search, since both have liquid water oceans beneath their outer icy shells. And now, new data from the Cassini spacecraft and the Hubble Space Telescope has increased the potential for some form of living organisms to be found.

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Atmosphere detected on nearby ‘super-Earth’ exoplanet

Artist’s conception of the super-Earth exoplanet GJ 1132b. Image Credit: MPIA

For the first time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere surrounding a “super-Earth” exoplanet which is close in size to Earth, another key step towards finding a world similar in size to ours that is also habitable. It’s not Earth 2.0 just yet, but it’s another indication that we are getting closer to finding a world that reminds us of home.

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Researchers identify four possible candidates in search for Planet 9

Astronomers are still searching for the hypothetical Planet 9, and now four new objects discovered may be possible candidates. Image Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

The search for a possible ninth planet in our Solar System has intensified in recent months, with more astronomers as well as amateurs joining in the hunt. Previous studies have hinted at its existence, but actually finding it has remained an elusive task. Now, astronomers from The Australian National University (ANU) are investigating four unknown objects in the outer Solar System that could be viable candidates for the mystery planet.

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