Plate tectonics have long been thought to have been necessary for the development of life on Earth, in part due to making it easier for volcanoes to release essential gases into the atmosphere. But now, new research suggests that may not be the case after …
Thousands of exoplanets are now being discovered – there are 3,815 confirmed as of August 1, 2018 – but how many of them have the right conditions to life? The data so far shows that the most common planets are super-Earths (larger than Earth but …
Read MoreScientists identify best exoplanets for Earth-like life
The next big chapter in exoplanet research has begun – NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has started its science observations. This is exciting since TESS will be searching for rocky, Earth-like and potentially habitable planets orbiting nearby stars. TESS is a follow-up mission to …
Read MoreTESS begins hunt for other Earths, opening new chapter in exoplanet research
Stars give birth to planets. That’s part of the natural order of things in our universe. But did you know that stars can also sometimes eat their planets? Usually, planets will perish when their host star eventually dies and expands; such is the fate awaiting …
As more and more exoplanets are discovered, the technology used to help find them keeps advancing as well. This is especially true when it comes to smaller – and potentially habitable – planets, like Earth. The National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) Astrobiology Center in …
The end is nigh – that appears to be the case at least for NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope which is now running very low on remaining fuel. Although this has always been expected and planned for, the Kepler team received a new notification this past …
Read MoreKepler enters hibernation mode, downlinks latest science data before fuel runs out
We sometimes hear the term Earth-like in describing exoplanets that might be similar to our own world. The terms “Earth-like” or Earth analog conjure up visions of alien oceans and continents, teeming with life. But how similar to Earth might such distant worlds really be? …
Read MoreThese 2 exoplanets might have seasons and stable climates