astrobiology

Curiosity just found molecules on Mars tied to the chemistry of life, hinting at a more habitable past. NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a wide variety of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds often viewed as essential ingredients for the origin of life on Earth. These results come from a chemical experiment carried out on [...]

Nature Astronomy, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41550-026-02854-1 Laboratory astrochemistry demonstrates that SiC2 is the key molecular precursor in the formation of silicon carbide grains in evolved stars and that hydrogen is an essential ingredient in the process.

Searching for Microbial Life in Exoplanet Atmospheres Exoplanet atmospheres can reveal possible signs of microbial life through gases like oxygen or methane. However, these findings are suggestive rather than definitive. Promising signals, such as dimethyl sulfide on K2-18b, remain intriguing but unconfirmed. Scientists must carefully verify these observations to rule out non-biological processes…

Just over 40 years ago, in his novel Contact, astronomer Carl Sagan imagined what it would be like to detect radio signals beamed from other intelligent lifeforms in the galaxy. In the story, these extraterrestrial beings send blueprints to build a spaceship to carry a handful of Earth travelers to meet with them. While the Continue reading "The search for aliens levels up" The post The search fo…

Depositional and Diagenetic Sulfates of Hogwallow Flats and Yori Pass, Jezero Crater: Evaluating Preservation Potential of Environmental Indicators and Possible Biosignatures From Past Martian Surface Waters and Groundwaters The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover has examined and sampled sulfate‐rich clastic rocks from the Hogwallow Flats member at Hawksbill Gap and the Yori Pass member at Cape Nukshak…

A new study proposes a shift in the search for extraterrestrial life, moving away from individual biosignatures toward large-scale planetary patterns. What if the clearest signs of life in the universe are not found on a single planet, but hidden in patterns across many worlds? Instead of focusing on one-off clues, a new study suggests [...]

Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighboring planets, in nebulae—clouds of interstellar dust and gas—hundreds or thousands of light-years away, or in galaxies beyond the far reaches of the Milky Way. So far, astronomers have found more than 350 molecules in the spaces between and around stars in just […] The post Potential signs of life on distant pl…

A recent Dornsife Dialogues event explored the new research that is uncovering life in unexpected places. The post How does life begin — and could it exist outside of Earth? appeared first on USC .

Readers respond to an article by Daniel Lavelle about his alien chasing expedition in the US Daniel Lavelle went “alien-chasing” in the US and wrote a book about it. The late Nick Pope called it a “hugely entertaining, gonzo-style examination of UFOs, ufology and ufologists”. In his Guardian article ( The Pentagon released its UFO videos – so I went to the US to chase aliens. This is what I found…

The Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) is an international conference that brings together scientists, researchers, students, and other professionals to disseminate the results of NASA funded research and to update the broader community on its past, present, and future missions that have astrobiological relevance. AbSciCon has evolved from an event accommodating only NASA-funded researche…

It began with a routine inspection. What followed raised new questions about how life can exist in the strangest places.

NASA and other space agencies spend a lot of time and money considering the cleanliness of their missions. Billions of dollars are spent in and on cleanrooms every year, with the express effort of ensuring both that the equipment operates without interference, but also that we don’t accidentally contaminate our exploration target with life from Earth itself. So far, we have primarily focused on b…

Curiosity has detected a surprising variety of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds tied to the chemistry of life. Some of these molecules may be billions of years old, preserved in ancient clay-rich rocks that once held water. One standout find resembles building blocks of DNA, raising exciting questions about Mars’ past. Although not proof of life, the discovery suggests the Red Plane…

Space travel has taught us valuable lessons for living and working in outer space, specifically regarding how microgravity (often mistakenly called zero-gravity) impacts the human body during short- and long-term spaceflight. This includes decreased muscle and bone mass, fluid shifts, reduced heart rate, psychological health, compromised immune system, and radiation exposure. But with agencies li…

New research suggests that many planets previously considered promising for life may, in fact, be far less hospitable. A distant planet might sit in the perfect orbit for life, with temperatures just right for liquid water. But if that world is too dry, it could still be completely uninhabitable. New research suggests that many so-called [...]

Discoveries of molecules in space that suggest extraterrestrial life are exciting, but they need to be taken with a grain of salt – an astrochemist explains why.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a surprising variety of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals that scientists consider important building blocks for life on Earth. The finding comes from a new type of chemical experiment that has never before been carried out on another planet. The results suggest that the Martian surface can preserve complex […] The post Curiosity rover uncovers 3…

I’m exploring conceptual approaches to biological ISRU for future lunar habitats, inspired by NASA’s MOXIE and post-Chandrayaan-3 discussions. Concept: A large-scale sealed dome on the Moon containing ...