Saturn’s ocean moon Enceladus is able to support life − my research team is working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there

Saturn’s moon Enceladus has geysers shooting tiny grains of ice into space. These grains could hold traces of life − but researchers need the right tools to tell.

Fabian Klenner, Postdoctoral Scholar in Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
April 17, 2024 ~8 min

NASA’s search for life on Mars: a rocky road for its rovers, a long slog for scientists – and back on Earth, a battle of the budget

Determining whether or not life exists on another planet is an extraordinarily complicated – and expensive – scientific endeavor.

Amy J. Williams, Assistant Professor of Geology, University of Florida • conversation
March 12, 2024 ~7 min


Studying lake deposits in Idaho could give scientists insight into ancient traces of life on Mars

While NASA rovers on the surface of Mars look for hints of life, researchers back on Earth are studying ‘echoes of life’ from ancient basins – hoping that the two sites might be similar.

Robert Patalano, Lecturer of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Bryant University • conversation
Feb. 5, 2024 ~7 min

Unwrapping Uranus and its icy secrets: What NASA would learn from a mission to a wild world

Five of the Uranus moons might be ocean worlds − and if there’s water, there might be life.

Mike Sori, Assistant Professor of Planetary Science, Purdue University • conversation
Nov. 28, 2023 ~7 min

Carl Sagan detected life on Earth 30 years ago – here's how his experiment is helping us search for alien species today

Control experiments are critical in informing the search for alien life.

Gareth Dorrian, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science, University of Birmingham • conversation
Oct. 20, 2023 ~8 min

UFOs: how Nasa plans to get to the bottom of unexplained sightings

The space agency hopes to get to the bottom of the many sightings being reported.

Christopher Pattison, Researcher at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth • conversation
Sept. 19, 2023 ~6 min

NASA report finds no evidence that UFOs are extraterrestrial

Months after a military officer made sensational claims about unexplained objects in the skies, NASA released a report loosely outlining a scientific approach for analyzing UAP reports.

Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona • conversation
Sept. 15, 2023 ~7 min

Possible hints of life found on distant planet – how excited should we be?

The results are intriguing, but analysing the atmospheres of exoplanets is no easy task.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Sept. 13, 2023 ~7 min


How to prove you've discovered alien life – new research

Alien hunters should learn from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Sean McMahon, Chancellor's Fellow in Astrobiology, The University of Edinburgh • conversation
Sept. 11, 2023 ~8 min

Are we alone in the universe? 4 essential reads on potential contact with aliens

Whistleblower allegations that the government possesses UFOs may not be backed up by public physical evidence, but some argue that listening for extraterrestrial life is the first phase of contact.

Mary Magnuson, Assistant Science Editor • conversation
Aug. 4, 2023 ~8 min

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