Still, science being science, we needed proof—and we got it in 1992, when two astronomers found two planets orbiting a pulsar ...

Alex Knapp is a Forbes senior editor covering healthcare and science. The James Webb Space Telescope has its sights set on seven planets circling a red dwarf star called Trappist-1, about 40 ...

What are the physics of life? That is more than just a philosophical question—it has practical implications for our search ...

Further studies are needed to determine whether K2-18b, which orbits a star 120 light-years away, is inhabited, or even habitable. By Carl Zimmer Update, July 29, 2025: The conclusion of this study ...

The search for extraterrestrial life has always been a key motivator of space exploration. But if we were to search Mars, Titan, or the subsurface oceans of Europa or Enceladus, it seems like all we ...

If you were able to catch the last webinar from our Chemical Sciences Roundtable, “Chemistry in 2050– Space” you know that it was out of this world, literally and figuratively. The webinar explored ...

When astronomers search for planets that could host liquid water on their surface, they start by looking at a star's habitable zone. Water is a key ingredient for life, and on a planet too close to ...

Dimethyl sulfide is cool—and a potential biosignature—but scientists are urging caution before we declare a plankton party some 120 light-years away. Reading time 5 minutes Last week, researchers ...

Intelligent life may develop on planets as a rule, not an exception — increasing the odds of humanity existing beyond Earth, according to a new study. Researchers from Penn State University proposed ...

Asteroid Bennu, a dark rubble pile roughly the height of the Empire State Building, has turned out to be a chemical treasure ...

The orange sea lichen, found on coastal rocks. Image by Rosser1954 Roger Griffith - Own work, Public Domain. The orange sea lichen, found on coastal rocks. Image by Rosser1954 Roger Griffith - Own ...