Why the Search for Life in Space Starts With Ancient Earth
[ad_1] Next, they’ll use the spectrograph to try to find key molecules like oxygen or methane. How much they find of each determines what they’ll look for next, like carbon…
The Spooky Science of How Undead Spores Reanimate
[ad_1] Here’s a spooky conundrum: Is a spore alive or dead? Gürol Süel, a biologist at the University of California, San Diego, wouldn’t blame you if you voted for dead:…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Digs Up Organic Molecules on Mars
[ad_1] After trundling around the Jezero crater for 550 Martian days, NASA’s Perseverance rover has amassed nearly half its planned rock collection—including some containing organic molecules, a possible sign that…
The Legendary Frank Drake Shaped the Search for Alien Life
[ad_1] Frank Drake, a leading figure in planetary astronomy and astrobiology who inspired the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, died Friday, September 2, at the age of 92. “Frank…
If Humans Went Extinct, Would a Similar Species Evolve?
[ad_1] The rise of powerful new technology means that humanity must confront the risk of its own demise. The invention of nuclear weaponry, for example, has already shown just how…
Life Helps Make Almost Half of All Minerals on Earth
[ad_1] “Each one of those kinds of pyrite is telling us something different about our planet, its origin, about life, and how it’s changed through time,” said Hazen. For that…