Extraterrestrial Life
Cultural Bias Distorts the Search for Alien Life
“Decolonizing” the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) could boost its chances of success, says science historian Rebecca Charbonneau
Extraterrestrial Life443 articles archived since 1845
Extraterrestrial Life
With New Study, NASA Seeks the Science behind UFOs
Although modest in scope, a NASA research project reflects shifting attitudes toward the formerly taboo subject of UFOs
Extraterrestrial Life
New Instrument Could Spy Signs of Alien Life in Glowing Rocks
Organisms on Earth produce a wide array of durable “biofluorescent” materials. If those on other planets do, too, the Compact Color Biofinder should be able to detect them
Planetary Science
Controversy Grows Over whether Mars Samples Endanger Earth
Planetary scientists are eager to bring Red Planet rocks, soil and even air to Earth, but critics fear the risk of contaminating our world’s biosphere
Extraterrestrial Life
Scientists Sprout First-Ever Seedlings in Apollo Moon Dirt
We now know that plants survive but fail to thrive in lunar soil
Extraterrestrial Life
Origin of Life Theory Involving RNA-Protein Hybrid Gets New Support
A structure that links amino acids suggests that early organisms could have been based on an RNA-protein mix
Astronomy
Ukrainian Astronomers Discover ‘Exocomets’ around Another Star
The alien comets could illuminate the history of their planetary system
Extraterrestrial Life
Researchers Made a New Message for Extraterrestrials
An updated communication could be beamed out for space alien listeners in hopes of making first contact
Extraterrestrial Life
Life Is Complicated—Literally, Astrobiologists Say
A new theory suggests that searches for molecular complexity could uncover convincing evidence of extraterrestrial life—and do so soon
Extraterrestrial Life
How Scientists Could Tell the World if They Find Alien Life
Sparked by major advances in their field, astrobiologists are grappling with how best to discuss possible breakthrough discoveries with the public
Extraterrestrial Life
A Mysterious ‘Alien Beacon’ Was Actually a False Alarm
The radio signal seemed to originate from the star Proxima Centauri and provided a helpful drill for future searches
Extraterrestrial Life
Microbes, Natural Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence
Humanity’s greatest achievement might be building our successors
Extraterrestrial Life
How to Search for Life as We Don’t Know It
Much of astrobiology is focused on looking for organisms with chemistry similar to ours—but there could well be other kinds
Extraterrestrial Life
Astronomers Should Be Willing to Look Closer at Weird Objects in the Sky
The Galileo Project seeks to train telescopes on unidentified aerial phenomena
Extraterrestrial Life
Note to Branson and Bezos: Extraterrestrials Will Not Be Impressed
If they exist, they’ll find our puny forays into space completely insignificant
Extraterrestrial Life
Looking for Interstellar Monuments
An ancient civilization from a distant star could have created immortal machines to roam the Milky Way and keep its legacy alive
Extraterrestrial Life
To Look or Not to Look? That Is the Question
The search for technological relics of extraterrestrial civilizations will inspire the public and attract talent to the field of astronomy
Extraterrestrial Life
When Will We Hear from Extraterrestrials?
Project Galileo could make that happen sooner rather than later
Planetary Science
Crumbly Mars Rock, Not Hardware Flaws, Scuttled Perseverance’s First Sample Attempt
After an alarming failure, the rover is set to continue its mission to retrieve specimens for eventual return to Earth
Extraterrestrial Life
Martian Crust Could Sustain Life through Radiation
Meteorites reveal that so long as groundwater is present, the Martian subsurface is habitable
