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Astrobiology

Stories, interviews, and analysis in this subject.

‘Project Hail Mary’ explores unique forms of life in space – 5 essential reads on searching for aliens that look nothing like life on Earth
Article Mar 25, 2026

‘Project Hail Mary’ explores unique forms of life in space – 5 essential reads on searching for aliens that look nothing like life on Earth

'Project Hail Mary' explores a few unique forms that extraterrestrial life could take, from space microorganisms that produce both infrared light and an unfathomable amount of energy to rocklike aliens.
Republished from The Conversation 6 min read
New Theory of the Origins of Life and Other Minor Issues: An Interview with Astrobiologist Dr. Bruce Damer
Article Dec 6, 2025

New Theory of the Origins of Life and Other Minor Issues: An Interview with Astrobiologist Dr. Bruce Damer

A scientist rethinks life’s beginnings with a testable mechanism reshaping how we understand biology, evolution, and ourselves. Bruce Damer reveals a vision that moves from volcanic pools to humanity’s future.

RU Sirius 17 min read
An engineered bacterium that grows on Martian dirt
News Sep 23, 2026

An engineered bacterium that grows on Martian dirt

Pioneer Labs reports an engineered microbe that feeds on local soil, water, and treated air on Mars, and makes plastic for habitats without first cleaning toxins from the ground.
Giulio Prisco 2 min read
NASA Study Reveals New Jersey Meteorite That Hit Hillsborough Home Contains Hundreds of Extraterrestrial Amino Acids
Mindbytes Jul 16, 2026

NASA Study Reveals New Jersey Meteorite That Hit Hillsborough Home Contains Hundreds of Extraterrestrial Amino Acids

NASA scientists found extraterrestrial amino acids in a rare carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, offering new clues about asteroids and the origins of life on Earth.

Linsey Smith 1 min read
Beyond Human Bounds: The Spectrum of Potential Consciousness Types in Diverse Life Forms Across the Cosmos
Community Feb 15, 2024

Beyond Human Bounds: The Spectrum of Potential Consciousness Types in Diverse Life Forms Across the Cosmos

Sharon Gal-Or delves into aspects of potential extraterrestrial consciousness and questions the possibilities of first contact in the age of space exploration empowered by Artificial General Intelligence.

Sharon Gal-Or 15 min read
MIT joins Giant Magellan Telescope consortium
News Oct 1, 2025

MIT joins Giant Magellan Telescope consortium

A major gift enables MIT to support a powerful new observatory and boost U.S. leadership in exploring the universe.

Giulio Prisco 2 min read
Avi Loeb on the anomalies of 3I/Atlas
News Nov 19, 2025

Avi Loeb on the anomalies of 3I/Atlas

Harvard astronomer challenges comet experts to consider interstellar artifacts in scientific analysis.

Giulio Prisco 2 min read
Exoplanet-hunting telescope to begin search for another Earth
News Jul 18, 2024

Exoplanet-hunting telescope to begin search for another Earth

Using 26 cameras, "PLATO" will look for potential habitable zones that can be examined in detail, and will study their Sun-like stars

Amara Angelica 2 min read
Using machine learning to tell apart non-living and living organics in meteorites and earth samples
News Nov 19, 2025

Using machine learning to tell apart non-living and living organics in meteorites and earth samples

Scientists created a tool called LifeTracer that analyzes chemical data from space rocks and soils to classify origins without relying on specific life markers.

Giulio Prisco 2 min read
Enceladus reveals heat loss from both poles
News Nov 10, 2025

Enceladus reveals heat loss from both poles

New data from NASA's Cassini mission strengthens the case for life on Saturn's icy moon by showing balanced energy that could keep its underground ocean stable.

Giulio Prisco 2 min read