Ultraviolet light from giant stellar flares can destroy a planet’s habitability. New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will help astrobiologists understand how much radiation planets experience during super flares and whether life could exist on worlds beyond our solar system. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-10-explores-super-flares-affect-planets.html…
Tag: habitability
Could there be life in the cloudtops of Venus?
When it comes to places with the potential for habitability, Venus isn’t usually on that list. The hot, greenhouse-effect-gone-mad neighboring planet with a crushing surface pressure and sulfuric acid clouds certainly isn’t friendly to life as we know it, and the few spacecraft humanity has sent to Venus’ surface have only endured a few minutes. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-08-life-cloudtops-venus.html…
James Webb Space Telescope launch date delayed
NASA is delaying the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope for another 7 months, from March 2021 to October 31, 2021 due to, among other factors, work stoppages during the coronavirus pandemic. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/james-webb-space-telescope-launch-date-delayed-oct2021…
A proposed new mission to Venus
The proposed VERITAS mission to Venus is one of the finalists for NASA’s Discovery Program. If selected, it will revolutionize our knowledge about the planet’s geology and how this formerly habitable world became a fiery wasteland. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/veritas-mission-venus-surface-interior-geology…
How dust could make some exoplanets more habitable
A new study from scientists in the UK suggests that atmospheric dust could increase the habitability of some exoplanets, especially those orbiting red dwarf stars. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/how-dust-could-make-some-exoplanets-more-habitable…
More evidence that Europa’s ocean is habitable
A new study shown by NASA scientists at the Goldschmidt conference this week provides further evidence that Europa’s ocean is habitable and similar to Earth’s oceans. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/europa-ocean-habitable-goldschmidt-conference…
Presence of airborne dust could signify increased habitability of distant planets
Scientists have expanded our understanding of potentially habitable planets orbiting distant stars by including a critical climate component—the presence of airborne dust. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-presence-airborne-signify-habitability-distant.html…
New ‘climate decoder’ to study potentially habitable exoplanets
What is the climate like on some potentially habitable exoplanets? Scientists have developed a new “decoder” to find out. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-climate-environmental-color-decoder…
Proxima Centauri b confirmed as nearest exoworld
Researchers at the University of Geneva have confirmed the existence of an Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanet-proxima-centauri-b-confirmed…
Curiosity rover finds evidence for ancient ice-covered lake on Mars
Scientists studying data from the Curiosity rover have found evidence for an ancient ice-covered lake in Gale Crater on Mars. The findings support the theory of alternating warmer and colder climates on early Mars. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/mars-curiosity-rover-ice-covered-lake-gale-crater…