The Marsquake sensors will detect weight shuddering caused by liquid water beneath the Martian equator, pinpointing each quake's location. This new method will help scientists find life on Mars and shed light on the planet's internal structure.
Researchers plan to use cycler spacecraft, which would constantly ferry people and materials between Earth and Mars, to enable human exploration and colonization of the Red Planet. The cyclers would rotate slowly to create artificial gravity and provide comfortable accommodations for passengers on long trips.
Researchers are using computer simulations to determine if the 47 Ursae Majoris system can contain an Earth-like planet. The system's asteroid belt is in the habitable zone, increasing the likelihood of finding a terrestrial planet.
Researchers from Ohio State University have successfully measured the mass of a gravitational microlens in a dim binary star system 6,500 light-years away. This technique could be used to detect dark matter within our galaxy and help explain the missing mass of the universe.
The discovery provides the first evidence that planets at earthlike distances can survive the evolution of their host star into a giant. The planet orbits iota Draconis, an old star with a radius 13 times that of the sun, and has an elliptical orbit that takes 1.5 years to complete.
Astronomers detected sodium in the atmosphere of a gas giant exoplanet orbiting a yellow star. The team used Hubble's spectrometer to analyze light passing through the planet's atmosphere, revealing less sodium than expected, which may indicate high-altitude clouds blocking some light.
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Hubble Space Telescope provide a unique view of the largest global dust storm on Mars in several decades. The storm, which has engulfed the entire planet for three months, raises questions about Mars' thin atmosphere and climate change.
A study by Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study suggests that Earth's varying reflections can provide clues about distant, potentially habitable planets. By analyzing changes in light over time, scientists may gain insights into a planet's weather, oceans, or even plant life.
A team of astronomers has discovered a Jupiter-size planet in a nearly circular orbit around the nearby star 47 Ursae Majoris, located about 51 light years from Earth. The new planet is at least three-fourths the mass of Jupiter and orbits the star at a distance that would place it beyond Mars but within the orbit of Jupiter.
Scientists have observed a sudden shift in Mars' atmosphere, with temperatures increasing by about 30 degrees Centigrade, due to a massive dust storm. This phenomenon is similar to Earth's global warming, but much more extreme and potentially leading to a significant cooling of the planet.
A new map of Mars' ionosphere reveals strong localized magnetic fields as a significant barrier to atmospheric erosion by the solar wind. The findings suggest that these crustal fields played an important role in the past evolution of Mars' atmosphere and could have protected it from being stripped away.
Scientists have discovered a wealth of green minerals, including olivine, on the Martian surface, indicating low levels of chemical weathering by water. This suggests that Mars has remained cold and dry for most of its geologic history, contradicting previous theories about a warm, wet past.
Scientists find five stars with unexplained wobbles, suggesting the presence of a second companion planet. The discovery of three new gas giants adds to the list of 41 known planets outside our solar system, revealing patterns in planetary formation and dynamics.
The Mars Global Surveyor's Thermal Emission Spectrometer has mapped the mineral composition of Mars' surface, revealing a primarily volcanic surface with distinct differences between southern and northern hemispheres. The survey provides valuable insights into Martian geology and may help explain changes in the planet's interior.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell experiment simulated Earth's climate, the Sun's atmosphere, and other planets' atmospheres in microgravity. Scientists created models of fluid flows in planetary atmospheres using a nickel-coated steel ball, silicone oil, and artificial gravity.
A new study suggests that planetary systems similar to ours are not common in the galaxy, with only 44.7% of stars capable of supporting such systems. This finding contradicts the theory that planetary systems are necessary for extraterrestrial life.
A recent study suggests that planetary systems similar to our own are rare in the galaxy, with less than 45% of stars capable of hosting Jupiter-like planets at specific distances. The study's findings were made possible by a new method developed by graduate student B. Scott Gaudi and his team using gravitational lensing anomalies.
Researchers found that massive planets can trigger the formation of additional planets through violent processes, leading to a different-looking system. The study suggests an upper limit to planetary growth due to unstable conditions, raising questions about the possibility of habitable Earth-like planets in such environments.
Cornell researchers use the Palomar High Angular Resolution Observer (PHARO) camera to take near-infrared images of Neptune, revealing a massive cloud and numerous smaller clouds. The camera's high spatial resolution allows for detailed analysis of the planet's clouds and atmospheric circulation.
Astronomers believe that megaflares produced by tangled magnetic fields on a star and its planet might help identify distant Sun-like stars with planetary systems. This phenomenon could provide energy for the development of life on rocky planets, making it a promising area to search for extraterrestrial life.
The University of Iowa team will use a low-frequency radar to probe beneath the Martian surface and study the planet's ionosphere. The goal is to detect signs of liquid water, which may be responsible for carving the planet's canyons.
JHU/APL's MESSENGER spacecraft will be the first to visit Mercury in over three decades, gathering data on the planet's density, atmosphere, and magnetosphere. The $286 million mission has potential applications in industry beyond scientific research.
Researchers have created a highly accurate global map of Mars' topography, providing insights into the planet's evolution over 4 billion years. The map reveals the Hellas basin's massive size and its impact on water transport and cycles, with dramatic slopes affecting ponding of water in certain areas.
Scientists have discovered magnetic stripes on Mars, similar to those found on Earth, suggesting the planet was once magnetized and had a global magnetic field. These findings provide insights into Mars' formation and evolution, shedding light on its potential for hosting liquid water.
A new study using precise elevation measurements from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft provides a detailed picture of Mars' north polar region. The findings suggest that any water in the region should flow towards the pole, rather than the equator, due to its depression-like structure.
Scientists have captured the most insightful images to date of Neptune's wildest weather, including monster storms and equatorial winds of 900 miles per hour. The new observations revealed a
Researchers have successfully adapted a strain of E. coli bacteria to survive on a diet that includes fluorotryptophan, a synthetic amino acid that is toxic to Earth-based life. After multiple generations, the microbes developed mutations that enabled them to cope with the artificial compound and thrive.
Numerical simulations by U of T physicists suggest sea-level changes exceeding 100 meters can occur, contradicting previous assumptions linking them to ocean floor elevation changes. The 'wobbling' of the Earth's rotation axis produces regional sea-level variations, requiring a reevaluation of long-term climate studies.
Astronomers produce high-resolution images of Jupiter's auroras, revealing details about the planet's atmosphere and its moons. The new images, made possible by improved instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope, show comet-shaped swaths of light and a faint electromagnetic footprint from Ganymede.
A team of scientists discovered that the Pioneer 10 spacecraft detected a radio signal modulation mimicking a planet's orbit around PSR B1257+12. The analysis reveals that solar rotation causes similar variations in the pulsar's radio waves, effectively simulating the planet.
Researchers propose that reflective carbon dioxide ice clouds on ancient Mars retained thermal radiation near the surface, warming it enough for liquid water to exist. This mechanism provides clues about potential life forms on Mars and extends the habitable zone on extrasolar planets.
The Mars Global Surveyor mission will spend nearly two years collecting data as it maps Mars' surface and atmosphere. The spacecraft will use aerobraking to trim its path around the planet, allowing for a global portrait of Mars' topography, mineral composition, and interior.
A study of Martian meteorites suggests that Mars formed quickly and became geologically quiet, with little plate tectonics. This process allowed the planet's internal structure to remain relatively unchanged since its earliest history.
A recent meteorite study has provided insights into Mars' formation by analyzing volatile elements in Martian meteorites. The findings indicate that the planet experienced at least two fractionation events, which allowed all elements to remain and record past events.
Researchers developed a model to explain the Earth's inner core rotating faster than the rest of the planet, driven by electromagnetic forces and outer core fluid motions. The model provides insights into the mysterious processes generating the magnetic field deep within the Earth's core.
Astrophysicists at MIT propose that newly discovered planets in Jupiter-sized systems underwent violent instability upon formation. This instability can lead to the ejection of one planet and a smaller, eccentric orbit for another, with potential consequences for planetary system evolution and intelligent life.
Scientists capture high-resolution images of Neptune's clouds and their movement, providing fresh insight into the planet's extraordinary weather. The observations reveal a powerful equatorial jet stream and storms dwarfing Earth's most violent storms.
A new planet has been discovered around the star 16 Cygni B with an orbital eccentricity of 0.6, unlike any other known planet in our Solar System. This extreme oblong shape indicates the planet experiences significant variations in heat energy as it orbits its host star.
Expert researcher Juan Roederer is set to begin his long-awaited study of the radiation belts circling Jupiter after 20 years with the Galileo spacecraft. The research aims to understand how Io, one of Jupiter's moons, affects the planet's radiation belts and compare them to Earth's Van Allen belts.
Researchers at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory found that the Earth's inner core is rotating faster than the planet, completing its once-a-day rotation about two-thirds of a second faster than the entire Earth. The discovery was made by measuring changes in seismic wave speeds through the inner core.