Low Oxygen May Smother Life’s Prospects on Europa, Jupiter’s Ocean Moon
The subsurface ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa may have far less oxygen—and less potential for life—than previously believed, according to data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft
Planetary Science
JWST Spies Surprising Signs of Warmth in Frozen Solar System Worlds
Eris and Makemake—two icy worlds beyond the orbit of Pluto—have seemingly fresh methane on their surface, a sign of unexpectedly hot interiors
JWST Is Tracking Down the Cosmic Origins of Earth’s Water
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope are exposing the pathways that water takes to reach terrestrial planets
Newly Discovered Asteroid Fragments Are As Old as the Solar System
Fragments from Asteroid 2024 BX1 have proven to be a rare meteorite type that helps reveal the early solar system's building blocks
NASA’s Asteroid Samples May Come from a Long-Lost Ocean World
A first look at materials from asteroid Bennu sparks speculation that the space rock was once part of an ancient, watery protoplanet
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ Moon May Hide a Massive, Shockingly Young Ocean
A surprisingly youthful ocean within Mimas, a tiny moon of Saturn, has big implications for the solar system’s history—and for finding life beyond Earth
When We Find Earth 2.0, What’s Next?
We’re looking for another Earth. But how likely is it that we’ll find a duplicate of home?
New NASA Earth Science Mission Could Change the Way We See Our Planet
NASA’s PACE mission aims to increase our understanding of Earth’s carbon cycle, pollution particles and ocean plankton
Jupiter’s Supervolcanic Moon Io Dazzles in Photos from NASA’s Close Flybys
During close flybys of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured stunning “bonus science” about the nightmarish world
Where Does Outer Space Begin?
The popular limit of a 100-kilometer altitude for the edge of space should probably be adjusted down to 80 km
A Quantum Clock That Is Ticking Down, the Turbulent Milky Way and Dinosaur Lives
Why did matter outlast antimatter? And clumps of cells can learn and remember
How Far Away Is the Horizon?
The edge of the world is closer than you think, and simple geometry proves it