Is Intelligent Life Inevitable?
Biologists identified a series of “hard steps” on the journey from abiogenesis – that life evolved naturally from non-living matter – to modern civilisation. These steps, such as the evolution of multi-cellular organisms or even language make the stark suggestion that intelligent life is highly improbable! Instead, the researchers propose that human-like life could be…
Breaking the Curse of the Habitable Zone
The Habitable Zone is a central concept in our explorations for life outside the Earth. Is it time to abandon it? The Habitable Zone is defined as the region around a star where liquid water can exist on the surface of a planet. At first glance, that seems like a good starting place to hunt…
Alien Oceans May Conceal Signs of Life from Spacecraft
As the search for extraterrestrial life continues, scientists have identified the hidden oceans beneath icy moons as target locations for discovery. However, new research from the University of Reading suggests these alien seas may be better at masking their secrets than previously believed. Thick ice layers and complex chemical processes could make detecting signs of…
A new book explores the evolutionary romance between plants and animals
When the Earth Was GreenRiley BlackSt. Martin’s Press, $29 Imagine being a paleontologist exploring Utah’s Jurassic-aged rocks. Imagine discovering the bones of a 20-meter-long, 20-ton herbivorous dinosaur. Then consider: How could any beast become so big? The answer, according to science writer and paleontologist Riley Black, lies in plants. Black narrates the story of this…
Researchers Practice Searching for Life on Enceladus, in the Arctic Ocean
When searching for alien life, it’s not unusual to use Earth as a test bed for theories and even practice runs. Perhaps one of the most tantalising places in the Solar System to look for life is Saturn’s moon Enceladus. It has a liquid water interior and it is here that life may just be…
There are Places on Earth Which Could Have Life, but Don’t....
Don’t know about you but when I think of Earth my mind is filled with the diversity of life and the rich flora and fauna. In reality, about 99% of Earth is uninhabitable; deep underground places with high pressure and temperature where even the toughest bacteria cannot survive. There are places though where life thrives…
Early human ancestors didn’t regularly eat meat
Some of our species’ earliest ancestors may have spent a lot more time eating salad than steak. An analysis of the chemical composition of fossilized teeth in Australopithecus africanus — an early relative of humans — suggests the bipedal primates had primarily vegetarian diets, researchers report in the Jan. 17 Science. The findings provide direct…
Toxin-gobbling bacteria may live on poison dart frog skin
Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated…
Dormancy Could Be One of the Keys to Life on Earth...
It’s easy to forget that, despite life having existed on Earth for billions of years and despite our relatively carefree existence from total destruction, throughout history there have been events that wiped out nearly everything! Fortunately for many life forms, they have the ability to go dormant and enter a state of reversible, reduced metabolic…
Could We Detect Advanced Civilisations by their Industrial Pollution? Probably Not.
The hunt for aliens goes hand in hand with the hunt for habitable planets. Astronomers are on the hunt for exoplanets with atmospheric chemicals that could be a sign of an advanced civilisation. These chemicals, known as technosignatures are found on Earth and are the result of burning fossil fuels. A team of researchers have…
