Posts by

Paul Scott Anderson

Will this ‘hairpin turn’ exoplanet become a hot Jupiter?

Astronomers have found a 'hairpin turn' exoplanet with an extremely elongated orbit. It also orbits its star backward and may eventually become a hot Jupiter.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 25, 2024

Scorching storms on brown dwarfs revealed by Webb

NASA's Webb Space Telescope has created a new weather map of extreme storms on a binary pair of brown dwarfs only 6 light-years away.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 25, 2024

Does phosphine on Venus mean … life?

2 research teams say they found more signs of phosphine on Venus. They also announced a tentative detection of ammonia: another possible biosignature gas.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 19, 2024

1st lunar lava tube discovered by NASA moon orbiter

An international team of researchers said it has found the 1st evidence for an ancient lunar lava tube on the moon. It is located in Mare Tranquillitatis.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 17, 2024

This desert moss could grow on Mars, no greenhouse needed

Scientists in China say a desert moss commonly found on Earth can survive the harsh conditions of Mars. Future astronauts could use it to grow other plants.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 16, 2024

Eyeball ocean world? Webb reveals an intriguing super-Earth

NASA's Webb space telescope has revealed that exoplanet LHS 1140 b is a super-Earth ocean world. It may have an ocean on one side or a global ice-covered ocean.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 15, 2024

Odd swirls on the moon may be from subsurface magma

Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis said odd, light-colored swirls on the moon may be the result of rocks magnetized by magma below the surface.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 10, 2024

Giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs

Astronomers say that the giant stinky exoplanet HD 189733 b smells so bad - like rotten eggs - thanks to hydrogen sulfide in its atmosphere.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 9, 2024

Perseverance rover explores Bright Angel in ancient riverbed

NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has reached an area of flat light-toned rocky outcrops called Bright Angel. The intriguing rocks are in an ancient river channel.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 3, 2024

To find water on Mars, listen to marsquakes

Is there still any liquid water on Mars? A new study suggests scientists could find aquifers deep below the surface by listening to marsquakes.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 3, 2024

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Paul Scott Anderson

Paul Scott Anderson has had a passion for space exploration that began when he was a child when he watched Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. While in school he was known for his passion for space exploration and astronomy. He started his blog The Meridiani Journal in 2005, which was a chronicle of planetary exploration. In 2015, the blog was renamed as Planetaria. While interested in all aspects of space exploration, his primary passion is planetary science. In 2011, he started writing about space on a freelance basis, and now currently writes for AmericaSpace and Futurism (part of Vocal). He has also written for Universe Today and SpaceFlight Insider, and has also been published in The Mars Quarterly and has done supplementary writing for the well-known iOS app Exoplanet for iPhone and iPad.