Posts by

Paul Scott Anderson

Huge rift valleys on Venus hint at a still-living planet

A new study of huge rift valleys on Venus shows that they are likely younger than previously thought, and might still be geologically active today.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 28, 2026

Could there be life in helium atmospheres on exoplanets?

Is life in helium atmospheres on exoplanets possible? A new study says that there are no barriers to life on worlds with helium-dominated atmospheres.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 26, 2026

How earthly microbes on the moon might survive in the shade

Microbes on the moon that hitch a ride on human astronauts could survive by using little nooks and crannies for protection from the harsh environment.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 25, 2026

Pluto’s atmosphere is thinning toward a collapse

Scientists detected that Pluto's atmosphere is thinning as it moves farther away from the sun in its orbit. Is its atmospheric collapse already happening?

Paul Scott Anderson

August 23, 2026

Detecting whispers from the early universe … from the moon

A tiny UK satellite called CosmoCube is to listen for signals from the early universe. It will use the dark side of the moon to block out noise from Earth.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 20, 2026

Super-Earths might be solid deep on the inside

Super-Earths might be solid in their deep insides, a new study says. Minerals might take unusual forms and remain solid despite the intense heat and pressure.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 19, 2026

Were these polygonal cracks on Venus once on a seafloor?

Sprawling, huge cracks on Venus have long puzzled scientists. A new study suggests the polygon shapes formed from drying mud on an ancient seafloor.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 15, 2026

5th batch of Pentagon UAP files: Orbs and triangles

The 5th batch of the Pentagon UAP files was released on August 7, 2026. The videos, documents and images include reports of more orbs, triangles and more.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 11, 2026

Vast Martian honeycombs featured in new Curiosity panorama

NASA's Curiosity rover has found vast new fields of Martian honeycombs in Gale crater. They likely formed from drying mud, just like we see on Earth.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 6, 2026

Were Neptune’s inner moons born from an ancient cataclysm?

A new study suggests that Neptune's inner moons formed when Neptune captured its largest moon Triton and a family of original small icy moons was destroyed.

Paul Scott Anderson

August 5, 2026

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. He studied English, writing, art and computer/publication design in high school and college. He later started his blog The Meridiani Journal in 2005, which was later renamed Planetaria. He also later started the blog Fermi Paradoxica, about the search for life elsewhere in the universe. While interested in all aspects of space exploration, his primary passion is planetary science and SETI. In 2011, he started writing about space on a freelance basis with Universe Today. He has also written for SpaceFlight Insider and AmericaSpace and has also been published in The Mars Quarterly. He also did some supplementary writing for the iOS app Exoplanet. He has been writing for EarthSky since 2018, and also assists with proofing and social media.