Posts by

Paul Scott Anderson

Tatooine exoplanets are oddly rare, and we finally know why

Tatooine exoplanets - or planets orbiting 2 stars - are rare. And a new study from UC Berkeley says Einstein's general theory of relativity is to blame.

Paul Scott Anderson

February 11, 2026

New discovery of ammonia on Europa hints at active geology

A new analysis of images from the Galileo mission has revealed deposits of ammonia on Europa. It could mean a geologically active crust and habitable ocean.

Paul Scott Anderson

February 8, 2026

Simulation of Enceladus’ ocean shows strong potential for life

Researchers simulated the conditions in Enceladus' ocean and found that a wide variety of organic molecules can easily form, increasing the chances for life.

Paul Scott Anderson

February 5, 2026

Ice-cold Earth? Possible new exoplanet might be chillier than Mars

Astronomers have discovered a possible ice-cold Earth exoplanet 146 light-years away. It might be colder than Mars, but there's a chance it's more Earth-like.

Paul Scott Anderson

February 5, 2026

Is a surprisingly massive exomoon orbiting this big exoplanet?

Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope might have found a massive exomoon - 40% the mass of Jupiter - orbiting a giant exoplanet 133 light-years away.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 30, 2026

Life in Europa’s ocean still possible, new research suggests

New research shows that life in Europa's ocean could be maintained by chemical nutrients sinking into the ocean from the icy crust above.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 28, 2026

Quantum computers and exoplanets: New view of distant worlds

Quantum computers and exoplanets: Distant planets around other stars are difficult to image. But quantum computers could help astronomers see them better.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 27, 2026

New evidence for ancient Mars ocean found in giant canyon

Evidence for an ancient Mars ocean keeps growing. Deltas in the Valles Marineris canyon along the former shoreline show that the ocean covered half the planet.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 27, 2026

Powerful magnetic fields on super-Earths could boost chances of life

A new study said powerful magnetic fields on super-Earths could help shield them from radiation from their stars, making them potentially more friendly to life.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 21, 2026

New survey of nearest stars reveals best spots for life

A new survey of nearest stars to the sun - more than 2,000 of them - is helping astronomers determine which ones are the most likely to have habitable planets.

Paul Scott Anderson

January 20, 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.