A new study from scientists at LMU in Germany says that there could be enough heat and liquid water on moons of rogue planets - free-floating worlds with no suns - to support life. Cosmic rays could drive processes such as photosynthesis, instead of direct sunlight.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 10, 2021

Are Earth-like biospheres rare?

A new study from researchers at the University of Naples in Italy suggests that highly-evolved, Earth-like biospheres may be rare on exoplanets. Many stars either don't emit enough energy for life to develop past the basic photosynthesis stage or don't live long enough for life to evolve on any planets that may otherwise be suitable.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 8, 2021

Space

Mini-Neptune’s atmosphere ripe for study

A newly-discovered mini-Neptune's atmosphere is ideal for study by space telescopes.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 8, 2021

Mars methane mystery? Depends on the time of day

Scientists think they've solved the mystery of why NASA's Curiosity rover keeps detecting methane on Mars, but ESA's Trace Gas Orbiter doesn't.

Paul Scott Anderson

July 3, 2021

Huge and opaque ‘something’ dims a giant star

What do astronomers do when something dims a giant star, and they can't figure out what it is? A new study raises more questions than answers.

Paul Scott Anderson

June 23, 2021

Methane on Enceladus: A possible sign of life?

Something is producing a lot of methane in Enceladus' ocean. Could it be life? While not proven yet, a new study by a team of biologists seems to support that exciting possibility.

Paul Scott Anderson

June 18, 2021

Earth’s lopsided core? Strangeness in our planet’s interior

A new computer model suggests Earth's lopsided core growth. That is, the inner core grows faster on one side than the other. Faster cooling on one side of the core helps explain why.

Paul Scott Anderson

June 14, 2021

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.