Space & Exploration — Headlines

Space & Exploration

Could cold spot in the sky be a bruise from a collision with a parallel universe?

Scientists have long tried to explain the origin of a mysterious, large and anomalously cold region of the sky. In 2015, they came close to figuring it out as a study showed it to be a “supervoid” in which the density of galaxies is much lower than it is in the rest of the universe. However, other studies haven’t managed to replicate the result.

If we’re searching for earth 2.0, would we know it when we find it?

In the past few decades, there has been an explosion in the number of extra-solar planets that have been discovered. As of April 1st, 2018, a total of 3,758 exoplanets have been confirmed in 2,808 systems, with 627 systems having more than one planet. In addition to expanding our knowledge of the Universe, the purpose of this search has been to find evidence of life beyond our Solar System.

NASA wants to send humans to Venus – here’s why that’s a brilliant idea

NASA wants to send humans to Venus – here’s why that’s a brilliant idea

Popular science fiction of the early 20th century depicted Venus as some kind of wonderland of pleasantly warm temperatures, forests, swamps and even dinosaurs. In 1950, the Hayden Planetarium at the American Natural History Museum were soliciting reservations for the first space tourism mission, well before the modern era of Blue Origins, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. All you had to do was supply your address and tick the box for your preferred destination, which included Venus.

Hydrogen-breathing aliens? Study suggests new approach to finding extraterrestrial life

Hydrogen-breathing aliens? Study suggests new approach to finding extraterrestrial life

In our search for extraterrestrial life, we tend to look at ‘conventional’ Earth-Like exoplanets, searching for atmospheres for recognizable bio-signatures. This makes sense, after all, we only have one sample of a life hosting planet in the universe. Still, it could be smart to also look at different indicators, as alien life might use dissimilar chemistry to our own. In a new study, scientists argue to broaden our search. Professor of Planetary Geosciences, David Rothery, explores the topic in this article.