LIFE DETECTION

Jun 07 2025SCIENCE

The Smell of the Sea: A Cosmic Mystery

Scientists have found a peculiar compound in the atmosphere of a distant planet. This compound is dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, which is also responsible for the distinct smell of the sea on Earth. The planet in question, K2-18 b, is located about 124 light-years away in the constellation Leo. This discovery has sparked excitement and debate among researchers. T...

reading time about 1 minute
Mar 13 2025SCIENCE

Life's Little Movers: Spotting Microbes in Extreme Places

In the vast, often inhospitable world of extreme environments, scientists have found a way to spot tiny, living things. They used special cameras to watch how these microbes move and look. These places are not your average swimming pool. They include super-salty water, freezing cold ice, and even volcanic caves. In most of these spots, the microbes were acti...

reading time about 1 minute
Jan 07 2025SCIENCE

Unlocking Mars' Secrets: Why Bring Samples Home?

Imagine you're a detective solving a mystery on Mars. You don't want to be limited to a few snapshots or vague descriptions, right? That's why scientists want to bring samples from Mars back to Earth for deeper analysis. Sure, rovers like Perseverance are doing an awesome job snapping photos and zapping rocks with lasers. But Earth's labs have superpowers that rovers...

reading time less than a minute