Research On Planets
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NASA SPHEREx Telescope to Map the Universe and Search for Life’s Ingredients
NASA’s SPHEREx mission, set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 27, aims to explore the origins of the universe and the formation of galaxies. Using near-infrared light, the telescope will study over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. It will also search for water and organic molecules in regions where ...
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Interstellar Object Could Have Shifted Trajectories of Four Planets, New Research Shows
A recent study suggests that an interstellar object, possibly as massive as eight times Jupiter, may have passed through the solar system billions of years ago, significantly altering the orbits of its outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Using computer simulations, researchers found that in about 1% of the scenarios, such a close ...
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Alien Cosmic Visitor Might Have Completely Rearranged Our Solar System, Study Finds
The research, yet to be peer-reviewed, sheds light on what could have changed the orbits of several planets in the solar system.
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Ancient Ice Core from Antarctica May Reveal Climate Mysteries from 1.2 Million Years Ago
A team of scientists in Antarctica has extracted a 2.8-kilometre-long ice core from Little Dome C, believed to be 1.2 million years old. The ice core contains trapped air bubbles and volcanic ash, offering valuable data on climate shifts and the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. The research aims to uncover the cause behind significant climatic changes a...
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Ammonium Hydrosulfide Identified as Primary Component of Jupiter’s Clouds, Not Ammonia
Jupiter’s clouds, long believed to be made of ammonia ice, are now confirmed to consist primarily of ammonium hydrosulfide combined with photochemical materials. This groundbreaking discovery, achieved through collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers, has redefined our understanding of the planet's atmosphere. Using innovative m...
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Antarctica’s Melting Ice Could Awaken Hidden Volcanoes, Impact Climate Change
As Antarctica’s ice sheet continues to melt, scientists warn it could awaken over 100 hidden volcanoes beneath the surface. The loss of ice reduces pressure on magma chambers, allowing the magma to expand and potentially trigger eruptions. This could lead to increased volcanic activity, releasing gases and heat that may accelerate ice melt, weake...
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Newly Discovered Oxygen Reaction Existed in Primitive Atmosphere, Sheds Light on Origin of Life
Scientists have uncovered a new way oxygen could form in carbon dioxide-rich atmospheres without the involvement of life. The discovery, led by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, shows that a reaction between helium ions and CO2 can produce molecular oxygen. This process challenges traditional methods of life detect...
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Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
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Underground Hydrogen Reserves Could Power Earth for 200 Years, Study Finds
Trillions of tons of hydrogen have been discovered beneath Earth's surface, offering a potential clean energy solution. A recent study estimates 6.2 trillion tons of hydrogen in rocks and reservoirs, capable of powering the planet for 200 years. While access and economic viability remain challenges, scientists see immense promise in these natural r...
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Researchers Unveil New Theory on the Formation of Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects
A team of researchers has proposed a new theory explaining the formation of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), identified in 2023 in the Orion Nebula. The theory involves photo erosion, where radiation from massive stars strips away mass from stellar cores, shaping JuMBOs into objects with masses comparable to Jupiter. This theory sheds light on...
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New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
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TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
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NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Captured with Dust Layers by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander has been spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in a recent image taken on October 23, 2024. The image, captured using the HiRISE camera, shows dust accumulation on InSight’s solar panels, now matching the reddish-brown Martian surface. This observation provides insights into wind patterns and dust m...
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Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
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Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study
A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...
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NASA SPHEREx Telescope to Map the Universe and Search for Life’s Ingredients
NASA’s SPHEREx mission, set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 27, aims to explore the origins of the universe and the formation of galaxies. Using near-infrared light, the telescope will study over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. It will also search for water and organic molecules in regions where ...
-
Interstellar Object Could Have Shifted Trajectories of Four Planets, New Research Shows
A recent study suggests that an interstellar object, possibly as massive as eight times Jupiter, may have passed through the solar system billions of years ago, significantly altering the orbits of its outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Using computer simulations, researchers found that in about 1% of the scenarios, such a close ...
-
Alien Cosmic Visitor Might Have Completely Rearranged Our Solar System, Study Finds
The research, yet to be peer-reviewed, sheds light on what could have changed the orbits of several planets in the solar system.
-
Ancient Ice Core from Antarctica May Reveal Climate Mysteries from 1.2 Million Years Ago
A team of scientists in Antarctica has extracted a 2.8-kilometre-long ice core from Little Dome C, believed to be 1.2 million years old. The ice core contains trapped air bubbles and volcanic ash, offering valuable data on climate shifts and the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. The research aims to uncover the cause behind significant climatic changes a...
-
Ammonium Hydrosulfide Identified as Primary Component of Jupiter’s Clouds, Not Ammonia
Jupiter’s clouds, long believed to be made of ammonia ice, are now confirmed to consist primarily of ammonium hydrosulfide combined with photochemical materials. This groundbreaking discovery, achieved through collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers, has redefined our understanding of the planet's atmosphere. Using innovative m...
-
Antarctica’s Melting Ice Could Awaken Hidden Volcanoes, Impact Climate Change
As Antarctica’s ice sheet continues to melt, scientists warn it could awaken over 100 hidden volcanoes beneath the surface. The loss of ice reduces pressure on magma chambers, allowing the magma to expand and potentially trigger eruptions. This could lead to increased volcanic activity, releasing gases and heat that may accelerate ice melt, weake...
-
Newly Discovered Oxygen Reaction Existed in Primitive Atmosphere, Sheds Light on Origin of Life
Scientists have uncovered a new way oxygen could form in carbon dioxide-rich atmospheres without the involvement of life. The discovery, led by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, shows that a reaction between helium ions and CO2 can produce molecular oxygen. This process challenges traditional methods of life detect...
-
Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
-
Underground Hydrogen Reserves Could Power Earth for 200 Years, Study Finds
Trillions of tons of hydrogen have been discovered beneath Earth's surface, offering a potential clean energy solution. A recent study estimates 6.2 trillion tons of hydrogen in rocks and reservoirs, capable of powering the planet for 200 years. While access and economic viability remain challenges, scientists see immense promise in these natural r...
-
Researchers Unveil New Theory on the Formation of Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects
A team of researchers has proposed a new theory explaining the formation of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), identified in 2023 in the Orion Nebula. The theory involves photo erosion, where radiation from massive stars strips away mass from stellar cores, shaping JuMBOs into objects with masses comparable to Jupiter. This theory sheds light on...
-
New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
-
TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
-
NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Captured with Dust Layers by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander has been spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in a recent image taken on October 23, 2024. The image, captured using the HiRISE camera, shows dust accumulation on InSight’s solar panels, now matching the reddish-brown Martian surface. This observation provides insights into wind patterns and dust m...
-
Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
-
Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study
A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...
