Planetary science – Page 3
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ResearchMolecular complexity index could help find proof of alien life
Is it microbes on Venus or just lifeless planetary processes? Discovery could help scientists identify life on other planets
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ResearchMeteorites show modern Mars’ subsurface has ingredients to support life
Terrestrial chemistry that sustains microbial life deep underground appears to be occurring on the Red Planet too
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ResearchGeochemists uncover evidence of massive Antarctic meteorite explosion 430,000 years ago
Airburst event spread material across most of Antarctica
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ResearchExoplanet’s chemical fingerprint suggest a distant birthplace
Unexpectedly high levels of carbon on Osiris indicate an intriguing past
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ResearchA glimpse at alien volcanoes that spew metal
Hypothetical ferrovolcanoes explored with world’s only lava flow simulator
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ResearchSuper-slippery 2D material could be ideal lubricant for planetary rovers
Metal carbide material is significantly better lubricant than oils
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NewsFirst detection of hydrogen chloride gas on Mars
Discovery by ExoMars Orbiter of a new chemical cycle driven by dust and seasonal changes
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FeatureThe hellish chemistry of Venus’ atmosphere
The potential presence of phosphine on Venus is only the latest twist in the strange chemistry of our planetary neighbour, finds Clare Sansom
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ResearchLong-gone planets’ metal composition preserved as pollution around the dead stars that consumed them
Lithium pollution around white dwarf stars offers glimpse at the metal abundances on ancient rocky bodies
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ResearchIs there phosphine on Venus?
A software glitch and a new analysis of 50-year-old data are all helping to answer the question
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ResearchFirst definitive proof of water on the moon
Ice could be a resource for future lunar missions
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ResearchLiquid hydrogen rethink has astronomical implications
Machine learning simulates smooth transition between states, which could affect giant planets
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NewsPerseverance rover’s suite of chemical tools will search for signs of ancient life on Mars
Upgraded probe is better equipped to investigate the red planet
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FeatureDo asteroids hold the key to life on Earth?
A series of missions are set to reveal the hidden secrets of the asteroids. Nina Notman explores the science of space rocks
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ResearchMystery of where early Earth’s life-fuelling phosphates came from may have been solved
Meteorites have been source of building blocks for primordial life
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ResearchIron rain every evening on ultra-hot giant exoplanet
Spectral data shows iron condensing on planet’s nightside
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ResearchMetallic trihydrogen oxide could explain ice giants’ strange magnetic fields
Compound stable under extreme conditions might be source of Uranus’ and Neptune’s enigmatic magnetosphere
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ResearchCrystals reveal the site of the world’s oldest meteorite strike
Mineral chemistry suggests the massive impact 2.3 billion years ago could have made our entire planet much warmer
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ResearchMineral never before seen in nature found inside Australian meteorite
Black-and-red rock that fell to Earth 68 years ago contains iron carbide compound
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FeatureWhat is the moon made of?
Mike Sutton looks at what we’ve learned about the moon’s chemistry in the 50 years since Apollo 11