Aliens

Fragments of Famed ‘UFO’ Discovered in Archives of London Museum

Though experts deemed it a hoax, the ‘Silpho Saucer’ created a sensation when it was discovered in the 1950s

February 19, 2018

How UFO Reports Change With the Technology of the Times

Fears of Zeppelins, rockets and drones have replaced the “celestial wonders” of ancient times

February 1, 2018

New Research

New Clues to the Origins of the Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts From Space

New analysis suggests that the bursts originate near massive black holes or neutron stars

January 12, 2018

Why We Should Rethink How We Talk About “Alien” Species

In a trend that echoes the U.S.-Mexico border debate, some say that calling non-native animals “foreigners” and “invaders” only worsens the problem

January 9, 2018

New Research

Dust, Not an Alien Megastructure, Likely Causes Strange Winks in Tabby’s Star Brightness

After extensive observations, researchers can now confidently say: It’s not aliens

January 3, 2018

New Research

At 3.5 Billion Years Old, Are These the Oldest Fossils?

A new analysis of this decades-old find suggests that they were indeed once biological life—but not all are convinced

December 20, 2017

Trending Today

Are Alien Microbes Clinging to the International Space Station? Probably Not

A report out of Russia claims extraterrestrial bacteria has been found on the space station, but there’s plenty of room for doubt

November 28, 2017

Trending Today

In Attempt to Contact Intelligent Life, Group Sends Musical Signal Toward Planet GJ 273b

Though the chances are slim, the team hopes this latest transmission is just the first of many

November 17, 2017

Cool Finds

Earth-Sized Planet Detected Just 11 Light Years Away

Orbiting the star Ross 128, our new planetary neighbor is thought to be temperate, with days up to a balmy 68 degrees Fahrenheit

November 15, 2017

New Research

Our Nearest Neighbor Might Harbor Its Own Solar System

New data from Proxima Centauri shows it has a ring of cold dust—a sign that many planets may orbit the distant star

November 6, 2017

New Research

Jupiter’s Auroras Are Surprisingly Out of Sync

X-ray bursts from the poles are expected to line up, but the south is regular while the north produces haphazard bursts

November 2, 2017

New Research

Could a Magnetic Shield Protect Earth From Space Weather?

A bad geomagnetic storm would fry the electric grid and cripple civilization for years—a space shield is cheap by comparison

October 3, 2017

Cool Finds

Astronomers Detect 15 Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts From a Distant Galaxy

The new cosmic blasts may help researchers finally figure out what’s producing the energy in space

August 31, 2017

Life in the Cosmos

Could We See Glow-in-the-Dark Aliens From Earth?

Extraterrestrial life might make its own light to protect itself from harmful radiation

August 1, 2017

New Research

Mars Surface May Be Too Toxic for Microbial Life

The combination of UV radiation and perchlorates common on Mars could be deadly for bacteria

July 6, 2017

Trending Today

The “Alien Megastructure” Star Is Acting Up Again

A large dip in the star’s brightness suggests something massive is orbiting the fiery body

May 23, 2017

Cool Finds

Now You Too Can Own a Piece of Space History

The engraver who inscribed Carl Sagan’s and Frank Drake’s 1973 message to extraterrestrials is now taking orders

May 22, 2017

New Research

Why Morning Glories Could Survive Space Travel

The seed of the common garden flower could survive long journeys in space

May 3, 2017

Think Big

The Case for Going to Venus

Sending a probe to Earth’s lifeless twin could help us understand how life rises—and falls—on faraway planets

March 15, 2017

New Research

Are Fast Radio Bursts from Alien Spacecraft? It’s Unlikely, but Possible

A new paper raises the (distant) possibility that the unusual high-energy bursts from the cosmos are from intergalactic ships

March 10, 2017