To support alien life, a planet doesn’t have to be exactly like Earth, but it does need a few key ingredients. First, it ...

Life on Earth may exist thanks to an incredible stroke of luck — a chemical sweet spot that most planets miss during their ...

Astronomers have discovered a chemical called methanimine in the core of a pre-stellar cloud 554 light-years away, a finding ...

The new plot twist is that in order to keep enough nitrogen and phosphorus near its surface, a planet has to start out with ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover aerospace, astronomy & hosted The Cosmic Controversy Podcast. Complex life here on earth is largely thought to be possible ...

For life to develop on a planet, certain chemical elements are needed in sufficient quantities. Phosphorus and nitrogen are essential. Phosphorus is vital for the formation of DNA and RNA, which store ...

Do we have a planetary bias when it comes to understanding where life can perpetuate? It's only natural that we do. After all, we're on one. However, planets may not be necessary for life, and a pair ...