A planet 48 light-years away is leaking helium from its upper atmosphere, a discovery that’s gotten astronomers excited. The planet in question, LHS 1140 b, was first spotted in 2017. NASA and many ...

To support alien life, a planet doesn’t have to be exactly like Earth, but it does need a few key ingredients. First, it should orbit its star at the right distance, where temperatures allow liquid ...

This summer, exoplanet science—the study of planets orbiting stars beyond our sun—took a big step forward. Reports of helium ...

A rocky world orbiting within its star’s habitable zone may be surrounded by a helium-rich atmosphere, providing the strongest evidence yet that planets with Earth-like conditions could support life ...

The upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory should be able to spot the glint of water on habitable planets, and maybe more ...

Click here for an explanation of each section [Celestial bodies that serve as conversation starters] NoneThere are no ...

There is no chance in hell our species will be able to reach another Earth-like planet in the Universe in the foreseeable future, so the only way we can get a sense of the habitability of such places ...

The newly discovered exoplanets, designated as GJ 9827 b, c and d, are located fairly close to their host star, completing orbits within 6.2 days. ESO A nearby 'super‑Earth' just 25 light years from ...