Exoplanets
16 articles on alien worlds, habitable zones, and the search for life
JWST and the Search for Alien Worlds
The James Webb Space Telescope is revolutionizing exoplanet science by directly analyzing the atmospheres of distant worlds for signs of life.
The Drake Equation Revisited
Frank Drake's famous equation estimates the number of intelligent civilizations. With new exoplanet data, what does it tell us in the 21st century?
TRAPPIST-1: Seven Earth-Sized Worlds
A single star system just 40 light-years away hosts seven rocky planets, three in the habitable zone. Could any of them harbor life?
What Are Super-Earths?
Larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, super-Earths are the most common type of planet in our galaxy. Yet our solar system has none.
Biosignatures: How We'll Find Alien Life
From oxygen and methane to the red edge of vegetation, scientists are hunting for chemical fingerprints that could reveal extraterrestrial life.
Hot Jupiters: The Gas Giants That Defy Theory
These massive planets orbit scorchingly close to their stars. Their existence challenges everything we thought we knew about planetary formation.
Lava Worlds: Planets of Molten Rock
Some exoplanets are so hot their surfaces are oceans of molten lava. Explore the extreme geology of these hellish alien worlds.
The Habitable Zone: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold
The Goldilocks zone is where liquid water can exist on a planet's surface. But habitability depends on far more than just distance from a star.
Rogue Planets: Wanderers Between the Stars
Planets ejected from their star systems drift alone through interstellar space. How many are out there, and could any support life?
Proxima Centauri b: Our Nearest Exoplanet
Just 4.2 light-years away orbits an Earth-sized world in the habitable zone of our nearest stellar neighbor. Could this be humanity's first interstellar destination?
How We Discover Exoplanets
From the transit method to radial velocity and direct imaging, explore the ingenious techniques astronomers use to find planets around distant stars.
Ocean Worlds: Water Beyond Earth
Some exoplanets may be entirely covered by deep global oceans. These water worlds could be among the best places to search for alien life.
The Fermi Paradox and Exoplanets
With billions of potentially habitable worlds, where is everyone? New exoplanet discoveries make the Fermi Paradox more puzzling than ever.
Exomoons: Moons Around Alien Planets
The search for moons orbiting exoplanets is just beginning. These could be some of the most promising locations for extraterrestrial life.
Carbon Planets: Worlds of Diamond and Graphite
In carbon-rich star systems, planets might have cores of diamond and surfaces covered in tar. A glimpse at truly alien geology.
Tidally Locked Worlds
Planets orbiting close to their stars may have one side in permanent day and the other in eternal night. Could life thrive in the twilight zone between?