by Matt Rozsa | Jul 13, 2023 | Salon.com
A recent study published in the scientific journal Nature reveals the existence of organic compounds on Mars. The good news is this could indicate the existence of life — the bad news is that there are other possible explanations.
Organic compounds are molecules formed from carbon, although they often include other life-associated elements like phosphorus, oxygen, sulfur, hydrogen and nitrogen....
Originally posted on salon.com
by Matt Rozsa | Jun 13, 2023 | Salon.com
With the exception of a few Moon landings, as far as Earth-bound life is concerned, our closest neighbor has remained utterly lifeless for as long as we’ve known. As our species overheats and pollutes the planet (but at least can make some entertaining movies about it), our celestial companion has presumably remained as dead as the very Cold War that started the Space Race....
Originally posted on salon.com
by Matt Rozsa | Apr 28, 2023 | Salon.com
The red planet Mars, fourth from Earth’s sun, has two little moons: Phobos and Deimos. Neither is anything like Earth’s moon: small and irregularly shaped, astronomers have long believed that they are more likely captured asteroids, pulled into the Martian orbit by the red planet’s gravity and then kept there indefinitely as makeshift moons....
Originally posted on salon.com
by Matt Rozsa | Feb 9, 2023 | Salon.com
Science fiction is filled with stories of humans traveling to other planets — and, of course, quite often those planets are inhabited. Whether it’s explorers having romantic adventures in “Star Trek” or determined scientists trying to save humanity in “Interstellar,” people instinctively want to believe that our universe might allow us to casually planet-hop....
Originally posted on salon.com
by Matt Rozsa | Feb 9, 2023 | Salon.com
Science fiction is filled with stories of humans traveling to other planets — and, of course, quite often those planets are inhabited. Whether it’s explorers having romantic adventures in “Star Trek” or determined scientists trying to save humanity in “Interstellar,” people instinctively want to believe that our universe might allow us to casually planet-hop....
Originally posted on salon.com