Technologies for creating a fully-fledged habitat in microgravity conditions and on other planets: mycelium, 3D, carbon fiber
The Mycotecture project team at NASA’s Ames Research Center is developing technologies that will enable the “growing” of habitats on the Moon, Mars, and beyond using fungi and the subterranean filaments that make up their main component, known as mycelium. Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully tested the next-generation SpaceCAL microgravity 3D printer. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have unveiled ecovoxels—modular, reconfigurable building blocks that can be used for both construction on Earth and for creating living and working spaces in space. As part of the European Space Agency’s First! initiative, CompPair, in collaboration with Com&Sens and CSEM, has developed a new self-controlling and self-healing carbon fiber composite material.
The most general and up-to-date information about the “former” ninth planet of the Solar System – Pluto
Pluto is the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System. It was previously considered the ninth and farthest planet from the Sun. In 2006, its status was downgraded. This strange world is located in the Kuiper Belt—a region beyond Neptune filled with hundreds of thousands of rocky, icy bodies, each over 100 kilometers in diameter, as well as 1 trillion or more comets. Pluto ceased to be a planet in 2006 when it was reclassified as a dwarf planet, sparking controversy and debate in the scientific community and among the general public.
First proposed by physicist Freeman Dyson in 1960, the idea of alien spheres remains relevant in the 21st century
In the 1960s, physicist and polymath Freeman Dyson proposed the idea of creating these eponymous spheres. He proposed that a sufficiently advanced society would have an insatiable need for space and energy. If they were industrious enough, they could solve both problems by dismantling a planet and turning it into a massive spherical shell. This sphere would encircle the star, providing a surface area equal to billions of planets and absorbing vast amounts of solar energy. Dyson calculated that a shell made from a Jupiter-mass planet could completely envelop the Sun at approximately the same orbit as Earth. However, gravity within the hollow shell is neutralized, meaning there is nothing binding the shell to the star. They are free to move in independent directions, meaning the star containing the Dyson sphere would soon simply smash into the shell, destroying it.
Treatment and prevention of diseases during long-term flights in microgravity conditions
Deep space exploration requires a paradigm shift in astronaut medical support toward Earth-independent medical operations. Currently, astronauts rely on real-time communications with ground-based medical facilities. However, as the distance from Earth increases, communication delays and disruptions increase. Crews engaged in deep space exploration will need to autonomously detect, diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. One potential solution is to enhance the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of crews participating in long-duration exploration missions with a digital clinical decision support system (CDSS).
Recent studies of Pluto’s moon Charon have revealed that it contains water ice, ammonia and organic compounds, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen peroxide
Charon is a medium-sized body, approximately 750 miles (1,207 kilometers) wide, located in the Kuiper Belt—a ring of icy debris, comets, and dwarf planets, also called trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), at the edge of the solar system. Unlike many larger Kuiper Belt objects, Charon’s surface is not covered in volatile ices like methane, allowing scientists to gain valuable insight into the influence of sunlight on cratering these distant bodies. Furthermore, Charon is the only medium-sized TNO for which geological mapping is available. This was made possible thanks to data collected by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which visited the Pluto system about a decade ago.
Unique properties of ionic liquids, superalcohols and cosmic radiation indicate the existence of life beyond Earth
Life may exist right under our noses in the Solar System—the moons of Jupiter and Saturn are of great interest. Europa and Enceladus may harbor vast subsurface oceans where at least microbial life could be possible. Thanks to new data obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have discovered compelling evidence of extraterrestrial life on one exoplanet. But is water truly a necessary ingredient for life? A new study has determined that ionic liquids can form where liquid water cannot, thanks to their ability to remain liquid over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. These ionic liquids may ultimately support biomolecules such as proteins.
Water is an inevitable consequence of planet formation and is much more common in the galaxy than scientists previously thought
The findings suggest that water may not be a rare cosmic coincidence, but rather an inevitable consequence of planet formation, making it far more common in the galaxy than scientists previously thought. Water is life, at least as we know it. All life on Earth uses liquid water, and researchers studying the origins of life believe that the complex chemistry of life likely originated either in a warm pool on the Earth’s surface or near a deep-ocean hydrothermal vent. Therefore, planetary scientists are particularly interested in extraterrestrial locations where liquid water exists. Based on existing exoplanet data, super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are considered the most common classes of planets in our galaxy, and some of them are likely water worlds. However, these planets are large, and the interactions between the water in their oceans and the rocks in their interiors will determine how habitable they might be.
The process of astronauts adapting to Earth’s gravity after a long stay in space
When astronauts return from extended stays in space, they are often removed from their capsules and placed on stretchers. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded in March 2025, were no exception. The effects of long-term spaceflight on the human body are an area of active research. The current record for the longest continuous stay in space belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days—just over 14 months—aboard the now-defunct Mir space station in 1994 and 1995.
Science fiction and the official scientific opinion on alien life
Many scientists are searching for extraterrestrial life on planets with conditions similar to Earth. For example, a habitable planet would likely have water. For liquid water, the planet would need to be at the perfect distance from its sun to prevent the water from freezing and turning into gas.
Recent research in the field of water-calcium metabolism in spaceflight conditions
Exposure to altered gravity during spaceflight can cause physiological changes. One such change is the inability to completely empty the bladder or urinary retention. Exposure to microgravity causes bone atrophy/loss, which increases blood calcium levels and increases the risk of kidney stones. The results of this new study may shed light on age-related bone loss, which affects millions of people on Earth.
Alien craft or natural object? The most mysterious comet, Atlas, is approaching Earth
Initial estimates placed the comet’s diameter at about 11 kilometers (7 miles). However, subsequent data from the Hubble Space Telescope indicated that 3I/ATLAS is likely closer to the maximum size of 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles). In any case, it is likely the largest interstellar object ever observed.
A Brief Excursion into the History of Ufology and the Secrets of the Pentagon
“Close Encounters of the First Kind” referred to UFOs seen at close enough range to discern some details. In “Close Encounters of the Second Kind,” the UFO exerted physical influence, such as burning trees, frightening animals, or causing car engines to stall. In “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” witnesses reported seeing people inside or near the UFO.
Jupiter’s Moon Europa: Water, Ice, Salt, and Sulfur. Latest Research
Europa is one of the most interesting moons in the solar system, it is one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, along with Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. Astronomer Galileo Galilei is credited with discovering these moons, some of the largest in the solar system. Europa is the smallest of the four, but one of the most interesting. Europa’s surface is covered in ice, but scientists believe that there is an ocean underneath. The icy surface also makes it one of the most reflective moons in the solar system.
The Juno spacecraft has discovered salts, organic compounds and water vapor on the surface and in the atmosphere of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has discovered salts and organic compounds on the surface of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. The discovery was made during a June 2021 flyby, during which Juno studied Ganymede with its Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument, an instrument designed to study the chemistry and interactions in the atmospheres of Jupiter and its moons. Ganymede, one of these moons, is the largest moon in the solar system — at 5,268 kilometers (3,200 miles) wide, larger than the planet Mercury — and has a vast ocean beneath its icy crust.
Basic principles of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which studies the astrobiological potential of habitable worlds
Europa Clipper is NASA’s first spacecraft designed to explore an ocean world beyond Earth. Its goal is to find out if the ice-covered moon Europa is habitable. With its antennas and solar panels fully deployed, Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft ever designed by NASA for a planetary mission. Europa Clipper’s flyby of Mars prepares it for its second gravity assist, a close encounter with Earth in December 2026.
Geological age of planets: scientists reveal secrets of its determination
Recent advances in geochronology, or rock dating, allow geologists to measure radioactive decay and assign very precise absolute ages to geological events. In another study, scientists found isotopic evidence of a sudden switch to primitive plate tectonics dating back about 3.8 billion years. The discovery suggests that a simple form of subduction had begun at least in one place on the planet by that time. And a tree-lined African lake has provided data on the Earth’s magnetic field for the past 150,000 years.
Planet-Forming Molecules Discovered in Most Extreme Environments
An international team of astronomers has used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to make the first observation of water and other molecules in the inner disk regions that form rocky planets, in one of the most extreme environments in our galaxy.
Mars’ gravitational pull may influence Earth’s climate
Every 2.4 million years, Mars tugs on Earth so hard that it reshapes the ocean floor. New geological research suggests that Mars’ gravity pulls Earth closer to the sun in cycles lasting millions of years, warming our climate.
Analysis of a sample of asteroid Bennu reveals dust rich in carbon, nitrogen and organic compounds needed for life
Early analysis of a sample of the asteroid Bennu returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed dust rich in carbon, nitrogen and organic compounds, all of which are essential components for life as we know it. The sample, dominated by clay minerals, particularly serpentine, reflects the type of rock found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth.
Solar flares and magnetic storms pose a real danger
About once every thousand years, Earth experiences an extreme solar event that can cause severe damage to the ozone layer and increase ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels at the surface. Over the past century, the north magnetic pole has moved across northern Canada at about 40 kilometers per year, and the field has weakened by more than 6%. Geological records show that there have been periods of centuries or millennia when the geomagnetic field was very weak or even absent.
Solar flares continue to break records
NOAA Is Rewriting the Book on How to Rank Solar Storms: The Capabilities, the Science, and Our Understanding of the Science — A lot has changed in space weather in the last 25 years. Technology has improved, and scientists have learned more about extreme space weather events from historic geomagnetic storms like the Halloween solar storm of October 2003 and the Gannon Event of May 2024. Looking to the future, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) are now looking for ways to better inform the public about space weather events that can impact Earth. That’s why NOAA is asking the public for input on how to rewrite its space weather scales.
Mars rover Perseverance finds interesting rock that may have harbored microbial life billions of years ago
Analysis by instruments on board the rover shows that the rock has qualities that meet the definition of a possible indicator of ancient life. The rock contains chemical signatures and structures that could have been formed by life billions of years ago, when there was flowing water in the area the rover was exploring. The science team is considering other explanations for the observed features, and further research will be needed to determine whether ancient life is a valid explanation.
Scientists are preparing to populate and terraform Mars
We could terraform Mars with desert moss. Among its recent discoveries, the rover found rocks made of pure sulfur. From October 2023, the rover will explore a region of Mars rich in sulfates, a type of salt containing sulfur and formed when water evaporates. NASA finds ice on Mars with new map. NASA selects commercial service research to support robotic science on Mars. owe Industries is currently developing a propulsion system that can generate up to 100,000 N of thrust with a specific impulse (Isp) of 5,000 seconds, the high efficiency of the system allows for manned missions to Mars to be completed in just two months.
A whole field of sulfur rocks, the latest discoveries on Mars and amazing photos
As the rover ascends, it moves along the Martian timeline, allowing scientists to study how Mars evolved from a planet that was more like Earth in the distant past, with a warmer climate and abundant water, to the icy desert it is today. The amount of frost on Mars’ equatorial volcanoes represents about 150,000 tons of water exchanged between the surface and the atmosphere every day during the cold season, equivalent to about 60 Olympic swimming pools. NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered crystals of pure sulfur on Mars.
Scientists have linked the development of life with a magnetic field and concluded about magnetic fields on other planets
The weakening of the Earth’s magnetic field has led to a dramatic acceleration in the evolution of multicellular life. Fossil evidence has been found in Brazil and South Africa that the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field was about 30 times weaker than today’s values at the end of the Ediacaran period, about 590 to 560 million years ago. One of the defining features of the Earth is its magnetic field. It forms a protective shield against high-energy particles ejected by the Sun, and thus may have provided a safer place for life to grow into the complex array of organisms we see today.
Scientists have found that life on our planet could not have appeared without the Earth’s magnetic field
The movement of the iron core generates electricity, which results in a magnetic orientation of the entire planet. Scientists can trace the magnetic history of our planet through cooled lava. Because the planet’s magnetism deflects solar radiation, it allows life to exist on Earth. In fact, throughout the history of our planet, the poles have even changed their position several times, and the magnetic field strength has increased and decreased. The rocks indicate that Earth had a strong magnetic field 3.7 billion years ago, but scientists are not sure where the field might have come from. Magnetized boulders have also been discovered on the Moon.
Solar hype from space agencies and increased solar activity. Coincidence?
The aurora ceases to remain polar. Now it can be observed with the naked eye all over the world. Until 2022, tourists from all over the world rushed to see the clear lights in the northern regions. In the last year, the red glow can be seen… everywhere. Not always, of course, but very often. Auroras are dangerous for people with unstable psyches.
Scientists have proven: there are asteroids – piles of rubble that carry water, carbon and amino acids
Scientists have proven that there are asteroids that are resistant to external influences. This means that the tested methods are not suitable for protecting the Earth from such objects. Scientists have discovered possible “seeds of life” in the matter of asteroids: The idea that life originated outside our solar system has been around for a very long time, and now analysis of new asteroid samples is providing evidence for this “panspermia” theory.
Astronauts on the ISS are looking for solutions to problems that may arise during a long flight
The flight of Russian cosmonauts and NASA astronauts, participants of the 70th long-term expedition, continues at the International Space Station. A long stay in space causes physical changes in the human body. For example, the condition of bones and muscles deteriorates. Therefore, the health of astronauts is closely studied by doctors and scientists.
Blast from the past: a gamma-ray burst hit the Earth from a distant exploding star
A huge burst of gamma rays detected by the European Space Agency’s Integral space telescope has hit Earth. The explosion caused significant disturbances in the ionosphere of our planet. Such disturbances are usually associated with events involving energetic particles on the Sun, but this event was the result of the explosion of a star nearly two billion light years away. Analysis of the explosion’s aftermath could provide information about mass extinctions in Earth’s history, the European Space Agency said.