Planets
Explore Planets
Latest about Planets
Mysterious flashes on Venus may be a rain of meteors, new study suggests
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Bright flashes in the clouds of Venus once thought to be lightning strikes may have a cosmic origin.
'Modest, humble, and uncommonly smart': How a Soviet mathematician quietly solved the mystery of planet formation
By Dan Levitt published
"For years, he had the field of planetary formation, which he had created, virtually to himself. Most Soviet colleagues were skeptical and uninterested; his research appeared so speculative, so far removed from any evidence."
Historic space photo of the week: Voyager 2 spies a storm on Saturn 42 years ago
By Jamie Carter published
With the ringed planet currently perfectly positioned for observation with a small telescope, relive Voyager 2's landmark 1981 visit.
James Webb telescope sees potential signs of alien life in the atmosphere of a distant 'Goldilocks' water world
By Harry Baker published
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected potential traces of dimethyl sulfide, a chemical only known to be created by phytoplankton on Earth, in the atmosphere of an exoplanet believed to have its own liquid ocean.
James Webb telescope could detect life on Earth from across the galaxy, new study suggests
By Harry Baker published
Researchers have shown that if the James Webb Space Telescope was pointed at Earth from a distant star, it could detect the signatures of intelligent life in our planet's atmosphere.
NASA may have unknowingly found and killed alien life on Mars 50 years ago, scientist claims
By Harry Baker published
One researcher hypothesizes that experiments carried out by NASA's Viking landers in 1976 could have inadvertently killed microbes living in Martian rocks. Other experts are skeptical.
Just 22 people are needed to colonize Mars — as long as they are the right personality type, study claims
By Harry Baker published
Researchers estimated that as few as 22 people would be needed to sustain a colony on Mars. But there are lots of caveats, and the new study largely misses the point of colonizing the Red Planet in the first place, experts say.
Neptune keeps growing enormous dark and bright spots, and scientists don't know why
By Robert Lea published
Scientists are still in the dark about what is causing a huge shadowy patch to appear against the blue background of Neptune’s sky.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.