Aliens
Aliens can refer to everything from little green men in the sci-fi realm to microscopic life forms beyond Earth. For all these possibilities, Live Science has you covered. We break down the latest discoveries that hint at life on other planets and the state of scientific searches for such extraterrestrial life. Sometimes, we may dissect a "little green man" sighting as well.
Latest about Extraterrestrial Life
Aliens may be hitching rides on meteors to colonize the cosmos, study suggests. Here's how we could spot them.
By Paul Sutter published
A fringe theory called "panspermia" suggests that lifeforms can spread to new planets by hitching rides on meteors. New research lays out a roadmap for finding where these hypothetical, planet-hopping aliens may reside.
Purple bacteria could be key to finding extraterrestrial life on exoplanets
By Stephanie Pappas published
On many exoplanets, the best clue that life is present may be a purple hue. New research into some of Earth's most extreme bacteria explains why.
Seismic reading linked to 'alien technology' by Harvard professor likely came from a passing truck, study claims
By Ben Turner published
Avi Loeb has suggested that metallic spherules found at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean could have alien origins. But a new study suggests he may have been misled by a seismometer that picked up the rumbles of a passing truck.
US government wanted to reverse-engineer alien ships — but never found any, Pentagon UFO report reveals
By Ben Turner published
A long-awaited Pentagon report says there is "no verifiable evidence" of the U.S. government encountering or concealing evidence of alien life.
World's 1st 'conversation' between humans and whales could help us talk to aliens someday, scientists claim
By Samantha Mathewson published
Researchers are studying humpback whale communication systems to learn how to detect and interpret extraterrestrial signals from outer space.
Scientists are searching for alien signals at frequencies never studied before
By Owen Johnson published
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) continues as scientists look to low-frequency radio waves that have long gone unexplored.
'Alien' spherules dredged from the Pacific are probably just industrial pollution, new studies suggest
By Joanna Thompson published
Last summer, a Harvard professor claimed tiny pellets of iron came from beyond our solar system. But new analyses suggest that they likely originated much closer to home.
What's the best evidence we've found for alien life?
By Patrick Pester published
Don't expect an alien invasion anytime soon.
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