The search for life on other planets has captivated mankind for decades. But the reality could be a little less like the Hollywood blockbusters, scientists have revealed. They say if there was life on the red planet, it probably will present itself as fossilized bacteria – and have proposed a new way to look for … Read more
Metabolism is a key process in living things that enables fuel to be turned into energy, but its evolutionary origin is a long-standing enigma. Now, a study by US researchers has found a simple reaction between two chemicals, called glyoxylate and pyruvate, in Earth’s primordial soup billions of years ago may have led to the … Read more
The Moon’s once powerful magnetic field helped shield Earth and its developing atmosphere from powerful solar storms 4 billion years ago, a new study claims. Researchers led by James Green, NASA’s chief scientist, created computer models simulating the protective impact the Moon once had over Earth. The combined magnetic fields of both the Moon and … Read more
Mammals run hotter, use more energy and live shorter lives than reptiles, but it wasn’t always like that, according to a new study. Research has found that the first mammals to ever evolve, around 200 million years ago, were lethargic individuals that moved at a slow pace, like snakes and lizards. Life in the slow … Read more
Interactive map lets you track the location of your hometown on the Earth as the planet changes over 750 million years The website app was developed by a software engineer using geological data The interactive tool tracks a changing world over hundreds of millions of years It was designed as way to ‘easily illustrate’ complex … Read more
Water was NOT brought to Earth by asteroids or comets but has been present ever since the planet first formed, meteorite study suggests Researchers found a material present in the inner solar system carries hydrogen The material was found by studying meteorites called enstatite chondrite The hydrogen is in such an abundance that it could … Read more
Earth’s solid inner core that strengthens its magnetic field formed about 1.3 billion years ago – more than 3.2 billion years AFTER the planet itself, study finds Researchers from Texas recreated Earth’s inner core conditions in a laboratory The aim was to find out just how conductive the iron core is to determine its age … Read more
NASA is monitoring a ‘small but evolving dent’ in Earth’s magnetic field that could impact satellites and spacecraft. Stretching from South American and to southwest Africa is the South Atlantic Anomaly (SSA), which is a weakened spot in the field that allows charged particles from the sun to dip closer to the surface than usual. … Read more
Ceres, the nearest dwarf planet to the Earth is a water world and could have a vast reservoir of salty water hidden under its surface, according to new research. The reservoir on the minor planet, which orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, lies beneath a 20 million year old crater known as Occator – … Read more
Earth’s magnetic field could provide a ‘universal reference’ for dogs and help them navigate back to their owners wherever they are, new study shows Researchers in the Czech Republic tested dogs’ navigation abilities off-leash They found that all dogs began their return trips to owners with a ‘compass run’ This entailed a brief dash along … Read more