Search for Life

These Apollo 'UFO' images have been public for decades. So why are people talking about them now?

By Mike Wall published 18 May 26

Much of the UFO imagery that the Pentagon released last week was new, but we've known for decades about the odd things that the Apollo astronauts saw on and around the moon.

Scientists propose new way to find aliens — and we may already have a spacecraft that can help

By Keith Cooper published 14 May 26

Scientists say amino acids produced by life are distributed differently and more diversely than amino acids produced by non-living chemical reactions, thereby providing a truer signature of life.

Pentagon unveils trove of declassfied 'UFO' videos. How to see them all, from 'a football-shaped body' to 'a misshapen and uneven ball of white light'

By Mike Wall published 8 May 26

The Pentagon released a new tranche of UFO files on Friday (May 8). Among the documents are nearly 30 videos, which feature a range of intriguing objects.

Making contact with ET? Aliens may already know we're here

By Leonard David published 23 April 26

Earth is dotted with many humongous, human-made structures. To an alien eye, they may be tell-tale signs of intelligent goings-on, betraying our existence and hinting at our capabilities.

Disclosure day: If ET made contact, how would we handle the news?

By Leonard David published 4 April 26

How would people react if an alien civilization actually made contact with us? Space.com talked to experts, who shared a variety of opinions about a possible real-life "disclosure day."

Where are all the aliens? Maybe they just don't want to talk to us

By Leonard David published 17 March 26

A civilization capable of interstellar travel may also be one that has moved beyond conquest, excess and ecological self-destruction — and it therefore may not want to talk to us.

No sun, no problem? How life could thrive on moons of starless 'rogue' planets

By Sharmila Kuthunur published 16 March 26

Exomoons orbiting rogue planets could host liquid water for billions of years, offering potential habitats for life deep in interstellar space.

Where are all the aliens? Maybe space weather is scrambling their transmissions

By Keith Cooper published 8 March 26

We may be missing alien radio signals because they have become smeared beyond the narrowband detectors that SETI utilizes, a new study suggests.

Did Earth life actually begin on Mars? Asteroid impacts could let microbes planet-hop, study suggests

By Sharmila Kuthunur published 6 March 26

"Life might actually survive being ejected from one planet and moving to another."

'War of the Worlds' in reverse? Mars dirt could help fight off a microbial invasion from Earth

By Keith Cooper published 4 March 26

Tests conducted with tardigrades suggest that there is something in Martian dirt that dramatically reduces biological activity.