UR: Orbit Perturbations of Habitable Zone Planets Due to Inner Planetary Companions
In our latest #UndergradResearch post, Meredith Vogel talks about how an exoplanet’s habitability can be affected by other planets’ orbits in multi-planet systems.
Rewriting the geologic history of Mars one megaflood at a time
The rocks explored by the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater are sure signs of the past presence of water on the red planet, but how did they form? The prevailing view has been a long-lasting lake environment, potentially suitable for life, but today’s paper offers a much more dramatic explanation.
Hydration is Key: Clues about Venus’ early habitability from its present-day atmosphere?
Could Venus ever have boasted an ocean? What can models of atmosphere and interior evolution tell us about the history of water on our sister planet?
WARNING: Too much radiogenic heat could hurt exoplanet habitability
One-dimensional models show how the expected variability in radiogenic heat from U and Th in a rocky planet’s mantle could control the presence of a magnetic field and thus habitability.
Phosphine in Venus!
Who is phosphine and why do we care? Have we found alien life? or is it just rock farts? This astrobite summarizes the Nature paper describing the detection and potential implications of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus.
Life finds a way (even on M dwarfs?)
M dwarfs are known to be really active when they’re young, which is bad for habitability. But what about old M dwarfs?