With the discovery of ever more exoplanets—over 6,000 now—scientists, of course, want to know if they are habitable for life. (At least, life as we know it.) But assessing habitability is a difficult ...

Scientists are observing an Earth-like exoplanet that may contain water using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the space agency said in a news release. The exoplanet, known as TRAPPIST-1 e, orbits ...

Recently, an exoplanet just a short 15 light-years from Earth was discovered, setting the scientific community abuzz. This newly found celestial body boasts a unique gravitational pull, a feature that ...

NASA is celebrating a big milestone after the 6,000th exoplanet discovery was confirmed this week. Exoplanets are worlds outside our solar system. Just over three decades ago, the first exoplanets ...

In the search for habitable exoplanets, atmospheric conditions play a key role in determining if a planet can sustain liquid water. Suitable candidates often sit in the "Goldilocks zone," a distance ...

Astronomers might be close to confirming the presence of an Earth-like atmosphere on an exoplanet for the first time, if more detailed analyses verify preliminary observations from the James Webb ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Artist’s concept of Kepler-186f, an Earth-size exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star in the ...

Just decades after the first exoplanets were identified, our database of the distant worlds—monitored by the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute—has breached a new threshold. Now, astronomers have ...

When the JWST finally began its long-awaited science operations in July 2022, there was a long list of targets awaiting its attention. Scientists compete for observing time by submitting proposals, ...

The team of astronomers behind the find suggested it could help us better understand planet and moon formation in our solar system and beyond the Milky Way. The team was able to make the first-ever ...

"Water on planets is much more limited than previously believed." Sub-Neptune planets, often billed as possible "water worlds," may be more desert than deep sea, according to a new study. For years, ...