habitability

Research on Mars’s Core Highlights Earth’s Uniqueness

May 22, 2023

Does the composition of a planet’s core make a difference for whether it can sustain advanced life? As research continues to show, the size,...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Are Exomoons Habitable?

May 15, 2023

In last week’s Today’s New Reason to Believe I explained the crucial role and possible dangers that a large moon plays in a planet’s habitability.1 In a...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Moons: Life’s Friends or Foes?

May 8, 2023

Astronomers’ quest to find another planet capable of supporting life continues in earnest. As they compile their findings, we all learn more about what...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Earth’s Magnetosphere Appears Designed for Habitability

March 27, 2023

Without Earth’s longstanding, magnificent magnetosphere, we wouldn’t be here nor would any life. The Sun would have sputtered away the entirety of the planet’s...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Saltation, a Problem for Astrobiology

May 27, 2019

Astrobiology is the scientific discipline dedicated to the search and study of life on other worlds. In spite of decades of research funding and...

Biology

by Hugh Ross Read

Earth, an Extraordinary Magnet for Life

April 15, 2019

We might take it for granted, but our planet’s magnetic field is no sure thing. A just-published research paper by three Australian astronomers shows...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Life Requires Galactic and Supergalactic Habitable Zones

April 8, 2019

Zones where advanced life can exist in the universe just became stricter. Astronomical researchers have discovered that livable neighborhoods must include not only favorable...

Design

by Hugh Ross Read

Mars’s Discoveries Showcase Earth’s Design

August 24, 2018

Earth’s neighbor Mars has created a lot of discovery-driven headlines lately. In one, scientists found seasonal variation of methane in the atmosphere. In another,...

Astronomy

by Jeff Zweerink Read

Atmospheric Pressure and the Possibility of Life

August 20, 2018

In mountain climbing, the death zone refers to altitudes above 26,000 feet (7,900 meters). At that height, the atmospheric pressure is only 35 percent...

Astronomy

by Hugh Ross Read

Exoplanets’ Climate Instabilities Reveal Earth’s Fine-Tuning

July 30, 2018

In my last three blogs I described the inevitable climate instabilities that occur on Earth as a result of subtle variations in Earth’s rotation...

by Hugh Ross Read