Countless worlds beyond Earth are brimming with possibilities of life. Our exploration of the solar system and the exploding field of exoplanets have already expanded our notions of places where life might arise and take solace—from Earth-like planets to icy moons with underground oceans.

Here are articles and notes I’ve published on humanity’s search for life in our solar system and the Universe, and some of our missions that lead or support the endeavor.

Places of promise

• Water plumes from Saturn’s icy moon may show promising signs of life

• Are the Universe's smallest stars promising places for life?

• Is life possible on rogue planets and moons?

• Possibilities of life in globular clusters

Missions

• How JUICE will explore Jupiter’s icy moons

• TESS is finding Earth-like planets around the galaxy's most common stars

• ExoMars: The Kazachok lander and Rosalind Franklin rover

The Big Questions

• Timeline for life until the end of the Universe

• Is the Fermi Paradox really a paradox?

Notes

• How NASA defines "Special Regions" for Mars missions

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