Life beyond EaRTH

Mars was warmer and wetter long ago. If anything was alive there, what came next was either a tragedy or a masterclass in survival.

While all cellular life on Earth shares the same DNA-based chemistry, planets with different environments could produce alien organisms far more diverse. From insect-like swarms to intelligent machines, many classic sci-fi alien archetypes have at least some grounding in biology, astrobiology, or emerging technology. Ultimately, truly alien life may defy our expectations altogether, and recognizing it could require rethinking not just what aliens look like, but how we define

What if the first search for life beyond Earth actually succeeded?

Organic compounds can form through simple chemistry alone — making the search for true biosignatures trickier than it seems. Posted on...