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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Where are the ocean worlds in our solar system?
Ocean worlds are among the best candidates to search for life.
An ice giant and its dwarf companion
Neptune and Triton come into focus as destinations worth exploring.
What light through yonder prism splits?
Discover how we use light to look for signs of life beyond Earth, and meet the newest batch of Planetary Society-funded asteroid hunters.
How we use starlight to look for alien life
The process of spectroscopy can help scientists hunt for biosignatures.
Shoot for the moon that shoots back
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has some intriguing features: snow, ice, geysers, stripes and much more, all waiting to be further explored.
Alone in space, but not lonely
Comet Leonard heads out to roam free in interstellar space, alongside rogue planets, their moons, and maybe even life.
Is life possible on rogue planets and moons?
Our exploration of the solar system combined with two decades of exoplanet research tells us there are several possibilities for life to exist on starless planets and their moons.
Let’s not forget the other Mars explorers
This week we take a look at some of the amazing Mars exploration being conducted, and celebrate the highlights of space in 2021.
Optimism, ethics and pride
The values that have driven space exploration since its beginnings are still going strong today.
Looking forward to looking into deep space
The newest issue of The Planetary Report takes a look at the James Webb Space Telescope and what it will teach us about the cosmos.
The Fermi paradox and Drake equation: Where are all the aliens?
Theoretical work in SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is dominated by two key concepts: the Fermi paradox and the Drake equation.
What are the most Earth-like worlds we’ve found?
The ongoing hunt for Earth-like worlds, especially over the next few decades, hopes to illuminate how ordinary and extraordinary our planet may be.
Cyclones and Storms and Flares, Oh My!
Jupiter’s cyclones are beautiful, and the Sun’s storms and flares are a little bit scary.
Seeing Ourselves in Space
When we look at our planet, look for life, or direct a rover to look at itself, we see ourselves in new ways.
Venusian Probes and UFOs
Venus is an intimidating destination for spacecraft, and we’re pretty sure Earth hasn’t yet been a destination for aliens.
Is it aliens? Three questions to evaluate UFO claims
It's important to consider explanations that don't involve large conspiracies or require our understanding of physics to be wrong.
Martian Ingenuity and Venusian imagination
Get a peek at the Martian moon and catch up on what the newest Mars explorer has been up to.
NASA Mission to Venus in 1978 May Have Detected Phosphine, a Gas Related to Life
The data come from NASA’s Pioneer Venus Multiprobe mission, which deployed a series of probes into the planet’s clouds.
The Quest for Life on Venus
Did scientists detect a signature of life in Venus' clouds? Or will the bombshell finding be proven false?
Life on Mars: Your Questions Answered
The red planet once had liquid water on the surface, and conditions that could have supported life.