A common mineral, α-alumina, found abundantly in Earth's crust, may have played a critical role in initiating the chemical ...

Bold claims of ‘biosignature’ molecules trigger an outpouring of scepticism.

Astronomers have detected molecules on exoplanet K2-18b that may have been produced by simple organisms, claiming it's the ...

Astronomers have a lot of thoughts about the latest paper claiming we’ve found the strongest hints of alien life yet on the distant planet K2 18b.

Unlocking the origins of life starts with understanding how simple space molecules turned into complex building blocks. To do ...

Astronomers claim they've found the most promising signs of possible life on a planet outside of our solar system.

Scientists in Japan have uncovered a surprising twist, literally, in how molecules organize themselves. By introducing tiny leftover fragments from previous assemblies, they discovered a way to flip ...

Scientists have made a bold leap in the search for life’s origins, offering a fresh look at how chemistry might have crossed ...

In these experiments, Hazen and his colleagues created all sorts of organic molecules, including amino acids and sugars—the stuff of life. Hazen’s experiments marked a turning point.

Ever since the discovery of organic molecules in a meteorite that landed in Australia about half a century ago, scientists have been tantalized by the possibility that the building blocks of life ...