Plumes spotted on Europa raise hopes that we can taste its ocean
We've caught Jupiter's icy moon spitting into space a second time - which means it could be easy for a future spacecraft to scoop up a sample and find life
Rosetta set for a grand finale by diving into cometary cave
ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft will end its two-year mission orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by crashing into a once-active pit named Deir el-Medina
Stars burning strangely make life in the multiverse more likely
Supporters of the multiverse often cite a specific reaction in stars that seems tuned for life, making our universe improbable – but now there’s a new idea
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is making its atmosphere hotter
A mysterious hot spot in Jupiter's atmosphere may be caused by waves linked to its most famous feature
Bye bye Philae! Comet team to lose touch with lander for good
The intrepid comet lander is finally going quiet - but you will have a chance to pay your respects
Rip up the rule book and let NASA’s Mars rover check ‘life’ zone
Contamination fears should not stop NASA sending its Mars rover to examine a nearby area that might contain water… and life, says Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Hubble spots a new long-lived storm raging on Neptune
Neptune is known for its Great Dark Spot, but a new blemish appeared last summer and has been roiling ever since
The alien world that’s being vaporised by a death ray
A Mercury-sized exoplanet is being blown apart like a dandelion – and magnetic hotspots on its star could make things worse
Is NASA doing enough to look for alien life?
A new study says Hubble's successor could spot alien life on three new exoplanets. Should NASA be doing more? Or is it right to focus on other priorities?
Ocean worlds could host life under layers of high-pressure ice
Models of ice formation at high pressure suggest there could be habitable liquid water at the bottom of incredibly deep alien oceans