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exoplanets

The distant world that is our best hope of finding alien life

Space

The distant world that is our best hope of finding alien life

A decade ago, we discovered an exceptionally exciting exoplanet that could be the best candidate for hosting alien life. Now we’re about to find out if it really is

Features

Artist's impression of a star with two planets transiting across it

Space

10,000 new planets found hidden in NASA telescope data

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Space

Search for radio signals finds no hint of alien civilisation on K2-18b

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Space

Weird inside-out planet system may have formed one world at a time

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composite picture of Mars

Space

Mars's gravity may help control Earth’s cycle of ice ages

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Our solar system is extremely weird: Best ideas of the century

Space

Our solar system is extremely weird: Best ideas of the century

Features

Formation of a ring around an extrasolar planet (artist's impression)

Technology

Quantum computers could help sharpen images of exoplanets

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Tauri d compared to Earth

Space

Super-low-density worlds reveal how common planetary systems form

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Space

Rare exoplanet alignment set for 2026 – but we are likely to miss it

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Artist's impression of a free-floating-planet

Space

Rare Saturn-sized rogue planet is first to have its mass measured

Researchers have confirmed the mass of a free-floating planet thanks to a lucky convergence of ground- and space-based telescopes

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Space

The essential guide to proving we’ve found alien life

Features

Space

Hopes of finding aliens were raised in 2025 – but quickly faded

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Space

Two asteroids crashed around a nearby star, solving a cosmic mystery

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Space

Strange lemon-shaped exoplanet defies the rules of planet formation

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