Water
Latest about water
James Webb telescope sees potential signs of alien life in the atmosphere of a distant 'Goldilocks' water world
By Harry Baker published
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected potential traces of dimethyl sulfide, a chemical only known to be created by phytoplankton on Earth, in the atmosphere of an exoplanet believed to have its own liquid ocean.
NASA may have unknowingly found and killed alien life on Mars 50 years ago, scientist claims
By Harry Baker published
One researcher hypothesizes that experiments carried out by NASA's Viking landers in 1976 could have inadvertently killed microbes living in Martian rocks. Other experts are skeptical.
Bizarre polygons on Mars' surface hint that alien life on Red Planet was possible
By Harry Baker published
A patchwork of polygon-shaped cracks in ancient Martian mud are evidence of past wet-dry cycles, which could have helped extraterrestrial life emerge on the Red Planet.
Volcanoes like Kīlauea and Mauna Loa don't erupt like we thought they did, scientists discover
By Sascha Pare published
The magma that erupts from basaltic volcanoes in the middle of tectonic plates originates from within Earth's mantle — rather than from the outer crust — and is propelled upward by CO2, not water.
How does water put out fire?
By Donavyn Coffey published
Water extinguishes fire, but it doesn't act on the flames themselves.
Human impact on Earth's tilt leaves researchers 'surprised and concerned'
By Sascha Pare published
Groundwater extracted for irrigation and other human activities displaced 2,150 gigatons of water between 1993 and 2010.
Do fish get thirsty?
By Kiley Price published
How much water a fish drinks depends on the saltiness of its surroundings.
New mud-slinging thermal feature at Yellowstone is spewing scalding hot muck
By Sascha Pare published
The unrest may be due to slight changes in pressure or in the amount of water seeping into the underground reservoir system.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.