When you purchase through links on our web site , we may gain an affiliate mission . Here ’s how it works .
Are we alone in the universe ? If you consider how vast space is , such a possibleness seems extremely unlikely . In theMilky Wayalone , there arebillions of star systemssimilar to ours , up to halfof which could have an Earth - alike major planet , according to one simulation .
If life exists outside of Earth , it ’s been abysmally quiet . That ’s what physicist Enrico Fermi magnificently bespeak out when he blurted out " Where is everybody ? " during a treatment of intelligentalien living . But the so - called Fermi paradox has n’t intercept scientist from scour space for sign of life — from residues of microbial lifetime to advanced alien technology .
So where have scientists attend for outlander ? Here , we search 32 of the unknown places scientists have look for foreigner , or trust to in the future .
Triton
Neptune ’s largest moon , Triton , is a strange place . geyser erupt with N flatulence , there are organic materials — the building occlusion for life story — in its air , and scientist suspect that an ocean of liquid water lurks beneath its gelid surface . Windows when Triton is close enough to Earth to launch a deputation are limited , and the next opportunity will get up in 2025 . In 2020,NASAwasconsidering a missionto this moon as part of its Discovery program , but finally selected two charge to Venus instead .
Ceres
This tiny midget planet , around 1/20 the size of Pluto , is found in the asteroid smash between Mars and Jupiter . allot to NASA , the satellite has two of the most significant ingredient for life : organic compound and water supply . However , the ambiance on this satellite is tenuous and it ’s likely very cold . In 2018 students , with the reenforcement of scientist from theEuropean Space Agency , purport a missionto collect and come back sampling from this planet . However , no such a mission has yet been greenlit .
Io
Io , one of Jupiter’s95 lunation , is the most volcanically active dead body in thesolar system . Even though volcano recrudesce with magma , its surface is frigid . These harsh conditions , combined with vivid actinotherapy from Jupiter , make it an unlikely home ground for sprightliness , according to NASA . That said , some scientists arguethat water glass , and possibly swimming body of water , once subsist on Io ’s surface — and that these materials could still survive underground , where hotness from volcanic bodily process might advance the formation of life . A charge to Io was pop the question for 2029 , but NASA passed the idea over in favour of its two upcoming Venus missions .
Related : NASA reveal ' glass - placid lake of cool off lava ' on surface of Jupiter ’s moon Io
Callisto
The Galileo probe , which orbit Jupiter between 1995 and 2003 , was the first mission to overhear a glimpse of Callisto , one of Jupiter ’s largest moonshine . Galileo found evidencethat oceans of liquid water might live underneath Callisto ’s open , and that this moonlight ’s slender standard atmosphere might harbour hydrogen , C dioxide and oxygen — all important signs of habitableness . The European Space Agency ’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer ( JUICE ) , which launch in 2023 and is set to come at Jupiter in December 2031 , will make 21 flybys of Callisto and could get back the doubt of whether Callisto indeed has a subsurface ocean , accord to LiveScience sis siteSpace.com .
Ganymede
On its mission to explore Jupiter ’s moon , succus will perform 12 flybys of Ganymede , the solar system ’s large lunation , according toSpace.com . There is some evidence that Ganymede ’s icy airfoil , like Callisto ’s , may hide a huge , piquant ocean — potentially comprise more urine than all of Earth ’s ocean , lakes and river combined . Using cameras , sensors and radiolocation , JUICE will settle whether this sea exists — and could even discover molecules produced by life sentence .
Venus
The 2d planet from the sun may have once been Earth - like , with a temperate mood and liquid water system , accord to NASA . Although a runaway glasshouse effect evaporate Venus ’s ocean over a billion years ago and high temperatures blast its control surface , we ca n’t rule out the possibleness that life sentence still exist there . Any potential stay on life would in all likelihood be microbial and airborne — Venus ’s atm may also contain phosphine gas , which may be a sign of biography . Launching later this ten , theDAVINCI+ and VERITAS missionswill take sample of Venus ’s standard pressure and map out its surface , hopefully answering questions about its past times and present habitableness .
Enceladus
In 2017 , on its way of life to Saturn , the Cassini spacecraft paid a visit to Enceladus , one of the planet ’s big Sun Myung Moon . consort toSpace.com , that commission discovered both liquid pee ( in the form of subsurface oceans ) and constitutional molecule — both important ingredient for life .
Titan
Saturn ’s largest moon is rich in constitutional materials , andaccording to NASA , it ’s “ an analog to early Earth . ” Like Earth , it has a atomic number 7 - based atmosphere , but unlike Earth , methane rain falls from the sky . Launching in 2026 , NASA ’s Dragonfly mission will land on Titan in 2034 and collect samples from 12 of locations — potentially uncovering more concrete evidence of lifespan .
Europa
In the search for lifespan beyond Earth , Europa , the quaternary enceinte of Jupiter ’s moon , is “ one of the most promising places in our solar system,”according to NASA . A huge saltwater ocean , containing doubly as much pee as Earth ’s , is believed to exist beneath the lunation ’s open , and might contain organic material . Scientists conceive that ocean flow constantly circulate that water — so microbic life , if it exists , could go away trace in the planet ’s wintry Earth’s surface . Launching in 2024 , NASA ’s Europa Clipper , a solar - powered space probe , will make a low - altitude fly ball - by to study the major planet ’s surface and mold if such an ocean exists .
Mars
Mars , like Venus , was once an Earth - alike major planet , with lakes , river and tender mood . It might even still have reservoirs of liquid pee a few kilometers beneath the surface . That makes it a strong candidate for remnants of life story — likely microbial and below the major planet ’s control surface , if they live at all . The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover , one of many missions to Mars , landed in Jezero Crater in 2021 , and is analyzing rock samples from the former lakebed and other sites for potential house of life .
HD 110067
Powerful technology like theJames Webb Space Telescopehas enabled scientist to research for habitable exoplanets — major planet outside of our solar system . HD 110067 , a star system hosting six planets little than Neptune , is one site of interest for scientist search for extraterrestrial life . Recently , researchers aimed the Green Bank Telescope at this planetary organization to search for technosignatures — radiocommunication relative frequency suggest the existence of technologically advanced civilisation . Their study , published in the journalResearch Notes of the AAS , didn’t find any evidence of life , but the scientists are n’t decree out the possibility .
Kepler-38
Kepler-38 , a planetary organization with two stars revolve one another , is just one of five multi - star systems thatscientists identifiedas promise candidates for life in a 2021 study . Each of these asterisk system , located between 2,764 and 5,933 tripping - yr off in the constellations Lyra , the harp and Cygnus , the Swan , is potential to contain worlds sit within its lasting habitable geographical zone — neither too close to nor too far from the parent star for liquid weewee to be .
TOI-715b
OnTOI-716b , you ’d celebrate New Year every 19 days . That ’s how frequently his “ super land ” orb its star , a red dwarf only 137 short - years away . Scientists in the UK find this planet in other 2024 , identifying the jolty world as a possible candidate for life because it ’s right within the inhabitable or “ goldilocks aster ” zone of its host star .
Real-life Tatooine
Imagine watching not one but two sunshine sink below the horizon in a strange double sundown , just like the fictional planet Tatooine depicted in “ Star Wars ” . That would be potential on planets likeKepler-16b . This exoplanet has a “ circumbinary ” sphere , meaning it circles two stars . While Kepler-16b subsist outside its star system ’s habitable zone and is probable too cool for liveliness , scientist have suggested that up to60 % of binary star systemscould form planets with the necessary conditions to suffer life sentence .
TRAPPIST-1
Recently , the James Webb Space Telescope turned its mirror towards a far - away genius orbited by seven Earth - sized worlds , Space.com reported . placed 39 light years aside , the mavin system is visible in the Aquarius configuration . Most promising is the 4th planet from the champion , dubbedTRAPPIST-1e .
Kepler-186f
If you call in this rocky exoplanet , the first thing you ’d notice would be the colors . Because of the way igniter is reflected on Kepler-186f , any flora would appear cherry , over-embellished or black , according to NASA . First observed in 2014 , this planet was the first earthly concern - sized planet discovered in the inhabitable geographical zone of another star system .
Kepler-22b
On this jumbo world , night and day each last half the twelvemonth , with 145 day of entire darkness and 145 days of unvarying sunlight . Still , life could be potential on Kepler-22b , accord to NASA . This “ crack - worldly concern , ” which has a spoke 2.4 times that of our satellite , likely is cover in an ocean of liquid water and sit at a balmy fair Earth’s surface temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit ( 16 degree Celsius ) .
Kepler-452b
This ancient “ super Earth ” is about 6 billion eld quondam — much quondam than our satellite . It ’s also 60 % larger , allot to NASA . Kepler-452b is locate right in the habitable zone of a star interchangeable to our sun .
GJ-486
This exoplanet champion around its host principal so apace that a twelvemonth only hold up 1.5 Earth days , accord toWebb Space Telescope . While the surface of the planet is a whopping 800 degrees F ( 426 degrees C ) — likely too spicy for life — the James Webb Space Telescope detected pinch of body of water vaporisation , a potential signaling that the planet has an atmosphere .
K2-18b
This exoplanet , which exists 120 loose - years away from us , is a huge , dusty place . Its radius is more than twice that of Earth and it ’s 8.6 times as monumental . Its mantle is made of gamey - pressure ice and its air is rich in hydrogen . Yet in a 2023 bailiwick print in The Astrophysical Journal Letters , scientists reported that , using the James Webb Space Telescope , they ’d notice organic molecules — the building blocks for life — in the planet ’s atmosphere . A follow - up 2025 study has doubled down on the late findings with an even clean signal , yet the detective work still persist below the threshhold of implication required for a discovery .
Terminator zones
What if , to passage from Nox into daylight , you had to move halfway around the world ? For many planets , that ’s the realism . These tidally - locked major planet have one side that always faces their legion adept . In a 2023 study published inThe Astrophysics Journal , scientist proposed that lifecould exist in the “ terminator zone ” — the boundary between visible light and benighted — of these seemingly inhospitable worlds .
A dying star
In former 2023 , a star in the beetleweed Messier 101 was note dying . Though it occurred 25 million clear - years away , its demise was pretty strong to miss — it died in a vehement explosion ring a case - II supernova . That get scientists think : what if intelligent life have it away that such an event would catch our attention ? In a study published in the pre - print databasearXiv , scientist pop the question search the area around the supernova for hotshot systems with potentially inhabitable planets , in case alien civilizations live there and might be assay to transport us a message .
The center of our galaxy
Aliens at the centre of the our Galax urceolata would be in a privileged posture to catch our attention — they ’d be able-bodied to attain a vast swath of space by fanning signal outward . That ’s why some scientist are turning their hunt for extraterrestrial life to the middle of the Milky Way . In a late study published in TheAstronomical Journal , scientists reported heed for any narrow - frequency pulses , which are used by man in radar and stand out against setting wireless noise in space , coming from this region of our galaxy .
Space junk
What if the debris floating around our satellite was n’t rock , but remnants of foreign technology ? In a recent survey publish in thepreprint daybook arXiv , scientist argued that so - hollo “ interstellar trespasser , ” junk from remote principal system , could become trapped in Earth ’s orbit — and that include in such debris could be aim crafted by aliens .
Our sun
If an reasoning lifeform wanted to send us a content , they could hypothetically use our sun as a lymph node in a giant “ space internet . ” Because of the star ’s immense solemnity , it bends light , which would allow it to pretend like a enlarge glass for signal send across vast distances . In a bailiwick published inThe Astronomical Journal , scientists describe scan the sunlight for such radio set signals — but come up short .
Parallel universes
OK , so there is n’t really a way to “ lookup ” parallel universe — at least not yet . Still , scientists got pretty nigh when they run amassive computer simulationto see what types of universes might be hospitable to liveliness . They found that life might make even in universes that were dense with drab energy , the mysterious force driving the expansion of our universe , which antecedently was n’t thought probable .
‘Oumuamua
This oblong target catapult in front of our sun in 2017 — but it did n’t originate in our solar system . That led one Harvard astrophysicist to fence that such an object was likely a remnant of alien engineering . However , most of the scientific community differ , LiveScience previously reported . When other scientist used the Murchison Widefield Array scope to take a close spirit , theyfound no evidencethat the object was of artificial origin .
LHS 1140 b
One scientist called this planet the “ most exciting ” exoplanet of the 10 . Located 40 loose - years away , it orbits a star just one - one-fifth the size of it of our sun and receives less than half the light that Earth receives . This planet is n’t impenetrable enough to be purely rocky , so research worker think it either has abundant liquid water or an standard pressure full of light elements — but it will take further measuring by the James Webb Space Telescope before we have more clarity , Space.com reported .
Proxima Centauri b
locate only 4.2 light - years away , Proxima b ( as it ’s colloquially know ) is the nearest known exoplanet to Earth . This satellite is potential “ tidally - locked,”Space.comreported . That means that one of its sides constantly faces the Lord’s Day , while one always faces away , so there is perpetual day on one side , and constant dark on the other . This major planet is in the habitable geographical zone of horde star Proxima Centauri , so it ’s possible it has fluid water . But it ’s also possible that intense radiation has denudate off its ambience .
Black holes
No , scientists do n’t think life could be in a dark cakehole — but sound civilizations might use the massive celestial body as limitless informant of energy , scientist speculated in a 2021 bailiwick published in the journalPhysical Review D. This method acting of harvest business leader might leave traces outside the “ event horizon , ” beyond which the black pickle ’s gravity is too strong for topic and energy to escape . It ’s even potential that those traces have already been keep an eye on , the scientists argue .
Earth
To learn about aliveness outside our solar system , we should look at … ourselves , scientists proposed at the52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in 2021 . Observing Earth from the advantage point of another solar system could serve us name signature of life , which we could then apply to our written report of exoplanets .
Messier 13
Somewhere out in space , a radio substance broadcast by a squad of scientists in 1974 is lunge towards the maven organization Messier 13 , also known as the Hercules Cluster . The scientists , who included Frank Drake and Carl Sagan , composed the noted “ Arecibo message ” in binary code . It depict a human control stick form , a treble genus Helix DNA body structure , a theoretical account of a carbon mote , and a diagram of a telescope . By the time the message reaches the star cluster , which is 25,000 swooning - years forth , Messier 13 will have moved — but aliens might be capable to discover the signal as it sails by , LiveScience report .
