Learn more about the top theories about how life began on Earth, and how it may not have started from scratch.

"By following universal paralogs," says Kaçar, "we can connect the earliest steps of life on Earth to the tools of modern ...

If life exists elsewhere in the universe, researchers at the University of Washington are finding the clues on Earth to help understand where to look for it.

Ancient evidence suggests a new twist in how we all got here.

The new plot twist is that in order to keep enough nitrogen and phosphorus near its surface, a planet has to start out with ...

Scientists have spent decades cataloging life on Earth’s surface, from rainforest canopies to ocean trenches. But a growing body of research now shows that a vast, hidden biosphere thrives kilometers ...

Life’s story may stretch further back than scientists once thought. Some genes found in nearly every organism today were already duplicated before all life shared a common ancestor. By tracking these ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: All life on Earth can be traced back to a Last ...

Earth-like atmospheres require precise balances of nitrogen, oxygen, and CO₂, supported by long-term geological and biological processes. Most M-dwarf planets face atmospheric loss due to intense ...

Ancient fossils are revealing unexpected chemical survivors, challenging long-held assumptions about how biological carbon is ...