SETI Institute

SETI Institute Leading humanity's quest to understand the origins/prevalence of life/intelligence in the universe.

Our mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe, and to apply the knowledge gained to inspire and guide present and future generations. We have a passion for discovery, and for sharing knowledge as scientific ambassadors to the public, the press, and the government.

What if the neighborhood around a supermassive black hole could be a planet factory? 🪐New research suggests that dusty d...
09/04/2026

What if the neighborhood around a supermassive black hole could be a planet factory? 🪐

New research suggests that dusty disks surrounding actively feeding supermassive black holes may provide the conditions for enormous planet-mass objects to form — potentially creating millions of strange worlds in some of the universe’s most extreme environments.

Join SETI Institute scientist Lauren Sgro on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 2:30 pm PDT for a conversation with lead authors Bhupendra Mishra and Wladimir Lyra about how these objects could form — and how we might someday find them.

📺 Watch SETI Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/942033284954879/

: Phobos Crosses the SunNASA’s Perseverance rover caught Mars’ moon Phobos crossing in front of the Sun on August 12, 2...
09/04/2026

: Phobos Crosses the Sun

NASA’s Perseverance rover caught Mars’ moon Phobos crossing in front of the Sun on August 12, 2026, during the rover’s 1,948th sol on the Red Planet.

Perseverance has observed several Phobos transits since landing in Jezero Crater in 2021. By comparing these observations over time, scientists can refine their understanding of the potato-shaped moon’s orbit and how it is changing.

Phobos is slowly spiraling toward Mars. Eons from now, its changing orbit is expected to eventually send the moon toward the Red Planet’s surface.

The image has been tinted to simulate what a person on Mars might see while watching the transit through protective solar eclipse glasses.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI

09/03/2026

New observations from JWST suggest that some of Neptune’s small inner moons may be the remnants of much larger icy worlds that were destroyed billions of years ago.

Using JWST, researchers studied Neptune’s rings and three of its inner moons — Larissa, Galatea, and Proteus — and discovered compositions unlike anything previously seen in the outer solar system. Larissa, Galatea, and the rings contain magnesium-rich clay minerals that form in the presence of liquid water, yet show no evidence of the water ice scientists expected to find.

Where did those minerals come from?

One possibility points to a dramatic event in Neptune’s past: the capture of Triton. Neptune’s largest moon likely formed elsewhere before being captured into its unusual retrograde orbit. That gravitational upheaval may have destroyed an earlier system of large icy moons, exposing material from deep within their interiors. Some of the debris could then have come back together to form the small moons and rings we see today.

Join SETI Live host Dr. Moiya McTier and lead author Dr. M. Ryleigh Davis of UC San Diego as they explore what JWST has revealed about Neptune’s strange moon system, Triton’s potentially destructive arrival, and how the remains of ancient worlds could offer a rare glimpse inside the icy bodies of the outer solar system.

Read more: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/neptunes-inner-moons-may-be-shattered-remains-of-ancient-icy-worlds

Read the paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeb1437



� SETI Live is a weekly livestream from the SETI Institute, featuring researchers and discoveries that deepen our understanding of the universe—and our place within it.

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09/03/2026

Did Triton destroy Neptune’s original moons? 🔵💥

Neptune’s largest moon probably didn’t form where we find it today. Its capture billions of years ago may have thrown the planet’s existing moon system into chaos — destroying large icy worlds and leaving behind some of the small moons and rings we see today.

Now, new JWST observations have uncovered intriguing evidence that could help scientists reconstruct what happened.

TODAY on SETI Live, Dr. Moiya McTier talks with lead author Dr. Ryleigh Davis of UC San Diego about Neptune’s shattered moons, strange clay minerals, and what they reveal about the planet’s ancient past.

🕝 2:30 pm PDT / 5:30 pm EDT
🔴 Watch live and bring your questions! https://www.facebook.com/events/1379115867675923/

: A Snowy Day in the AtacamaSnow and thick clouds make a rare appearance at Cerro Armazones in Chile’s normally dry Ata...
09/03/2026

: A Snowy Day in the Atacama

Snow and thick clouds make a rare appearance at Cerro Armazones in Chile’s normally dry Atacama Desert, home of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

Captured by drone on August 19, 2026, this view shows snow blanketing parts of the mountain as low clouds drift around the enormous ELT dome, illuminated by the low Sun.

Cerro Armazones was chosen for its exceptionally dry conditions, clear skies, and stable atmosphere, making scenes like this especially unusual. Once construction is complete, the ELT will use those exceptional skies to study everything from exoplanets to the earliest galaxies in the Universe.

Credit: E. Sech/Cimolai/ESO

Some of the biggest questions in science are still waiting for answers.The 2026 SETI Forward Award supports outstanding ...
09/02/2026

Some of the biggest questions in science are still waiting for answers.

The 2026 SETI Forward Award supports outstanding undergraduate researchers pursuing work in astrobiology, SETI, technosignatures, and the search for life beyond Earth.

Recipients receive $2,000 toward research or scientific travel, plus opportunities to engage with experts working at the forefront of the field.

Applications close on September 9, 2026.

Learn more and apply: https://www.seti.org/research/seti-forward/apply/

: A Galaxy in DisarrayArp 263 is a galaxy that hasn’t quite pulled itself together.Located about 25 million light-years...
09/02/2026

: A Galaxy in Disarray

Arp 263 is a galaxy that hasn’t quite pulled itself together.

Located about 25 million light-years away in the constellation Leo, this irregular galaxy is thought to be the aftermath of a galactic merger. Its distorted shape, unusual motions of stars and gas, and widespread bursts of star formation all bear the scars of a gravitational encounter.

This new infrared view from JWST peers through the galaxy’s thick gas to reveal old stars alongside clusters of newborn ones. Red-glowing dust winds through the scene, while blue clouds mark hydrogen gas ionized by young stars.

Its former companion is nowhere to be seen. It may have been a dwarf galaxy that has already been completely absorbed into Arp 263.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy

What happened to Neptune’s original moons? 🔵💥New observations suggest some of ’s small inner moons may be the remnant...
09/01/2026

What happened to Neptune’s original moons? 🔵💥

New observations suggest some of ’s small inner moons may be the remnants of much larger icy worlds destroyed billions of years ago.

Researchers found unexpected clay minerals in Neptune’s rings and inner moons — material that may have originated deep inside ancient icy worlds. One possible explanation points to a dramatic event in Neptune’s past: the capture of Triton.

Join host Dr. Moiya McTier and lead author Dr. M. Ryleigh Davis of UC San Diego to explore what these discoveries reveal about Neptune’s strange and possibly violent history.

📅 Thursday, September 3
🕝 2:30 pm PDT / 5:30 pm EDT

🔴 Watch live and bring your questions!

: A Kilometer Up on Mars After 14 years on Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover has reached a new milestone: climbing a full ki...
09/01/2026

: A Kilometer Up on Mars

After 14 years on Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover has reached a new milestone: climbing a full kilometer in elevation since landing on the floor of Gale Crater.

Curiosity captured this view looking back down the slopes of Mount Sharp from a broad valley nicknamed “Valle Grande.” Its tracks stretch into the distance, with the floor and northern rim of Gale Crater visible through the dusty Martian atmosphere.

Curiosity has been climbing the 5-kilometer-high Mount Sharp since 2014, exploring rock layers that preserve evidence of Mars’ changing environment over billions of years.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

PRESS RELEASE: The SETI Institute and ETH Zurich are joining forces to explore one of humanity’s biggest questions: How ...
09/01/2026

PRESS RELEASE:
The SETI Institute and ETH Zurich are joining forces to explore one of humanity’s biggest questions: How does life arise, and how widespread might it be in the universe?

The new strategic scientific partnership will establish an assistant professorship in Earth and Planetary Evolution at ETH Zurich, strengthening connections across Earth science, planetary science, astrobiology, and related fields.

The SETI Institute will provide $8.5 million in start-up funding over ten years to support the professorship and associated research, including research scientist and postdoctoral positions. It marks the SETI Institute’s first international research partnership of its kind.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.seti.org/news/seti-institute-and-eth-zurich-join-forces/

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