A team of professional and amateur Japanese astronomers found evidence for a thin atmosphere around a small body in the outer Solar System, a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) known as (612533) 2002 XV₉₃. The object is so small that it should not have a sustainable atmosphere, raising questions about when and how the atmosphere formed. Future observations to better characterize the atmosphere will help solve these mysteries.

Manganese dioxide can convert amino acids into hydrogen cyanide (HCN) without requiring methane, solving a long-standing puzzle about the origin of this key prebiotic molecule on early Earth, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. Although HCN is central to origin-of-life theories, recent evidence suggests early Earth's atmosphere didn’t contain sufficient methane needed for classic HCN-producing reactions. The newly found chemical pathway shows that HCN could instead have been continuously supplied from abundant amino acids.

JWST Observations: The James Webb Space Telescope analysed the rocky exoplanet LHS 3844 b, revealing a dark, hot surface without an atmosphere.

Surface Composition: The analysis indicates the planet's surface is likely composed of basalt or mantle rock, ruling out a composition similar to Earth's silicate-rich crust.

Geological Activity: The findings suggest that LHS 3844 b may have undergone prolonged geological inactivity, as no signs of volcanic gases were detected.

A team of astronomers led by UNSW Sydney have piloted a new method to find planets – and in the process, found 27 potential new worlds in double star systems.