Wide Angle: Life in the Solar System

Alien life could find a comfortable haven on other planets, moons, asteroids and comets in the solar system

Location, Location, Location

Life as we know it has some very particular requirements -- just the right amount of warmth, wetness and food needs to be present to support it. Thankfully, the solar system isn't short on locations for life to hide out or even thrive. Credit: NASA

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Earth is teeming with life. From microscopic bacteria to whales bigger than a mansion, the diversity is -- quite literally -- enormous.

With so many other planets, moons, asteroids, comets and other objects drifting through the solar system, scientists wonder, why shouldn't alien life exist in our own backyard?

In this Wide Angle, get yourself up to speed on the hunt for life within the solar system with a hit list of places to look for it, expert interviews, video and more!

News: Evidence of Ocean Found on Saturn Moon
Planetary scientists have found evidence of an expansive subsurface ocean on Saturn's chilly moon Titan. Discovery News dives into the findings.
Top 10: Places to Hunt for Life in the Solar System
The solar system has plenty of nooks and crannies where life may be hiding out. Take a tour with HowStuffWorks.com.
Interview: Life in Solar System? Inevitable, Experts Say
Is life on Earth a miracle -- or the inevitable consequence of chemistry? We chat with Jim Trefil about the origins of life.
Blog: Astrobiologists Look for 'Second Genesis'
Hubble Space Telescope news director Ray Villard explains why astrobilogists from around the world are meeting up to discuss alien life.
Video: Alien Speculation
Do astronomers really think alien life exists? Or that it has visited Earth? Jorge Ribas explores in an out-of-this-world video.
HowStuffWorks: Alien Life
Extraterrestrial life may not be uncommon, nor as difficult to find as you might think. HowStuffWorks.com explains.

Got something to say? E-mail your questions, comments or concerns to discoveryspace@discovery.com.

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This Week's Other Wide Angles

Visit our other Wide Angles running on Discovery Earth and Discovery Tech:

Discovery Earth: Everest
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Discovery Tech: Technology Saving The World
Scientists are harnessing computing systems such as the Internet and embedded sensing networks to keep tabs on the world. What they learn could help us observe ecologies we've never seen before, identify endangered species and even see health trends that could adversely affect large populations. In this wide angle, we'll take a look at the technologies on mission to save the world.

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