[Sunday, February 1, 2009] Indications of the presence of water in the atmosphere of HD 189733b have recently been found. Here we report on the detection of strong water absorption in a high signal-to-noise, mid-infrared emission spectrum of the planet itself.

[Tuesday, February 3, 2009] COROT has found the smallest terrestrial planet ever detected outside the Solar System. The amazing planet is less than twice the size of Earth and orbits a Sun-like star. Its temperature is so high that it is possibly covered in lava or water vapour.

[Thursday, February 5, 2009] Scientists using revolutionary new technology developed at The University of Nottingham have recorded the earliest evidence of animal life so far.

[Friday, February 6, 2009] Before NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander began digging into soil and subsurface ice of an arctic plain of Mars, six scientists traveled to one of the coldest, driest places on Earth for soil-and-ice studies that would end up aiding analysis of the Mars data.

[Monday, February 9, 2009] It is well known that the hydrothermal vents lining the mid-ocean ridges are a major source of iron to the ocean. Vent fluids contain about one million times more iron than regular ocean water.

[Monday, February 9, 2009] Researchers are reporting a hardy worm that withstands its cold climate by cranking out antifreeze. And when its notoriously dry home runs out of water, it just dries itself out and goes into suspended animation until liquid water brings it back to life.

[Wednesday, February 11, 2009] Data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) suggest the discovery of ancient springs in the Vernal Crater, sites where life forms may have evolved on Mars, according to a report in Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, I

[Wednesday, February 11, 2009] As far as we know today the potential for life was present at the Big Bang, but the only place that the promise was realized is planet Earth. Is it possible that the physical universe offered other potential niches for life?

[Saturday, February 14, 2009] Processes that laid the foundation for life on Earth -- star and planet formation and the production of complex organic molecules in interstellar space -- are yielding their secrets to astronomers.

[Monday, February 16, 2009] A project co-led by Texas A&M will be highlighted on February 11 as part of a month-long media event to focus attention on the accomplishments of major IPY research projects as the formal observation of IPY draws to a close in March.

[Wednesday, February 18, 2009] At a meeting in Washington last week, NASA and ESA officials decided to continue pursuing studies of a mission to Jupiter and its four largest moons, and to plan for another potential mission to visit Saturn's largest moon Titan and Enceladus.

[Thursday, February 19, 2009] NASA's Kepler spacecraft is ready to be moved to the launch pad today and will soon begin a journey to search for worlds that could potentially host life.

[Sunday, February 22, 2009] While conducting research in a remote region of Antarctica (Lake Untersee, -71.34 deg, 13.47 deg) we monitored the local atmospheric levels of methane.

[Monday, February 23, 2009] Maurice M. "Mel" Averner, a NASA scientist who introduced the concept of terraforming Mars to the space agency, died on 5 February 2009 at his home near Arcata, California, of complications of diabetes. He was 72.