Journal Title: Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences
ISSN (Print): 3126-3836
ISSN (Online): 3126-3844
Publisher: Society for Ancient Philosophy, Cosmology, Religion, Anthropology and Astrobiology - SAPCRAA
Contact: info@sapcraa.com Phone: +38765471075
Adress: Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Publication Frequency: The journal publishes two regular issues per year (June and December). In addition, special thematic issues devoted to specific topics in military sciences may be published throughout the year, subject to editorial approval.
Language: English

Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Goran Ranković, University of Niš, Republic of Serbia

AIMS & SCOPE

Aims

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is an international double-blind peer-reviewed journal devoted to the publication of original scholarly research investigating the structure, evolution, and fundamental laws of the universe, the emergence and possible forms of life within it, and the strategic, technological, and institutional frameworks within which contemporary research on the cosmos is in fact conducted. The journal is founded on the conviction that the principal domains of contemporary scientific inquiry into the cosmos — modern cosmology and astrophysics, astrobiology and the planetary sciences, and the natural and formal sciences that support them — can no longer be adequately interpreted within narrowly drawn disciplinary boundaries, and that any honest account of space research must also engage with the strategic, security, and policy architectures within which observation, exploration, and discovery now take place. Genuine progress in our understanding of the universe and of life within it therefore demands a coordinated dialogue among theoretical physics, observational astronomy, chemistry, biology, the geosciences, the strategic and military sciences as they pertain to space research, and the philosophy of science.

The journal responds to a persistent gap in international academic production: the institutional separation between research on the universe and life on the one hand, and the strategic, technological, and policy frameworks that condition it on the other. Most journals address one side or the other; few provide a venue in which observational and theoretical work in cosmology, astrobiology, and the natural sciences can be read alongside rigorous analysis of the strategic and security dimensions of space, planetary defense, planetary protection, and dual-use technologies. The journal proceeds from the recognition that a substantial portion of contemporary cosmological, astronomical, and astrobiological inquiry is conducted within civil–military and dual-use frameworks, and that an adequate scientific understanding of these fields must therefore engage with the institutional realities in which they are pursued. By integrating the empirical, theoretical, and methodological dimensions of the natural sciences with the strategic and policy dimensions of contemporary space research, the journal contributes to a fuller and more realistic understanding of cosmic and biological phenomena and of the conditions under which they are studied.

Every submission undergoes a rigorous double-blind peer review process in which the identity of authors remains unknown to reviewers, and the identity of reviewers unknown to authors, ensuring the impartiality of evaluation and the highest standards of scholarly integrity.

The Editorial Board aims to establish Cosmological and Astrobiological Review as an authoritative point of reference for researchers working at the intersection of the natural sciences and the strategic dimensions of space research, and as a forum that engages both the specialised scientific community and the broader intellectual, educational, security-related, and cultural processes through which humanity reflects on its place in the universe.

Scope

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review publishes original scholarship grounded in cosmology, astrobiology, astrophysics, astronomy, the planetary sciences, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, the geosciences, and in the strategic and military sciences as they pertain to space research, together with the philosophy and history of the natural and mathematical sciences and the ethics and epistemology of astrobiological and cosmological knowledge. In keeping with its founding aim, the journal gives particular weight to work that integrates rigorous natural-scientific inquiry with sustained engagement with the strategic, technological, and policy frameworks within which research on the universe and on life is in fact conducted.

Cosmological and astrophysical contributions cover theoretical and observational cosmology, including models of the early universe, the cosmic microwave background, large-scale structure, dark matter and dark energy, inflationary modeling, and debates on the multiverse, alongside research on black holes, neutron stars, quasars, gravitational waves, and extreme astrophysical environments. Astronomical articles span observational astronomy across the full electromagnetic spectrum, together with the methodologies of major space missions and terrestrial observatories.

The astrobiological dimension stands at the centre of the journal's editorial profile and includes research on the origins of life, prebiotic chemistry, extremophiles, planetary habitability, the search for biosignatures on Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, the systematic study of exoplanets and their atmospheres, and methodologies for detecting extraterrestrial life. Particular attention is given to interdisciplinary contributions linking astrobiology with microbiology, biochemistry, and evolutionary and synthetic biology, as well as to articles that interrogate the definitions of life and the ethical implications of a possible encounter with non-human intelligence.

The planetary sciences and geosciences considered by the journal include comparative planetology, the geophysics and geology of the Solar System, planetary atmospheres, volcanism, tectonics and hydrology, and investigations of the Moon, Mars, asteroids, comets, and the icy worlds of the outer Solar System. Contributions in physics, chemistry, and mathematics are welcomed where they illuminate cosmic and astrobiological processes, including quantum and particle physics in astrophysical contexts, astrochemistry, biochemistry under non-terrestrial conditions, mathematical cosmology, the geometry and topology of spacetime, statistical and Bayesian analysis of astronomical data, dynamical systems in celestial mechanics, and computational models that enable the quantitative understanding of cosmic, planetary, and biological phenomena. Biological articles are considered across evolutionary, microbial, molecular, systems, and synthetic biology, particularly where they connect to questions concerning the origin, distribution, and universality of life.

The journal recognises that contemporary space research is irreducibly entangled with strategic, security, and policy domains, and accordingly publishes scholarship in the strategic and military sciences thematically connected to space and astrobiology. This includes astropolitics and the strategic studies of space, the security dimensions of orbital infrastructure, the military applications of space technologies, international space law and the regimes governing the peaceful use of space, planetary defense against asteroidal and cometary hazards, planetary protection and spacecraft sterilisation protocols, dual-use technologies in astrobiology and biotechnology, and the role of armed forces in supporting scientific missions and research in the Antarctic, the deep ocean, and other analog environments. Theoretical and empirical articles are also welcomed on the geopolitical consequences of a potential discovery of extraterrestrial life and on the ethical and strategic dimensions of space weaponisation and orbital security.

The journal additionally welcomes scholarship in the philosophy and history of the natural and mathematical sciences, the ethics of space exploration, and the epistemology of astrobiological and cosmological knowledge, recognising that fundamental questions about the universe and life inevitably open conceptual, ethical, and cultural dimensions that demand serious reflection.

The journal publishes theoretical and empirical research articles, longer analytical and review papers, methodological contributions, and scholarly debates and exchanges. Submissions may be theoretically oriented, computationally grounded, observational, or methodologically reflexive; what unites them is a commitment to scientific rigor, transparency, and the highest standards of integrity. Contributions are welcomed from researchers working in any geographical and intellectual context.

Types of Contributions

The journal welcomes the following types of submissions

Original research articles,
Review articles and theoretical essays,
Case studies and comparative analyses,
Research notes and commentaries,
Book reviews.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Prof. Dr. Goran Ranković

University of Niš

Physiology expert

(Republic of Serbia)

Prof. Dr. Sudhir Kumar Kataria

Maharshi Dayanand University

Expert in biochemistry and zoology

(Republic of India)

Prof. Dr. Nevenka Mihajlović

University of Niš

Physiology and biology expert

(Republic of Serbia)

Prof. Dr. Branislava Ranković

University of Ljubljana

An expert in clinical and research work in the field of liver and pancreatic diseases, who serves on the editorial board to evaluate papers on the hepatobiliary, metabolic and perioperative response of the human body to the conditions of long-duration space missions and extreme environments.

(Republic of Slovenia)

Prof. Dr. Radovan Petrović

University “Union Nikola Tesla”

Expert in mechanical engineering and mathematics

(Republic of Serbia)

Prof. Dr. Nana Kvaracchelia

Tbilisi State Medical University

Biomedical expert

(Georgia)

PUBLICATION ETHICS

This journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Please see our [Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement] for more information.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

All manuscripts submitted to Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the highest standards of academic quality and integrity. Each submission is initially assessed by the Editor-in-Chief for scope and quality before being sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. For complete details on our review procedures, criteria, and timelines, please refer to our [Peer Review Process].

AUTHOR GUIDELINES

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences welcomes submissions from researchers, academics, and practitioners in the field of military sciences and related disciplines. Before submitting a manuscript, authors are kindly requested to carefully review our formatting requirements, citation style, and submission procedures. Complete instructions for preparing and submitting your manuscript are available in our [Author Guidelines].

ARCHIVE AND ACCESS

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is committed to the principles of open scholarship. As a fully open access journal, we provide immediate and unrestricted access to all published research. Complete full-text versions of all issues are available in our [Archive]. To ensure permanence and citability, each article is assigned a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI). All content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), permitting others to share, copy, and adapt the work for any purpose, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and source.

All journal issues and articles are available in the [Archive].

INDEXING AND ABSTRACTING

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is committed to ensuring global visibility and accessibility of published research. The journal is currently indexed in the following databases: COBISS.

COPYRIGHT POLICY

Authors who publish in Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences retain full copyright of their work. By submitting a manuscript, authors grant the journal the right of first publication. All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means that anyone may freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, provided that proper attribution is given to the original authors and source.

Authors are permitted to:

Share and distribute their published work through any medium,
Deposit their work in institutional or subject repositories,
Reuse their work in subsequent publications,
Retain patent and trademark rights,
Gender and diversity in armed forces,

No formal copyright transfer is required.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and originality using iThenticate prior to peer review. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarised content, including self-plagiarism, will be rejected immediately. If plagiarism is detected after publication, the journal will follow the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and may retract the article. Authors are expected to ensure that their work is entirely original and that any use of others' ideas, words, or data is properly cited.

RETRACTION POLICY

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences follows the retraction guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Articles may be retracted in the following circumstances:

Clear evidence of unreliable findings due to misconduct or honest error,

Plagiarism or redundant publication,
Fabrication or falsification of data,
Failure to disclose major conflicts of interest,
Ethical violations involving human or animal subjects,
Copyright infringement.

Retraction notices will be published and linked to the original article, which will remain accessible but clearly marked as retracted. Retractions may be initiated by the authors, the Editor-in-Chief, or the publisher upon verified evidence of misconduct.

APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is committed to fair and transparent editorial processes. Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision or file a complaint may do so by following the procedures outlined below.

Appeals: Authors may submit an appeal if they believe a rejection decision was made in error. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of the decision and should include a detailed response to the reviewers' comments and a clear justification for reconsideration. Appeals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, if necessary, by an independent member of the Editorial Board. The decision on the appeal is final.

Complaints: Complaints regarding editorial conduct, peer review process, or publication ethics should be addressed in writing to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@sapcraa.com All complaints will be investigated promptly and handled in accordance with COPE guidelines.

AI POLICY

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review follows current guidelines of COPE, ICMJE, and the recommendations of the major scientific publishing bodies concerning the use of artificial intelligence in research and scholarly publishing. AI tools, including large language models and generative systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot, as well as AI-based image generators, cannot be listed as authors, since authorship entails intellectual accountability for the scientific content of the work that AI systems are not capable of bearing. Full responsibility for every aspect of a submitted manuscript — including any text, code, analysis, figure, simulation output, or data interpretation produced or assisted by AI tools — rests entirely with the human authors, who remain accountable for the accuracy of all observational and theoretical claims, the integrity of all data and citations, the validity of all computations, and the originality of all arguments. Authors must disclose any substantive use of AI tools in the methods section or in a dedicated acknowledgments statement, identifying the tool, its version, and the function performed, including but not limited to text generation, literature search, code generation, data analysis, image generation or enhancement, modelling and simulation, and translation. Routine language polishing does not require detailed itemisation but should be acknowledged in general terms. The fabrication or selective alteration of data, citations, observational records, or numerical results — whether produced by AI or by any other means — constitutes a serious breach of research integrity and will result in rejection, retraction, and, in cases of bad faith, notification of the authors' institutions and relevant scientific bodies. AI-generated or AI-enhanced images, figures, plots, and visualisations must be clearly identified as such, and may not be presented as authentic observational, experimental, or simulation data unless this is fully and transparently justified within the methodological framework of the article; the manipulation of astronomical, microscopic, spectroscopic, or any other empirical imagery through AI tools requires explicit disclosure of every step performed. Reviewers and editors are prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts, datasets, code, or any portion thereof to public or third-party AI systems, as this violates the confidentiality of peer review and may compromise unpublished scientific work. The Editorial Board reserves the right to request further information about AI use at any stage, to require revision, and to reject or retract work where AI use has not been properly disclosed. The policy is reviewed periodically and updated to reflect evolving standards in scientific publishing.

PRIVACY POLICY

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is committed to protecting the privacy of all users, authors, reviewers and readers.

Data Collection: We collect personal information (such as names, email addresses, and institutional affiliations) only when voluntarily provided during manuscript submission, registration, or correspondence. This information is used solely for editorial and publishing purposes.

Data Usage: Personal data is used to manage the submission and peer review process, communicate with authors and reviewers, and improve our services. We do not share personal information with third parties except as necessary for publishing operations or when required by law.

Cookies: Our website may use cookies to enhance user experience and analyse site traffic. Users may disable cookies through their browser settings.

Data Security: We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure.

Rights: Users have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of their personal data. For any privacy-related inquiries, please contact us at [email].

This policy is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences is primarily funded through donations, institutional support, and the resources of the Society for Ancient Philosophy, Cosmology, Religion, Anthropology and Astrobiology. As a result, the journal strives to minimise financial barriers for authors and does not routinely charge Article Processing Charges (APCs). Submission and peer review are always free of charge. However, in exceptional circumstances, a modest APC may be applied to support the costs of publication. Authors will be informed of any applicable charges upon acceptance of their manuscript. For further information, please contact the editorial office at info@sapcraa.com

SUBMISSION

Cosmological and Astrobiological Review: Journal for the Study of the Universe, Life and Natural Sciences welcomes original submissions from researchers, academics, and practitioners worldwide. Manuscripts may be submitted through one of the following methods:

Option 1: Submit via our online submission form [here].

Option 2: Submit via email to info@sapcraa.com with “Manuscript Submission” in the subject line. Authors will receive confirmation of receipt within 5 business days. Before submitting, please ensure that your manuscript complies with the formatting and style requirements outlined in our [Author Guidelines].

JOURNAL ARCHIVE