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How High-pressure Ices On Large Ocean Worlds Can Support Habitability: The Compatibility Of Amino Acids Into Ice VI And VII
[Science Advances] Water oceans in large icy moons and exoplanets are isolated from the rocky interior by thick layers of high-pressure ice, which hinder the direct release of nutrients and organics derived from water-rock interaction to the ocean. Possible uptake of these bio-essential compounds into high-pressure ice phases could regulate their availability in the ocean,…
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Ice Drives The Emergence Of Functional Protocells
[biorxiv.org] A defining feature of living systems is the high local concentration of diverse molecular…
Chemical Abundance Patterns at z=1-7: Carbon, Nitrogen, Neon, Sulphur, and Argon Abundances From JWST Spectroscopy
[astro-ph.GA] The relative abundances of chemical elements in the interstellar medium (ISM) trace the history…
Optimization of Petal-Shaped Occulters for Exo-Earth Observation
[astro-ph.IM] Petal-shaped occulters are giant, formation-flying optical devices designed for use in space astronomy. Their…
Earth As A Potential Source Of Llife For Europa’s Subsurface Ocean
The paper discusses the possibility of dust particles containing living bacteria ejected from Earth reaching Europa and landing on its surface. It is shown that, taking certain factors into account, over a period of 30 − 80 Myr (the estimated age of Europa’s ocean), Jupiter’s moon would have been impacted…
Keep readingDust To Dust: Prospects For Passive Technosignatures As Relics Of ETI
Technological societies are separated in time, not just space — that is the lesson of the Drake equation. Might the best way to seek them be to find technosignatures that persist long after their creators? I present work I and my collaborators have done on the idea of passive technosignatures,…
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Astronomy & Telescopes
Atmospheres, Climate, Weather
Topographically Forced Stationary Waves Can Explain The Near-Surface Zonal Winds Observed By Huygens On Titan
[astro-ph.EP] Titan’s equatorial superrotation is associated with climatological retrograde (westward) near-surface winds at low latitudes, as consistently simulated by Titan general circulation models. However, the Huygens probe measured prograde (eastward) near-surface winds, contrary to the expected circulation. We investigate whether these observations reflect localized forcing by large-scale topography, using paired three-dimensional dry simulations with and…
Read moreExploration Gear & Tech
Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 20 Oct 2026: Wheels Down In Cape Town
[Dale Andersen]: The 787 Dreamliner rolled to a stop far out on the apron, as the big jets often do here, and I climbed down…
Icy Ocean Planet Recon: Saildrone Research Fleet To Circle Antarctica For 5 Years
Editor’s note: As we plan to use robotic probes such as Saildrone to explore worlds in our solar system with oceans, missions that explore Earth’s…
Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: Preview: Fall 2026 Lake Untersee Field Season
Keith’s note: Dale Andersen is preparing for his second expedition to Lake Untersee, Antarctica for 2026. The first 2026 Field season at Lake Untersee was…
Imaging & Spectroscopy
From Searching For Extraterrestrial Biosignatures To Exploring The Origins Of Life: A Prebiotic Chemistry Perspective
[Fundamental Research]. The search for extraterrestrial life represents one of humanity’s most profound scientific endeavors. This review examines the role of prebiotic chemistry in our…
Microbial Methanogenesis on Mars: A Life Detection Target For An MLE-Type Mission And Future Human Exploration
[astro-ph.IM] Methane (CH4) is one of the most enigmatic and potentially consequential trace gases detected on Mars, having demonstrated apparent seasonality, localized plumes, or, depending…
SwRI Staff Contribute To New Ideas About Origins Of Uranus And Neptune
[SwRI] Uranus and Neptune are often considered planetary twins due to their many similar characteristics, including size, mass and atmospheric conditions, and have long been…
Biosignatures & Paleobiology
The Unresolved Paradox of Viable Microorganisms in Ancient Halite
[LIFE] Reports of viable microorganisms from ancient halite create an unusual test of the biological limits of cellular survival. Halite deposits can be tens to…
Intimate Link Between Prebiotic Chemistry And Meteorites: Mechanisms Of Organic Molecule Formation
[Astrobiology (Journal) via PubMed] Whether meteorites brought ingredients necessary for the origin of life exogenously or they were produced endogenously on early Earth, having a…
The Science Case For An In-situ Measurement Platform In The Venus Clouds
[astro-ph.IM] The next step for Venus exploration after the remote sensing missions of the early 2030s will be in-situ aerial platforms, the Venus equivalent of…