The search for evidence of life on Mars could be helped by fresh insights into ancient rocks on Earth. Research which suggests that structures previously thought to be fossils may, […]
2019
Posted inPress Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
In Ancient Oceans That Resembled Our Own, Oxygen Loss Triggered Mass Extinction
Roughly 430 million years ago, during the Earth’s Silurian Period, global oceans were experiencing changes that would seem eerily familiar today. Melting polar ice sheets meant sea levels were steadily […]
Posted inDesert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Cellular Life From The Three Domains And Viruses Are Transcriptionally Active In A Hypersaline Desert Community
Microbial communities play essential roles in the biosphere and understanding the mechanisms underlying their functional adaptations to environmental conditions is critical for predicting their behavior. This aspect of microbiome function […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Isolation Of An archaeon At The Prokaryote-Eukaryote Interface
The origin of eukaryotes remains enigmatic. Current data suggests that eukaryotes may have risen from an archaeal lineage known as “Asgard archaea”. Despite the eukaryote-like genomic features found in these […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Aquatic Microorganisms Offer Important Window On The History Of Life
The air, earth and water of our planet are pulsating with living things. Yet, a vast and diverse web of life exists, about which almost nothing is known. This is […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Press Release
Reconstructed Ancient Nitrogenases Suggest Mo-specific Ancestry
The nitrogenase metalloenzyme family, essential for supplying fixed nitrogen to the biosphere, is one of life’s key biogeochemical innovations. The three isozymes of nitrogenase differ in their metal dependence, each […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Press Release
Chemistry In The Turbulent Interstellar Medium
Over two hundred molecules have been discovered in space, some (like Buckminsterfullerene) very complex with carbon atoms. Besides being intrinsically interesting, these molecules radiate away heat, helping giant clouds of […]
Posted inFossils & Paleontology, Press Release
Metabolic Specializations Within A Bacterial Community To Create Living Rocks
Stromatolites are complex microbial mats that form lithified layers and ancient forms are the oldest evidence of life on earth, dating back over 3.4 billion years. Their emergence aligns with […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release
Life Under Extreme Conditions At Hot Springs In The Ocean
The volcanic island of Kueishantao in northeastern Taiwan is an extreme habitat for marine organisms. With an active volcano, the coastal area has a unique hydrothermal field with a multitude […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release
Genomic Evidence for Formate Metabolism by Chloroflexi as the Key to Unlocking Deep Carbon in Lost City Microbial Ecosystems
The Lost City hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge supports dense microbial life on the lofty calcium carbonate chimney structures. The vent field is fueled by chemical reactions between the […]