The origin of eukaryotes is one of the key problems in evolutionary biology. The demonstration that the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) already contained the mitochondrion—an endosymbiotic organelle derived from […]
2026
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
Observational Signatures of Planetary Tidal Disruption Events Around Solar-Mass Stars
The tidal disruption of planets by their host stars represents a growing area of interest in transient astronomy, offering insights into the final stages of planetary system evolution.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Hot And cloudy: High Temperature Clouds In Super-Earths And Sub-Neptunes
JWST observations provide for the first time evidence for an atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet – 55 Cnc e. The atmosphere of 55 Cnc e is hot with Teq>2000K and […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronauts and Explorers, Missions & Hardware, Policy, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Status Report
NASA ROSES-25 Amendment 39: Rolling Submissions Extended Through August
Historically the new omnibus ROSES solicitation was released in February but proposals to the programs from the prior year’s ROSES that were rolling submissions (no due date) could be submitted […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Status Report
Magma Ocean Waves And Thermal Variability On Lava Worlds
Lava worlds are rocky planets with dayside skins made molten by stellar irradiation. Tidal heating on these shortest-period planets is more than skin deep.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Exoplanet Transit Search At The Detection Limit: Detection And False Alarm Vetting Pipeline
One of the primary mission goals of the Kepler space telescope was to detect Earth-like terrestrial planets in the habitable zone around Sun-like stars. These planets are at the detection […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Microgravity, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release
Geometry Shapes Life
Cell–cell coupling repositions the mitotic wave origin to the margin and prevents desynchronization.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
Overestimated Pressure Broadening Misleads Model Spectra in Cool M Dwarf Stars
Available one-dimensional stellar models fail to reproduce the observed spectrum of the ultracool M dwarf TRAPPIST-1.
Posted inBeta Pictoris, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Transit Distances And Composition Of Low-velocity Exocomets In The β Pictoris System
β Pictoris is a young nearby A5V star, about 20 Myr old, embedded in a prominent debris disc. For the past 40 years, variable absorption features have been observed in […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 24 January 2026: Lake Untersee Base Camp Weather Conditions and Forecast
Keith’s note: A quick snapshot of the weather at Lake Untersee and A forecast for the coming week. Dale’s team has a small Ambient WS-4000 weather station set up near […]