[biorxiv.org] Emergence and evolution of functional RNA and protein structures are the central problems for understanding the origin of life.
Astrochemistry
Posted inComets and Asteroids
Mystery Surrounding The Formation Of Asteroid Bennu Solved
[ETH Zurich] The asteroid Bennu orbits the Sun once every 1.2 years and approaches Earth every six years, passing within around 300,000 kilometres. NASA took advantage of this to collect […]
![Orbit of 3I/ATLAS showing the 17 UVES/VLT observing epochs. Open and filled circles represent pre- and post-perihelion observations, respectively. Planet positions with filled circles are shown for the date of perihelion. The open diamond marks Earth’s position at the discovery of 3I/ATLAS, while the open circles along Earth’s orbit indicate its position at each observing epoch. [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/High-resolution.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inComets and Asteroids
High-resolution Optical Spectroscopy Reveals The Distinctive Volatile Composition Of The Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
[astro-ph.EP] Comets preserve volatile material from the early stages of planetary-system formation. The discovery of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS enables a direct comparison between a comet formed around another star […]
![LDPI–ReTOF mass spectrum obtained after the deposition of 40 ML pure NH3 ice at 15 K (red), without VUV irradiation. A reference mass spectrum obtained for a bare, clean substrate is presented for comparison (black). The spectra are offset for clarity -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Quantifying.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Quantifying The Temperature-dependent Yields Of N2 And N2H4 Formation In Vacuum-ultraviolet-irradiated NH3 Ice
[astro-ph.IM] Gas–grain astrochemical models predict that a substantial fraction of elemental nitrogen in dense cores and protoplanetary disks is locked in molecular nitrogen (N2), in the gas or ice phase, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Rotational Spectroscopy And Astronomical Search Of Propane-1-thiol (CH3CH2CH2SH) And Propane-2-thiol ((CH3)2CHSH)
[astro-ph.GA] This study focuses on propanethiol (or propyl mercaptan, C3H7SH), a sulfur analogue of propanol and a key target for investigating interstellar sulfur chemistry. We report the laboratory rotational spectroscopic […]
![Wavelength distributions of candidate spectral lines retained at each step of the line-selection procedure. The histograms show the initial linelist (light), lines retained after automated vetting (intermediate), and the final manually vetted sample (dark). The shaded background regions indicate approximate wavelength ranges for the Y, J, H, and K-bands.-- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Elemental.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inStellar Cartography
Elemental Abundances of Cool Stars: A Spectroscopic Framework Applied to Five Planet-Host Stars
[astro-ph.SR] Stellar elemental abundances provide important constraints on the chemical environments from which planets form. M and late-K dwarfs are prime targets for the characterization of small exoplanets, yet their […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
JWST Reveals Refractory-Rich Water Ice in Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: Evidence for a Continuum of Grain Properties across Protoplanetary Disks
[astro-ph.EP] We present JWST/NIRSpec PRISM observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS obtained on 2025 August 6 (Epoch 1), 2025 December 22 (Epoch 2), and 2026 April 1 (Epoch 3), spanning […]
![Schematic illustration of the ablation scheme used at the MATRI2CES setup. The laser fires at 5 Hz while the substrate is moved downward by a motorized Y-translator, ensuring a fresh spot is probed with each shot. -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/In-situ.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
In situ Characterization Of Volatile And Refractory Hydrocarbons Produced By UV Photolysis Of Interstellar C2H2 Ice
[astro-ph.GA] Acetylene (C2H2) is commonly observed in star-forming regions, young stellar objects, and the Solar System.
![Top view schematic of the experimental geometry at the PWK1 plasma wind tunnel facility. The geometrical thickness 𝑠 denotes the extent of the radiating plasma along the line of sight as observed by the Echelle spectrometer. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Determining.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
Posted inMeteorites & Asteroids
Determining Elemental Composition In Laboratory Meteorite Ablation Spectra Through Radiative Transfer Modeling
[astro-ph.EP] Laboratory simulations of meteor ablation provide a critical quantitative link between the chemical composition of meteoroids and their observed spectral features.
Posted inComets and Asteroids
Fragmentation Dynamics of Pristine Interstellar Comets: An Exploratory Multi-Physics Simulation Study
[astro-ph.EP] We present an exploratory numerical model for the thermal evolution and fragmentation of pristine interstellar comets during a first passage through the inner Solar System, and we apply it […]