A NASA Astrobiology Institute-funded study led by Chris Dupont of the J. Craig Venter Institute indicates that environmental availability of trace elements over Earth’s history influenced the selection of elements […]
Astrogeology
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astrogeology, Education and Outreach
NAI/APS 2010 Selections for the Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology
The NAI is pleased to announce the 2010 Selections for the Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology. 1. Knicole Colon, U Florida, travel to Spain […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Rock of Ages – A Younger ALH84001
NAI scientists from the University of Wisconsin Team and their colleagues have shown that the true age of this famous meteorite is 4.091 billion years, about 400 million years younger […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Sample Return
3/29 NAI Director’s Seminar: Don Brownlee, "Comets and the Early Solar System – Results from the Stardust Comet Sample Return Mission"
Stardust Comet Sample Return Mission” Join us for the next NAI Director’s Seminar! Date/Time: Monday, March 29, 2010 11:00AM PacificSpeaker: Don Brownlee (University of Washington), PI of Stardust MissionTitle: “Comets […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Impact events, Press Release
Tiny Shelled Creatures Shed Light On Extinction And Recovery 65 Million Years Ago
An asteroid strike may not only account for the demise of ocean and land life 65 million years ago, but the fireball’s path and the resulting dust, darkness and toxic […]
Posted inAstrogeology
ROSES-09 Amendment 17: New Due Date, Start Date and Clarification for C.7, Outer Planets Research (OPR) Program
This amendment delays the proposal due date for Appendix C.7, Outer Planets Research (OPR) Program. The program element in ROSES-2009, Appendix C.7, Outer Planets Research (OPR), solicits proposals for diverse […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life
Evolution of the Modern Nitrogen Cycle
NAI’s Deep Time Drilling Project supported the drilling of several pristine cores from ancient rocks in Western Australia in 2004, and a new paper in Science, led by University of […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Origin & Evolution of Life
Life Without the Sun
An ecosystem discovered 2.8 kilometers underground in the Mponeng Gold Mine near Johannesburg, South Africa two years ago has now been shown to comprise only a single species of microbe, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Press Release
NASA Identifies Carbon-rich Molecules in Meteors as the “Origin of Life”
Tons, perhaps tens of tons, of carbon molecules in dust particles and meteorites fall on Earth daily. Meteorites are especially valuable to astronomers because they provide relatively big chunks of […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Jack Hills Zircons: New Information About Earth's Earliest Crust
Members of NAI’s University of Wisconsin, Madison team have a new paper in Earth and Planetary Science Letters presenting their analyses of 4.35 – 3.36 billion year old detrital zircons […]