![This study reports the first formation of (E)-phosphinimine (HPNH, X1A′) – the simplest iminophosphane – in low-temperature interstellar model ices composed of phosphine (PH3) and ammonia (NH3) exposed to galactic cosmic ray proxies. -- [Chemical Science]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Non-equilibrium.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
[Chemical Science] Phosphorus–nitrogen compounds play crucial roles as intermediates in aza-Wittig reactions and serve as key precursors to prebiotic phosphorylating agents such as amidophosphonates linked to the Origins of Life.
Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
Mineral Biosignature Identification From Raman Spectroscopy Using Machine Learning
[PNAS] Biosignature detection remains a key challenge in astrobiology, yet robust mineral biosignatures remain limited. Raman spectroscopy is increasingly applied in planetary exploration, but its high-dimensional spectral information has not […]
![Retrieved temperature, mixing ratios, and haze parameters from all three retrieval set ups. Left: Retrieved volume mixing ratios for all three retrieval cases shown at the approximate depth of the haze layer. Right: Haze opacity in dashed lines and temperature in solid lines as a function of pressure and altitude. Where available we show the Teanby et al. (2006) mixing ratios and temperature profile. Despite varying assumptions and haze schemes, all retrievals indicate a haze layer in approximately the same pressure location. Note that the POSEIDON haze location is inferred from the pressure contribution functions and is shown as a shaded region. - [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Piercing-through.png?resize=1200%2C710&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Piercing Through The Haze: Characterizing Titan-like Terrestrial Exoplanets With JWST
[astro-ph.EP] As we enter a new era of using JWST to characterize exoplanet atmospheres, a top priority is defining observational needs and parameters in the search for life on an […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Experimental Astrochemistry And Machine Learning Unravel The Formation Of Oxygen-bearing Organic Molecules In Extraterrestrial Ices
[Nature Communications Chemistry] Oxygen-bearing organic molecules, including aldehydes, alcohols, and peroxides, serve as key precursors to complex organics in extraterrestrial environments. Their non-equilibrium formation mechanisms critically constrain the molecular complexity […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Discovery: Oxygenic Photosynthesis Is Possible With Only One Photosystem
[Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München] LMU researchers demonstrate that oxygenic photosynthesis can occur with only a single photosystem, overturning a fundamental principle of biology.
![Time evolution of the probability distribution of the system for different temperatures as labeled and for fixed parameters: V=106 km3 , L=10 53 erg/s, r=0.01 AU, Grac=26.30 kJ/mol. The vertical axis is enantiomeric excess, and the horizontal axis is time in Myr scale. -- [astro-ph.HE]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Supernova-Neutrinos.png?resize=1200%2C715&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Supernova Neutrinos And The Origin of Biomolecular Homochirality
[astro-ph.HE] We investigate the role of parity-violating interactions between supernova neutrinos and chiral molecules in nearby interstellar molecular clouds as a potential source of biomolecular homochirality.
![The New jersey meteorite -- [SETI Institute]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ALien-World.png?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Alien World Chemistry Found Inside A Meteorite that Struck A New Jersey Home
[SETI Institute] On July 16, 2024 a daytime meteor shook New York City with a sonic boom as it passed just south of the Statue of Liberty. Now, an international […]
Posted inHabitable Zones
Water Planet Habitability: Sea Level Is Linked To Earth’s Carbon Thermostat
[Syracuse University] Earth has a natural thermostat that has kept the planet habitable for more than a hundred million years. Scientists have struggled to fully explain how it works, but […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Diverging Mineral Chemistry of Iron and Nickel Throughout Earth’s Changing Redox Conditions Reveals Foundation for Their Evolution as Protein Cofactors
[LIFE] Iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) were both foundational to early metabolism, yet their biological trajectories diverged as Earth’s surface redox state changed. Here, we integrate mineral chemistry network analysis, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Sugar Erythrulose Discovered In Interstellar Space
[Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)] Sugars are key biomolecules in living organisms, as they form the backbone of DNA and RNA and play a fundamental role in metabolic processes. In […]