Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report

Decoding Organic Compounds In Lava Tube Sulfates To Understand Potential Biomarkers In The Martian Subsurface

by Keith Cowing

Exploring molecular biomarkers in lava tube speleothems offers insights into environmental dynamics, biogeochemical processes, and subsurface life, with implications for astrobiology, particularly in Martian analog environments.

Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Joint Genome Institute (JGI)-Enabled Research Demonstrates The Existence Of New Methane Makers

by Keith Cowing

Atmospheric levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, regulate Earth’s climate. Most methane is produced in environments without oxygen through a process called methanogenesis. Methanogenic microorganisms therefore play a critical […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving

Nanostructures In The Deep Ocean Floor Hint At Life’s Origin

by Keith Cowing

Researchers led by Ryuhei Nakamura at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan and The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) of Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered inorganic […]

Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Earth May Have Had A Ring System 466 Million Years Ago

by Keith Cowing

In a discovery that challenges our understanding of Earth’s ancient history, researchers have found evidence suggesting that Earth may have had a ring system, which formed around 466 million years […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrobiology (general), Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans

National Academies Townhall: A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars

by Keith Cowing

A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars invites members of the community to a public townhall-style virtual webinar on September 19 at noon to 1:30 PM eastern time.

Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Gravity Study Gives Insights into Hidden Features Beneath Lost Ocean of Mars and Rising Olympus Mons

by Keith Cowing

Studies of gravity variations at Mars have revealed dense, large-scale structures hidden beneath the sediment layers of a lost ocean. The analysis, which combines models and data from multiple missions, […]

Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, People Of Astrobiology, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors

Away Team Training With ESA PANGAEA 2024

by Keith Cowing

ESA PANGAEA course instructor Nicolas Mangold describes the formation process of gypsum veins to JAXA astronaut Norishige Kanai, ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan and member of the European astronaut reserve Arnaud […]

Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Astrobiology Droid Perseverance Is At The Base of Jezero Crater’s Rim

by Keith Cowing

The view looks northwest from the southern edge of the crater. A blue icon shows Perseverance’s general location as of Aug. 14, 2024, the 1,238th Martian day, or sol, of […]

Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Moon, Sample Return, Status Report

Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA): an Apollo Participating Scientist Program to Prepare the Lunar Sample Community for Artemis

by Keith Cowing

As a first step in preparing for the return of samples from the Moon by the Artemis Program, NASA initiated the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program (ANGSA).

Gift this article