A potential ice-rich portion of the Medusae Fossae Formation deposits may contain the largest volume of water in the equatorial region of Mars.
Cryobiology
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ice World Exploration: A Massive Underwater Antarctic Canyon Has Been Discovered On Earth
Editor’s note: it goes without saying that the exploration of the oceans of Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede and other worlds will guide the development of these future missions. As you read […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Biosignature Detection And MinION Sequencing Of Antarctic Cryptoendoliths After Exposure To Mars Simulation Conditions
In the search for life in our Solar System, Mars remains a promising target based on its proximity and similarity to Earth. When Mars transitioned from a warmer, wetter climate […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biophysics, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Acellular Players In The High Cryosphere: Diversity, Function And Activity Of The Global Supraglacial DNA Viruses
Supraglacial environments mainly consist of four main types of habitats for microbes and viruses, including snow, ice, meltwater, and cryoconites (the granular sediment on glacier surfaces).
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Saturn, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Astrobiology eXploration at Enceladus (AXE): A New Frontiers Mission Concept Study
The Saturnian moon Enceladus presents a unique opportunity to sample the contents of a subsurface liquid water ocean in situ via the continuous plume formed over its south polar terrain […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Cryobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Using Genomics To Trace Ice Planet History: Octopus DNA Reveals West Antarctic Ice Sheet Collapse During Last Interglacial
Genetic analyses of an Antarctic octopus show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) collapsed during the Last Interglacial ~129,000 to 116,000 years ago when temperatures were only about 1 […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Press Release
Ice World Surveys: Laser-based Ice-core Sampling For Studying Climate Change
Editor’s note: as we prepare to visit ice-covered ocean worlds such as Europa and Enceladus – and one day to actually drill beneath their outer surface – we’re certainly going […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Video, Audio, Webcasts, Podcasts, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
CBC Interview With Morgan Cable: Robot Snakes In Space? NASA Is Testing Them On An Alberta Glacier
NASA’s Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor, EELS for short, is a futuristic-looking, modular ‘snake,’ designed to explore deep space.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Can Signs Of Life Be Detected On Enceladus?
As astrophysics technology and research continue to advance, one question persists: is there life elsewhere in the universe? The Milky Way galaxy alone has hundreds of billions of celestial bodies, […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
NASA Studies Cryobots To Explore Ocean Worlds
In February 2023, researchers from around the country gathered at a NASA-sponsored workshop to discuss the latest developments and a roadmap for a cryobot mission concept to drill through the […]