Join ESA and NASA on 11 March 2026 (16:00-18:00 CET) for a seminar on how ESA omics data are shared, curated and accessed through NASA’s Open Science Data Repository (OSDR). […]
Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Education and Outreach, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Life Support Systems, Missions & Hardware, People Of Astrobiology, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Tricorders & Sensors, Video, Audio, Webcasts, Podcasts, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ocean Planet Recon: ASU Expedition Finds An Aquatic World Teeming With Life
Imagine descending nearly a mile and a half into a watery abyss, watching the sunlight disappear as the world around you turns completely black. Then suddenly, you find yourself surrounded […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release
Earth’s Largest Acidic Geyser Is Currently Very Active
Norris Geyser Basin is known for being the hottest and most dynamic of Yellowstone National Park’s thermal areas—and that’s saying something! It is home to Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Radiation, Status Report
Specific Role Of Two NlpC/P60 Endopeptidases In Cell Division And Membrane Vesicle Formation In Deinococcus radiodurans
The bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan (PG), a sugar polymer cross-linked by short peptide stems. PG determines cell morphology and protects it from environmental stresses.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Europa, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Microbes From Ambient-pressure Analogues Offer Insights Into Possible Life In Europa’s High-pressure Subsurface Ocean
Under its thick ice layer, Europa contains a shielded liquid water ocean where habitable conditions may exist. To effectively assess the habitability of this environment and the implications on putative […]
Posted inAstronauts and Explorers, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Status Report
Offworld Biology: Processing Microbe Samples Inside The Microgravity Science Glovebox
NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 Flight Engineer Chris Williams processes microbe samples inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox aboard the International Space Station.
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Press Release, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations
Rethinking The Microbial Future of Space Travel
University of Houston microbiologist Madhan Tirumalai is part of NASA’s Analysis Working Groups (AWG) and co-author of a review paper published Jan. 22 in npj Biofilms Microbiomes. The group’s microbes […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering
Short-term Survival Of Tardigrades In Martian Regolith Simulants
With future intended human missions to Mars, it is crucial to understand the potential habitability of martian regolith both to support plant growth and to mitigate accidental release of organisms […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microgravity, People Of Astrobiology, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Antarctic Microbial Mats: A Research Dive At Minus 20 Degrees Air Temperature
Lake Fryxell is located in the McMurdo Dry Valley on the Antarctic mainland. The lake is covered year round with four to five metres of ice, and it has some […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Aurora Vent Field Is A Hotspot For Microbial Hydrogen Oxidation In The Arctic Ocean
Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a widespread, energetically efficient reductant supporting microbial metabolism across most known ecosystems. Although seafloor hydrothermal vents are major energy providers for H2-oxidizing microorganisms, the diversity of […]