The traditional definition of the circumstellar habitable zone (HZ) focuses on liquid water, but neglects the crucial role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in prebiotic chemistry.
Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
From Space Dust To Protocells: Micrometeorites In Early Cellular Evolution
Solid surfaces have long been considered catalysts in prebiotic chemistry, yet their physical energy has rarely been explored as a driver of protocell assembly.
![iss057e000185 (10/8/2018) – Biomolecule Sequencer [a flight certified Nanopore MinIon] for the BEST experiment floating in front of Window 7 in the Cupola module. Earth is in the background. The Biomolecule Sequencer seeks to demonstrate, for the first time, that DNA sequencing is feasible in an orbiting spacecraft. A space-based DNA sequencer could identify microbes, diagnose diseases and understand crew member health, and potentially help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system. -- NASA](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nanopore-Sequencing.jpg?resize=1200%2C721&ssl=1)
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Commercial & Private Sector, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Origin & Evolution of Life, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Nanopore Sequencing: A Way To Explore Life’s Origins
In future years, it seems likely that someone will claim they have discovered a process that allows a mixture of simple molecules to assemble into structures and systems with the […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Iron Isotope Anomalies And The Origin Of The Earth
Understanding the origin of the Earth requires determining the original formation location of its building material.
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Status Report
Deep Radiative Zones Affect The Planetary Cooling And Internal Structure: Implications For Exoplanet Characterisation
The thermal evolution and interior structure of giant exoplanets are sensitive to the treatment of radiative opacity. At temperatures of ~2000 K, depletion of alkali metals can create a window […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Conferences and Meetings, Desert Worlds, Education and Outreach, Mars, People Of Astrobiology, Status Report
Summer School: “Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars”
“Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars”, will be held in Iceland from 18 to 26 July 2026
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Proxima Centauri, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ecological Modelling Of Hycean Worlds
New observations are opening the possibility of characterising habitable environments in exoplanetary systems, with the recent example of the candidate hycean world K2-18 b.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return
DNA Fragments Could Survive In Martian Rocks For More Than 100 Million Years
The Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, has led a study published in Communications Earth and Environment, showing that if life had ever emerged on Mars, DNA fragments could be preserved […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Press Release
Study Shows Movement Of Tectonic Plates 3.5 Billion Years Ago
The history of the Earth is written on the great tablets of tectonic plates.
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Cryobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ice Planet Update: Antarctica Retreat Study Signals Future Ice Loss
The ice along Antarctica’s ‘grounding lines’ has been largely stable over the past 30 years – but ice has retreated by more than 40 km in some areas, a new […]