New astronomical measurements in the infrared range have led to the identification of a heretofore unknown class of asteroids
Meteorites & Asteroids
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Ceres, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Meteorites & Asteroids, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Bacterial Utilisation Of Aliphatic Organics: Is the Dwarf Planet Ceres Habitable?
The regolith environment and associated organic material on Ceres is analogous to environments that existed on Earth 3–4 billion years ago.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Origin Of Water In The Terrestrial Planets: Insights From Meteorite Data And Planet Formation Models
Water condensed as ice beyond the water snowline, the location in the Sun’s natal gaseous disk where temperatures were below 170 K. As the disk evolved and cooled, the snowline […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Icy Worlds, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Status Report
New Signatures of Bio-Molecular Complexity in the Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta of Icy Moon Analogues
Impact delivery of prebiotic compounds to the early Earth from an impacting comet is considered to be one of the possible ways by which prebiotic molecules arrived on the Earth.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Jupiter, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Early Water Delivery To Terrestrial Planet Regions During The Stages Of Jupiter’s Formation And Migration In The Grand Tack Model
The formation and subsequent migration of gas giants could significantly affect the material mixing in the Solar System.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Isotope Research Shows That Our Solar System Formed From “Poorly Mixed Cake Batter”
Earth’s potassium arrived by meteoritic delivery service finds new research led by Carnegie’s Nicole Nie and Da Wang.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Meteorites Reveal The Likely Origin Of Earth’s Volatile Chemicals
By analysing meteorites, Imperial researchers have uncovered the likely far-flung origin of Earth’s volatile chemicals, some of which form the building blocks of life.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Two Studies Of Volatile Elements Discovered In Meteorites Constrain The Assembly Of Earth
In two separate studies, researchers identify nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies in the volatile elements potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) in meteorites, which constrain the origins of the material that formed Earth.
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Away Team Finds A 17-pound Meteorite In Antarctica
Antarctica is a tough place to work, for obvious reasons— it’s bitterly cold, remote, and wild. However, it’s one of the best places in the world to hunt for meteorites.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Martian Meteorite Tissint Contains A Large Diversity Of Organic Compounds
The Martian meteorite Tissint contains a huge diversity of organic compounds, found an international team of researchers led by Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich’s Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin and including […]