Decades of study have hinted at the astrobiological potential of Venus’s cloud layers. This potential is often cast as stemming from the idea that the Venusian surface was clement in […]
Meteorites & Asteroids
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Extinction events, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Did Impacts From Meteors Help Start Life On Earth?
Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University […]
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Moon, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Moon Record Analysis Challenges Impact Origin Of Earth’s Water
A long-standing idea in planetary science is that water-rich meteorites arriving late in Earth’s history could have delivered a major share of Earth’s water. A new study argues that the […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report
Offworld Science Droids: A Review Maps Key Technologies For Small-body Sampling Robots
Unlike planetary rovers operating on the Moon or Mars, robots working on asteroids and comets must interact with surfaces where gravity is extremely weak, terrain is highly irregular, and material […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
Experimental and Numerical Modeling of Liposome Congregation in Meteorite Craters of Early Earth
This paper provides experimental and numerical evidence supporting the occurrence of liposome congregation at the floors of meteor craters on Early Earth.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Carbonaceous Chondrites Provide Evidence For Late-stage Planetesimal Formation In A Pressure Bump
Carbonaceous chondrites are samples from planetesimals that formed 2-4 million years after solar system formation began.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
From Dust to Planets — A Chemical Perspective
Chemical and chronological information preserved in meteorites permits the reconstruction of events and processes in the solar nebula from the formation of the first solids to the accretion of planetary […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Sample Return, Status Report
Correlative Microstructural Analysis of a Weathered Nantan Meteorite Fragment
The weathering of iron-rich phases within meteorites is a multi-stage process that significantly alters the microstructure and chemical composition based both on the environmental condition at the location of landing […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Mars, Mercury, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Venus
Homogeneous Accretion Of The Earth In The Inner Solar System
Meteorites are classified as either non-carbonaceous- (NC) or carbonaceous (CC), representing bodies that likely formed in the inner- or outer solar system, respectively. Despite its location in the inner solar […]
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return
Contaminants, Including Ink, Detected In Meteorites Suggest Sample Preparation Needs Improving
Several contaminants, including traces of ink, originating in the preparation of subsamples, have been identified in Martian meteorites by the EHU’s research group. The finding highlights the importance of stricter […]