A mysterious extraterrestrial visitor now has a permanent home and identity, thanks to University of Georgia researchers.
Meteorites & Asteroids
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Comparing Protein Stability in Modern and Ancient Sabkha Environments: Implications for Molecular Remnants on Ancient Mars
Understanding the mechanisms of protein preservation in extreme environments is essential for identifying potential molecular biosignatures on Mars.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Impact-driven Oxidation Of Organics Explains Chondrite Shock Metamorphism Dichotomy
Shocked meteorites can be used to probe the dynamics of the early Solar system. Carbonaceous chondrites are less shocked than ordinary chondrites, regardless of the degree of aqueous alteration.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Sample Return, Status Report
Laminae As Potential Biosignatures
Laminae are millimeter-scale features in rocks created by physiochemical processes that can be influenced by the presence and activities of communities of organisms that occur as biofilms and microbial mats.
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Link Established Between A Grand Canyon Landslide And The Meteor Crater Impact Event
Geology is full of detective stories about Earth’s history, and a new paper in Geology by University of New Mexico Distinguished Professors Emeritus Karl Karlstrom and Laurie Crossey, along with […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Titan
Modeling Atmospheric Alteration on Titan: Hydrodynamics and Shock-Induced Chemistry of Meteoroid Entry
Meteoroid entry into planetary atmospheres generates bow shocks, resulting in high-temperature gas conditions that drive chemical reactions.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Space-filling Efficiency And Optical Properties Of Hemoglycin
The empty, extensive low-density lattice topology of hemoglycin is examined to understand how in space, and possibly as early as 800M years into cosmic time a rod-like polymer of glycine […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
New Fossils From Earth’s Most Famous Extinction Show Climate Tipping Point Was Crossed
The collapse of tropical forests during Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event was the primary cause of the prolonged global warming which followed, according to new research.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
An Unexpected Mineral Discovered In A Grain Of Asteroid Ryugu
The pristine samples from asteroid Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 mission on December 6, 2020, have been vital to improving our understanding of primitive asteroids and the formation of the […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Gas Giants, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Asteroids Fail To Retain Cometary Impact Signatures
A bombardment of comets is thought to have occurred in the inner solar system as a result of a dynamical instability among the giant planets after gas disk dispersal.