Who are we? Why are we here? As the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song suggests, we are stardust, the result of chemistry occurring throughout vast clouds of interstellar gas […]
Nanotechnology & SynBio
Posted inBiophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Radiation
Microbes That Can Withstand Microwave Exposure
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for example marine oil spills, plastic floating in the oceans, industrial brownfields, and even the […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Exploration Gear & Tech, Life Support Systems, Mars, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Resource-efficiency Of Cyanobacterium Production On Mars: Assessment And Paths Forward
Space agencies and private companies strive for a permanent human presence on the Moon and ultimately on Mars. Bioprocesses have been advocated as key enablers due to their ability to […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Extremophiles In A Changing World
Our understanding of the cellular adaptations to extreme conditions (such as acid, temperature, pressure and more), of the mechanisms underpinning the stability of macromolecules, and of the subtleties, complexities and […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Prototyping Liquid-crystal Coronagraphs For Exo-Earth Imaging
This paper presents initial results from the ESA-funded “SUPPPPRESS” project, which aims to develop high-performance liquid-crystal coronagraphs for direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets in reflected light.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Detection Of Single Analyte And Environmental Samples With Silicon Nitride Nanopores: Antarctic Dirt Particulates and DNA in Artificial Seawater
Nanopore sensing is a powerful tool for the detection of biomolecules. Solid-state nanopores act as single-molecule sensors that can function in harsh conditions. Their resilient nature makes them attractive candidates […]
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Offworld Life Science Hardware: Real-Time Culture-Independent Microbial Profiling Onboard the International Space Station Using Nanopore Sequencing
For the past two decades, microbial monitoring of the International Space Station (ISS) has relied on culture-dependent methods that require return to Earth for analysis.
Posted inCommercial & Private Sector, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations, Status Report
Offworld Bioscience: Development of Organ-on-a-Chip System with Continuous Flow in Simulated Microgravity
Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) is an innovative microfluidic device mimicking the structure and functionality of real tissue. OOCs typically involve cell culture with microfluidics to emulate the biological forces of different organ […]
Posted inApps - Games, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Commercial & Private Sector, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Rapid, Simultaneous Detection Of Multiple Bacteria Achieved With Handheld Sensor
Hear the words E. coli or salmonella and food poisoning comes to mind. Rapid detection of such bacteria is crucial in preventing outbreaks of foodborne illness. While the usual practice […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release
Structure-based Inference Of Eukaryotic Complexity In Asgard Archaea
Asgard archaea played a key role in the origin of the eukaryotic cell. While previous studies found that Asgard genomes encode diverse eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs), representing homologs of proteins […]