Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Editorial: Life Under Pressure: Microbial Adaptation And Survival In High Pressure Environments

by Keith Cowing

A quantitative overview of Earth’s biomass has long been lacking, despite its importance for understanding the biosphere. The first global estimate—approximately 550 gigatons of carbon (Gt C)—reveals stark disparities across […]

Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Active Learning For Planet Habitability Classification Under Extreme Class Imbalance

by Keith Cowing

The increasing size and heterogeneity of exoplanet catalogs have made systematic habitability assessment challenging, particularly given the extreme scarcity of potentially habitable planets and the evolving nature of their labels.

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, People Of Astrobiology, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 15 February 2026: Diving Under The Ice At Lake Untersee

by Keith Cowing

Keith, Sorry for the quiet—our days have been packed, and out here every usable hour feels borrowed. Since my last report the weather has changed its mind a few times. […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, People Of Astrobiology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Conceptual Challenges In Astrobiological Analog Environments And Paths Toward Resolution

by Keith Cowing

Analog environments are terrestrial environments that resemble extraterrestrial sites; this concept originated in space sciences for defining methods to study planetary geology, training for missions and testing research instruments.

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrobiology (general), Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

by Keith Cowing

Astrobiology seeks to understand the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe, focusing on habitability beyond Earth.

Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

What The Earliest Evidence For Life Tells Us About The Early Evolution Of The Biosphere

by Keith Cowing

Life emerged on Earth in an ultramafic world under anaerobic conditions and conditioned by particular environmental characteristics for which no record remains.

Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Key Drivers Of Recurrent Extinction In The Triassic

by Keith Cowing

Mass extinctions are extremely catastrophic events on Earth. Throughout Earth’s evolutionary history, numerous mass extinctions have occurred, with five major mass extinctions being particularly representative.

Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Huayuan Biota Decodes Earth’s First Phanerozoic Mass Extinction

by Keith Cowing

Around 540 million years ago, Earth’s biosphere underwent a pivotal transformation, shifting from a microbe-dominated world to one teeming with animal life, as nearly all major animal phyla appeared abruptly […]

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