by Dieter Braun, LMU Munich, May 5th 2026, 16:00 CEST (UTC + 02:00) Abstract: We are pursuing lab experiments to assemble a hypothesis for the emergence of Life. We will […]
Origin & Evolution of Life
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Conferences and Meetings, Courses, Mars, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Summer School: Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars
For the summer school “Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars”, which will be held in Iceland from 18 to 26 June 2026 we still have some rest places. […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Showing The Math For Earth’s First — And Sudden — Spark Of Life
Isolating the first spark of life on Earth is a matter of biology, geology, and chemistry — but it’s also an amazing math problem. At least, that’s how Varun Varanasi […]
![These high-resolution pre-catalysis RNA Pol II EC structures also define the reaction-ready configuration of a complete active site. The 1.96 Å cryo-EM map reveals an unambiguous density of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) substrate with a chair-like triphosphate conformation that is precisely coordinated with two Mg2+ ions. [Full video] Molecular Cell](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Water-molecules-found.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Water Molecules Found To Actively Drive Gene Transcription ProcessUniversity of California – San Diego
Researchers have uncovered a previously hidden layer of complexity in how genes are activated, showing that water molecules play a direct and essential role in one of the most fundamental […]
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 inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
New Technology Reveals Hidden DNA Scaffolding Built Before Life ‘Switches On’
For decades, scientists viewed the genome of a newly fertilised egg as a structural ‘blank slate’ – a disordered tangle of DNA waiting for the embryo to ‘wake up’ and […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
The Master Molecule That Built Biology: How Water Shaped The Chemistry Of Life
The deep entanglement of biomolecular structure and function with aqueous systems supports the view that water actively sculpted both molecules and processes during the origins of life and continues to […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Saturn, Titan, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Astrobiology Exploration: Dragonfly Rotorcraft Hardware Integration and Parachute Test
NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft is beginning to take shape – literally – with the delivery of the panels that make up the rotorcraft lander’s body. Built from ultra‑lightweight honeycomb panels designed […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Impact events, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release
How Primitive Plants Evolved To Survive Earth’s Most Catastrophic Extinction Event
How primitive plants evolved to survive Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
The Origin Of The Genetic Code Is Encrypted In The Structure Of Present-day Transfer RNAs
Background/ Objectives: Resolving the origin of the genetic code is fundamental to understanding how life began its journey out of the chemical world. Since its deciphering some 60 years ago, […]