![The on-sky geometry of the Anti-Solar Point (ASP), the ecliptic, and the synthesized beams of the ATA-ASP campaign. See the pilot paper by Sheikh and Hort et al. 2026 for full detail [1]. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/A-Technosignature.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.IM] The ATA-ASP campaign is a radio technosignature survey of the Anti-Solar Point as a “Schelling point”, using the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
Biosignatures & Paleobiology
![Column density maps of 13CO2, CO and OCN− ice (panel I, II and III, respectively). 12CO2 column densities are derived from 13CO2 column densities. Panel IV shows the ratio between the 4.38 µm and 4.39 µm peak of the 13CO2 ice feature. A higher ratio indicates higher degree of CO2 ice segregation. The axes are shown on astronomical unit scales. Pixelated areas especially in the north and south of the maps as well as the edges are caused by low signal-to-noise levels. -- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Mapping.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Mapping Of Interstellar Ices With JWST In Protostellar Envelopes: Spatial Variations Of 13CO2, 12CO2, CO, OCN− and H2O ice
[astro-ph.SR] The composition of planets and their atmospheres is largely determined by the formation environment of the planet. This environment is pre-determined during early stages when the protostar is still […]
Posted inAstrogeology
A JWST Study Oof Stardust. II. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Comet 81P/Wild 2 And Implications For Primitive Solar System Carbon
[astro-ph.EP] We report observations of comet 81P/Wild 2, target of the Stardust sample return mission, on UT 2023 March 20 and 24 at a heliocentric distance (rH) of 1.85 au […]
Posted inTitan
Oxidation Of Photochemical Organic Hazes: A Prebiotic Source of Oxygen-Bearing Organics in Titan’s Atmosphere And Early Earth?
[Astrobiology via PubMed]. Photochemical organic hazes such as those found in the atmosphere of Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn, are mainly composed of reduced chemical components.
Posted inMars
European Rover Trains For Mars In The Desert
[ESA] The exercise was an important rehearsal for what the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover might encounter when it lands on the Red Planet in 2030. It brought together a rover […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology
A Geochemical Precursor of ATP
[Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf] Where did the energy come from to power the chemical origin of life and how did phosphate come to be the universal energy currency of cells?
Posted inFossils & Paleontology
Protocells Reproduce Morphological And Chemical Signatures Of Early Microfossils
[biorxiv.org] Identification of early microfossils relies on morphological and chemical criteria assumed to be unique to life, but whether abiotic microstructures can satisfy these criteria has not been rigorously tested.
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
Molecular Complexity As A Signature Of Life
[PNAS Nexus] The presence of an abundance of complex molecules has been proposed as a universal signature of life. Molecular complexity is often measured by the “assembly index,” which calculates […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology
Activity And Diversity Of Sulfate- and Methane-based Pathways Of Anaerobic Chitin And N-acetylglucosamine Degradation In Marine Sediments
[American Society of Microbiology] Sulfate reduction is estimated to account for half of the organic carbon respiration in anoxic, organic-rich ocean sediments. Sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRMs) typically oxidize simple carbon compounds, […]
Posted inMars
Curiosity Rover Catches A Stunning Martian Dawn
[NASA] A newly released panorama captured by NASA’s Curiosity rover offers the most detailed view yet of distant, wind-carved Martian cliffs, highlighting features the mission’s scientists have long been waiting […]