Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites.
Material can apparently move between planets, at least on rare occasions. For example, meteorites have been found on Earth that appear to have originated on Mars, or even outside our […]
Abstract Background Human-designed oligotrophic environments, such as cleanrooms, harbor unique microbial communities shaped by selective pressures like temperature, humidity, nutrient availability, cleaning reagents, and radiation. Maintaining the biological cleanliness of […]
The experiment “Phage and Uracil Response” (PUR) will be accommodated in the EXPOSE facility of the International Space Station (ISS). Its objective is to examine and quantify the effect of […]
The molecular framework for protometabolism—chemical reactions in a prebiotic environment preceding modern metabolism—has remained unknown in evolutionary biology. Mono-, di-, and tricarboxylic acids that comprise contemporary metabolism, such as the […]
A primary aim of current and future space exploration missions is the detection and identification of chemical and biological indicators of life, namely biomarkers, on Mars.
University of Oxford researchers have helped overturn the popular theory that water on Earth originated from asteroids bombarding its surface. Instead, the material which built our planet was far richer […]
A fundamental goal of astrobiology is to detect life outside of Earth. This proves to be an exceptional challenge outside of our solar system, where strong assumptions must be made […]
Reducing the rates and impacts of biological invasions is a major policy goal of international biodiversity agreements.
Based on previous models of microbial survival there are regions in the solar system which have high preservation potential for terrestrial spore-forming microbes such as Bacillus subtilis.
