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 […]
Panspermia
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Panspermia, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report
Biomarker Preservation in Antarctic Sandstones after Prolonged Space Exposure Outside the International Space Station During the ESA EXPOSE-E Lichens and Fungi Experiment
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.
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Press Release, Sample Return
Evidence That Overturns Theories Of The Origin Of Water On Earth
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 […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Panspermia, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering
An Agnostic Biosignature Based on Modeling Panspermia and Terraformation
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 […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Sample Return, Status Report
Antarctic Biosecurity Policy Effectively Manages The Rates Of Alien Introductions
Reducing the rates and impacts of biological invasions is a major policy goal of international biodiversity agreements.
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Moon, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report
A Microbial Survival Model For The permanently Shadowed Regions Of The Moon Shows Long-Term Survival of Terrestrial Microbe Forward Contamination
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.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report
Orbit, Meteoroid Size, And Cosmic Ray Exposure History Of The Aguas Zarcas CM2 Breccia
The Aguas Zarcas (Costa Rica) CM2 carbonaceous chondrite fell during night time in April 2019. Security and dashboard camera video of the meteor were analyzed to provide a trajectory, lightcurve, […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Space Stations, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
ISS Astrobiology Research: Photochemical Evolution of Alanine in Association with the Martian Soil Analog Montmorillonite
The Photochemistry on the Space Station (PSS) experiment was part of the European Space Agency’s EXPOSE-R2 mission and was conducted on the International Space Station from 2014 to 2016. The […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
An Upper Limit on the Interstellar Meteoroid Flux at Video Sizes from the Global Meteor Network
Material arriving at our solar system from the Galaxy may be detected at Earth in the form of meteors ablating in our atmosphere. Here we report on a search for […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Deep Mantle-Atmosphere Coupling And Carbonaceous Bombardment: Options For Biomolecule Formation On Aan Oxidized Early Earth
Understanding what environmental conditions prevailed on early Earth during the Hadean eon, and how this set the stage for the origins of life, remains a challenge.