One-hundred fifty years ago, Charles Darwin speculated that life likely originated in a warm little pond.
amino acids
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Early Selection Of The Amino Acid Alphabet Was Adaptively Shaped By Biophysical Constraints Of Foldability
Whereas modern proteins rely on a quasi-universal repertoire of 20 canonical amino acids (AAs), numerous lines of evidence suggest that ancient proteins relied on a limited alphabet of 10 ‘early’ […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release
Meteorites Plus Gamma Rays Could Have Given Earth The Building Blocks For Life
Even as detailed images of distant galaxies from the James Webb Space Telescope show us more of the greater universe, scientists still disagree about how life began here on Earth.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Design Of The Life Signature Detection Polarimeter LSDpol
Many biologically produced chiral molecules such as amino acids and sugars show a preference for left or right handedness (homochirality). Light reflected by biological materials such as algae and leaves […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Amino Acids in Chondrites
Many theories about the origins of life involve the delivery of organic molecules to the early Earth by objects from space. Previously, scientists have identified amino acids in carbon-rich meteorites. […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics
Bacteria Get New Badge as Planet's Detoxifier
A study published this week in PLOS ONE authored by Dr. Henry Sun and his postdoctoral student Dr. Gaosen Zhang of Nevada based research institute DRI provides new evidence that […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Radiation
Radiolysis of Amino Acids by Heavy and Energetic Cosmic Ray Analogs in Simulated Space Environments
In this work, we studied the stability of the glycine molecule in the crystalline zwitterion form, known as {alpha}-glycine (+ NH3 CH2 COO− ) under action of heavy cosmic ray […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia
Nature's Starships: Observed Abundances and Relative Frequencies of Amino Acids in Meteorites
The class of meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites are examples of material from the solar system which have been relatively unchanged from the time of their initial formation. These meteorites have […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release
New Analysis of Meteorite Shows Key Ingredients for Life on Earth May Have Been Delivered by Comets
An object that fell to Earth more than 136 years ago has revealed new clues about the origin of meteorites in space and new information about how life may have […]