One excellent biosignature for the present detection of microbial life on Earth is motility, leading to its growing interest within the astrobiological community as an observable attribute that, if detected […]
biosignature
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, NASA Astrobiology Program, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Policy, Sample Return, Status Report
NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection Has A New Logo
Editor’s note: According to a LinkedIn post by James Benardini, Planetary Protection Officer at NASA: “NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection just released it’s new logo today! Excited to share this […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Venus
Research Suggests That Venus Never Had Liquid Water On Its Surface
A team of astronomers has found that Venus has never been habitable, despite decades of speculation that our closest planetary neighbour was once much more like Earth than it is […]
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Detectability Of Biosignatures In Warm, Water-rich Atmospheres
Warm rocky exoplanets within the habitable zone of Sun-like stars are favoured targets for current and future missions. Theory indicates these planets could be wet at formation and remain habitable […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Potential For Life To Exist And Be Detected On Earth-like Planets Orbiting White Dwarfs
With recent observations confirming exoplanets orbiting white dwarfs, there is growing interest in exploring and quantifying the habitability of temperate rocky planets around white dwarfs.
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Enhancing Rover Mobility Monitoring: Autoencoder-driven Anomaly Detection for Curiosity
Over eleven years into its mission, the Mars Science Laboratory remains vital to NASA’s Mars exploration. Safeguarding the rover’s long-term functionality is a top mission priority.
 coincide. The faint white dots show the spatial distribution of pitted cones structures (modified from Mills et al., 2024). The black dots show the spatial distribution of candidate and confirmed SRLs according to Mcewen et al., (2021); Stilmann et al., (2016), and Oijha et al., (2014). The red dot shows the McLaughlin Crater with exposed carbonate rocks and signs of groundwater activity (Michalski et al., 2013). Gray in the background shows the Mars topography based on MOLA -- astro-ph.E](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Potential-habitability-of-present-day-Mars.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mercury, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Potential Habitability of Present-day Mars Subsurface for Terrestrial-like Methanogens
The intense debate about the presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has stimulated the study of methanogens adapted to terrestrial habitats that mimic Martian environments.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Bayesian Analysis for Remote Biosignature Identification on exoEarths (BARBIE) III: Introducing the KEN
We deploy a newly-generated set of geometric albedo spectral grids to examine the detectability of methane (CH4) in the reflected-light spectrum of an Earth-like exoplanet at visible and near-infrared wavelengths […]
Posted inCryobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Icy Ocean World Explorers For Future Astrobiology Missions
When NASA’s Europa Clipper reaches its destination in 2030, the spacecraft will prepare to aim an array of powerful science instruments toward Jupiter’s moon Europa during 49 flybys, looking for […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors
Away Team Update: Exploring Volcanic Caves To Advancing The Search For Life On Mars
Through the intricate study of lava tubes — caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down — an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth’s ancient environments […]