Life as we know it requires the presence of liquid water and the availability of nutrients, which are mainly based on the elements C, H, N, O, P, and S […]
biosignature
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Status Report
Energy-ordered Resource Stratification As An Agnostic Signature Of Life
The search for extraterrestrial life hinges on identifying biosignatures, often focusing on gaseous metabolic byproducts as indicators. However, most such biosignatures require assuming specific metabolic processes.
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Sub-Micrometer Particles Remote Detection in Enceladus Plume Based on Cassini’s UV Spectrograph Data
Enceladus is the Saturnian satellite known to have water vapor erupting from its south pole region called Tiger Stripes.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Biogenic Sulfur Gases As Biosignatures On Temperate Sub-Neptune Waterworlds
Theoretical predictions and observational data indicate a class of sub-Neptune exoplanets may have water-rich interiors covered by hydrogen-dominated atmospheres. Provided suitable climate conditions, such planets could host surface liquid oceans.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Offworld Tricorder Tech: Nanogap Solid-State Single-Molecule Detection at Mars, Europa, and Microgravity Conditions
Solid-state nanogap systems are an emerging technology for in-situ life detection due to their single-molecule resolution of a wide range of biomolecules, including amino acids and informational polymers, at the […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Relative Contribution From Comets And Carbonaceous Asteroids To Earth’s Volatile Budget In The Context Of An Early Instability
Recent models of solar system formation suggest that a dynamical instability among the giant planets happened within the first 100 Myr after disk dispersal, perhaps before the Moon-forming impact. As […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Jupiter, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Juno Measures Oxygen Production On Europa
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has directly measured charged oxygen and hydrogen molecules from the atmosphere of one of Jupiter’s largest moons, Europa. According to a new study co-authored by SwRI scientists […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrobiology (general), Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Subglacial Microbial Life On Earth And Beyond
The search for life beyond Earth fascinates many and inspires big questions: Are we truly alone in the Universe? Is our Earth unique? Is it possible that life beyond Earth […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microgravity, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
High Resolution Techniques Reveal Clues In 3.5 Billion-year-old Biomass
To learn about the first organisms on our planet, researchers have to analyse the rocks of the early Earth. These can only be found in a few places on the […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy (O-PTIR): A Promising New Tool For Bench-top Analytical Palaeontology At The Sub-micron Scale
The identification of preserved organic material within fossils is challenging. Well-established vibrational spectroscopy techniques, such as micro-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy), have been widely used to investigate organic fossils molecular […]