Discrepancies have emerged concerning the application of sulfur stable isotope ratios as a biosignature in impact crater paleolakes.
biosignature
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
The Call For Aa New Definition Of A “Biosignature”
The term biosignature has become increasingly prevalent in astrobiology literature as our ability to search for life advances.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Proxima Centauri
Biosignatures: Looking For Signs Of Life Among Exoplanet Atmospheres
The next generation of advanced telescopes could sharpen the hunt for potential extraterrestrial life by closely scrutinizing the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets, new research suggests.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Can Isotopologues Be Used as Biosignature Gases in Exoplanet Atmospheres?
Isotopologue ratios are anticipated to be one of the most promising signs of life that can be observed remotely. On Earth, carbon isotopes have been used for decades as evidence […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Is There Such A Thing As A Biosignature?
The concept of a biosignature is widely used in astrobiology to suggest a link between some observation and a biological cause, given some context. The term itself has been defined […]
![Planets capable of supporting high O2 concentrations and, hence, technological civilizations. This figure shows the likely composition of planetary atmospheres based on mass and equilibrium temperature. For planets whose temperature and mass would lead to primarily CO2/N2/H2O atmospheres, high oxygen levels require a biological origin, i.e. photosynthesis. For higher equilibrium temperatures, high O2 levels can occur via the runaway greenhouse effect and the photolysis of water vapor at high altitudes. (Figure adapted with permission from [7], Royal Society Publishing.) -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Is-oxygen-the-cosmic-key.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Intelligence & Language, Press Release, Science Fiction, SETI & Technosignatures
Is Oxygen The Cosmic Key To Alien Technology?
In the quest to understand the potential for life beyond Earth, researchers are widening their search to encompass not only biological markers, but also technological ones.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
PIXL Instrument on Perseverance Rover Studies ‘Bills Bay’
Analyzing this abraded rock patch dubbed “Bills Bay,” the PIXL instrument on NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover found it rich in carbonates and silica, both of which are good at preserving […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
Searching For Biosignature Gases With The James Webb Space Telescope
NASA-supported researchers have assessed the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to search for gases in planetary atmospheres that could be signs of life.
Posted inHabitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release, Proxima Centauri, Space Agriculture, TRAPPIST-1
A Spectrum Of Possibilities: Insights Into The Evolution Of Far-red Light Photosynthesis
A collaborative study led by Dr. Christopher Gisriel at Yale University and Dr. Tanai Cardona at Queen Mary University of London, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, offers new insight […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Searching For Life In Hot Spring Carbonate Systems: Investigating Raman Spectra Of Carotenoid-Bearing Organic Carbonaceous Inclusions From Travertines Of Italy
Carotenoid pigments provide some of the most common exclusively biogenic markers on Earth, and these organic pigments may be present in extraterrestrial life. Raman spectroscopy can be used to identify […]