clay Archives

The image on the left shows the difference between shocked basalt with red specs of iron alteration, in which bedrock basalt is the precursor, and lighter grey shocked soil on the bottom right of the large sample. On the right, individual samples of shocked soil can be seen. They are light grey with white caliche – a cemented sedimentary deposit – soil horizons within them just like the shocked soil stuck to the rock on the left. Credit: Shawn Wright/Mikayla Kelley

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Impact events, Mars, Press Release

Shocked Soil Discovered: Rare On Earth, But Abundant On Mars?

by Keith CowingJune 17, 2026June 17, 2026

When a meteoroid strikes, it generates a wave of energy that moves faster than the speed of sound. When all that energy propagates through material in seconds or less before […]

Mars vast clay region - View showing the transition between clay units in the Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis regions on Mars, taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. -- ESA Larger image

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Targets A Vast Bed Of Clay In Its Search For Life

by Keith CowingJune 4, 2026June 26, 2026

In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a […]

TEM images of Ca-MMT’s ordered and distorted layered structures including nanocavities after exposure to amino acids. a Control sample showing characteristic layering; ordered yet with slight distortions, considered as ordered for this clay material. b Sample exposed to single-organic Lys showing ordered layering only. Clay samples exposed to organic mixtures of c Lys-GABA d Arg-GABA; showing highly-distorted layering and nanocavities with well-defined lattice fringes that are embedded within distorted layered structures. In all panels, ordered layering, distorted layering, and nanocavities are marked with white, red and black arrows, respectively. See Methods for detailed image analysis procedure and limitations. -- Scientific Reports via PubMed

Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return, Status Report

Antagonistic Effects Of Amino Acids Support Abiotic Nano-environments In Clay

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Prebiotic chemistry in nano-environments confined within catalytic mineral media is emerging as a promising frontier in origins-of-life research. Such confined spaces exhibit physicochemical properties distinct from bulk conditions, enabling out-of-equilibrium […]

a, Orbital context image with the rover traverse overlain in white. White line and arrows show the direction of the rover traverse from the southern contact between the Margin Unit and Neretva Vallis to the Bright Angel outcrop area and then to the Masonic Temple outcrop area. Labelled orange triangles show the locations of proximity science targets discussed in the text. b, Mastcam-Z 360° image mosaic looking at the contact between the light-toned Bright Angel Formation (foreground) and the topographically higher-standing Margin Unit from within the Neretva Vallis channel. This mosaic was collected on sol 1178 from the location of the Walhalla Glades target before abrasion. Upslope, about 110 m distant, the approximate location of the Beaver Falls workspace (containing the targets Cheyava Falls, Apollo Temple and Steamboat Mountain and the Sapphire Canyon sample) is shown. Downslope, about 50 m distant, the approximate location of the target Grapevine Canyon is also shown. In the distance, at the southern side of Neretva Vallis, the Masonic Temple outcrop area is just visible. Mastcam-Z enhanced colour RGB cylindrical projection mosaic from sol 1178, sequence IDs zcam09219 and zcam09220, acquired at 63-mm focal length. A flyover of this area is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FAYABW-c_Q. Scale bars (white), 100 m (a), 50 m (b, top) and 50 cm (b, bottom left). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Potential Biosignatures Found In An Ancient Mars Lake

by Keith CowingSeptember 11, 2025September 18, 2025

A new study suggests a habitable past and signs of ancient microbial processes on Mars – and Imperial scientists provided crucial context.

Mineralogical map of Jezero crater explored by the Perseverance rover. This mineral map was created from near-infrared (1-2.6 µm) CRISM imagery (Parente et al., 2021) using recently developed technologies (Itoh et al., 2021; Saranathan et al., 2021) and overlain on High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE ) imagery. The basaltic rocks at the landing site are dominated by the minerals olivine (red) and pyroxene (tan). Further west, in regions called the Western Fan and Margin Unit, sedimentary rocks predominate. Smectite clay minerals rich in iron and magnesium (light to dark blue tones) and carbonate rich in magnesium and iron (green-yellow tones) were formed through aqueous processes. Unusual iron phosphate and iron sulfide minerals were found at the Bright Angel and Masonic Temple sites near Neretva Vallis (Hurowitz et al., 2025). Other iron phosphate minerals were observed at the Onahu site in the Western Fan region. Credit M. Parente

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Perseverance Rover Uncovers Clues To Ancient Martian Chemistry

by Keith CowingSeptember 11, 2025

NASA’s Perseverance Rover spent three years exploring the floor of Jezero Crater, located just north of the Martian equator.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, (GABA) -- Wikipedia

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release

Meteorite-common Amino Acid Induces Formation Of Nanocavities In Clay Mineral

by Keith CowingJune 24, 2025June 24, 2025

Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites.

A clay-rich mesa in the Hellas basin of Mars. The blue color near the rim is aluminum bearing clays. The red-orange color below that is iron and magnesium bearing clays. The image captures an area that’s 1 kilometer across. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona.

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Thick Clay Layers On Mars May Have Been A Stable Place For Ancient Life

by Keith CowingJune 18, 2025June 18, 2025

The planet Mars is home to thick layers of clay that can span hundreds of feet. Since they need water to form, these outcrops have long been of interest to […]

One of the navigation cameras on NASA’s Perseverance captured the rover’s tracks coming from an area called “Witch Hazel Hill,” on May 13, 2025, the 1,503rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release

Perseverance Mars Rover Explores Krokodillen Region Of Jezero Crater

by Keith CowingMay 20, 2025May 20, 2025

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is exploring a new region of interest the team is calling “Krokodillen” that may contain some of the oldest rocks on Mars. The area has been […]

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors

Ultrasound Assisted Extraction Of Amino Acids And Nucleobases From Clay Minerals And Astrobiological Samples

by Keith CowingFebruary 13, 2024February 13, 2024

The study of organic molecules in meteorite and return samples allows for the understanding of the chemistry that undergoes in our Solar System. The present work aims at studying ultrasound […]