desert
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, People Of Astrobiology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Conceptual Challenges In Astrobiological Analog Environments And Paths Toward Resolution

by Keith Cowing

Analog environments are terrestrial environments that resemble extraterrestrial sites; this concept originated in space sciences for defining methods to study planetary geology, training for missions and testing research instruments.

Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return

The Hidden Viral Network: How Viruses Shape Microbial Adaptability and Biogeochemical Cycling in the Polyextreme Mars-Analog Qaidam Basin Desert

by Keith Cowing

Viruses play essential roles in shaping the structure and function of microbial communities, including those inhabiting extreme environments.

Posted inAnalog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Icy Worlds, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return, Status Report

Desert Cyanobacteria Under Non-Earth Conditions: Implications For Astrobiology And Sustainable Life Support

by Keith Cowing

The astonishing capability of life to adapt to extreme conditions provides a new perspective on what habitable means.

Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors

Evidence Of Ancient Underground Water Reveals Mars May Have Stayed Habitable Longer Than Believed

by Keith Cowing

Scientists from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have uncovered new evidence that water once flowed beneath the surface of Mars, revealing that the planet may have remained habitable for […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Planetary Analog Sites In The Indian Subcontinent And The Indian Ocean: Underexplored Environments Suited For Astrobiological And Space Research

by Keith Cowing

The central objective of astrobiology is to evaluate the habitability of other planetary bodies and given the high cost and logistical complexity of space missions, preliminary investigations of planetary analog […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report

The Biology, Microclimate, and Geology of a Distinctive Ecosystem Within the Sandstone of Hyper-Arid Timna Valley, Israel

by Keith Cowing

Microbial endolithic communities in the sandstone rocks of the southern Negev Desert, particularly in Timna Park, were initially discovered by Imre Friedmann and Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann in their pioneering study about […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

Teaching Robots To Walk On Mars From The Sand Of New Mexico

by Keith Cowing

Researchers are closer to equipping a dog-like robot to conduct science on the surface of Mars after five days of experiments this month at White Sands National Park in New […]

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