[Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Medical Sciences] Every time a cell divides, it must faithfully copy its entire genetic instruction manual. Errors during this process can damage the genome, […]
evolution
![Hypergraph percolation accelerates the emergence of large-scale biological organization. The growth of integrated organizational complexity is compared in systems governed by pairwise interactions and higher-order hypergraph interactions. Complexity is quantified as the percentage of elementary units incorporated into the largest connected organizational assembly as interaction density increases. The pairwise model exhibits a gradual increase in connectivity, whereas the hypergraph model displays a sharp transition associated with the formation of extensive higherorder connectivity. Inset A enlarges the transition region and shows the growth of the largest connected component as a function of interaction density. Therefore, higher-order interactions can generate abrupt increases in large-scale organization through hypergraph percolation dynamics. -- [q-bio.OT]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/From-simple-interactions.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
From Simple Interactions To Complex Biology: A Hypergraph Percolation Perspective
[q-bio.OT] The emergence of biological complexity can be viewed as a transition from fragmented local interactions to extensive integrated organization, raising the question of how large-scale connectivity emerges from simple […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Bacteria Form Herds To Survive Predators, Offering Fresh Insight Into Earth’s Carbon Cycle
[Queen Mary University of London] Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective “herds” when attacked by predators – a survival […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Discovery: Oxygenic Photosynthesis Is Possible With Only One Photosystem
[Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München] LMU researchers demonstrate that oxygenic photosynthesis can occur with only a single photosystem, overturning a fundamental principle of biology.
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics
Ocean World Genomics: Earth’s Deep Sea Is An Untapped Evolutionary Engine
[University of East Anglia Norwich] The deep-sea is a unique ‘evolutionary engine’ with one of the richest and most unexplored sources of genetic diversity on Earth, according to a major […]
![Outline of construction of plasmids carrying LUCA and E. coli tRNA genes and codon test genes. A LUCA and E. coli tRNA genes. Pairs of tRNA genes from E. coli and LUCA with identical anticodon sequences were synthesized. Primers (Supplementary Table S2) were used to amplify the transcription templates for in vitro synthesis. B Codon test genes. The constructs were based on the pET23a vector. Test genes were inserted between the NdeI and BamHI sites, with the start codons included in the NdeI site. -- [Journal of Molecular Evolution]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Resurrecting-tRNAs.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
Resurrecting tRNAs of the Last Universal Common Ancestor (Commonote) Toward Rebuilding the Ancient Translation System
[Journal of Molecular Evolution] Ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) was used to study the evolution of the translational system by inferring tRNA sequences of the Last Archaeal Common Ancestor (LACA), the […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Diverging Mineral Chemistry of Iron and Nickel Throughout Earth’s Changing Redox Conditions Reveals Foundation for Their Evolution as Protein Cofactors
[LIFE] Iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) were both foundational to early metabolism, yet their biological trajectories diverged as Earth’s surface redox state changed. Here, we integrate mineral chemistry network analysis, […]
![Potential environments for the origin of life and the corresponding roles of minerals. (a) In the deep-sea hydrothermal vent hypothesis, metal sulfides play a critical role in the formation of chemical precursors and building blocks. (b) In terrestrial hot spring, minerals may concentrate and stabilize molecular building blocks, catalyze polymerization under wet–dry cycling conditions, and provide protection against environmental stresses. (c) Extraterrestrial input of organic matter through meteorites, comets and IDPs. Minerals are the carrier and preserver of organic compounds and may possibly take part in the prebiotic synthesis of organic compounds in extraterrestrial environments. (Background images are modified based on AI-generated illustrations.) -- [Fundamental Research]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-role-of-minerals.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
The Role Of Minerals In Prebiotic Evolution: Implications For Identifying Worlds With The Potential For Life’s Origin
[Fundamental Research] Understanding the origin of life requires explaining how abiotic molecules transitioned into the first living systems within plausible geological settings. Increasing evidence suggests minerals as active participants in […]
Posted inExtinction events
Researchers Confirm The Cause Of Earth’s Biggest Mass Extinction
[Stanford University] A new Stanford-led study offers the clearest picture yet of how some ocean life survived our planet’s biggest mass extinction while most animals did not.
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
The Earthling Ovary Blueprint Is Ancient According To Sea Stars
Editor’s note: the genetic innovations that appear over the course of life’s evolution on Earth are often preserved as evolution advances. If it works – then it works. By studying […]