The two basic approaches to elucidating how life began both date from Darwin. The first, that of the experimentalists, stems from Darwin’s famous “warm little pond” letter to Joseph Hooker […]
evolution
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
A Novel Quinone Biosynthetic Pathway Illuminates The Evolution Of Aerobic Metabolism
The dominant organisms in modern oxic ecosystems rely on respiratory quinones with high redox potential (HPQs) for electron transport in aerobic respiration and photosynthesis. The diversification of quinones, from low […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
The Nature Of LUCA – The Last Universal Common Ancestor – and its Impact on the Early Earth System
The nature of the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), its age and its impact on the Earth system have been the subject of vigorous debate across diverse disciplines, often based […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Chemical Kinetics As A Window Into Prebiotic Plausibility
Origin of Life research is a fast growing field of study with each year bringing new breakthroughs. Recent discoveries include novel syntheses of life’s building blocks, mechanisms of activation and […]
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Simulating 500 Million Years Of Evolution With A Language Model
More than three billion years of evolution have produced an image of biology encoded into the space of natural proteins.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Protein Shapes Can Help Untangle Life’s Ancient History
The three-dimensional shape of a protein can be used to resolve deep, ancient evolutionary relationships in the tree of life, according to a study in Nature Communications.
![A generalized model of dormancy. Dormancy is a set of processes acting on agents that exist in different states of activity. Active agents transition into inactive agents through the process of dormancy initiation, while inactive agents transition into active states through the process of resuscitation. Transitions can occur stochastically or in a responsive manner. Mortality rates are assumed to be higher for active agents than for inactive agents, which can facilitate migration and colonization. This form of protection can lead to the accumulation of inactive individuals and the creation of a ’seed bank', which serves as a reservoir of information contained in agents (colours) that can generate complex behaviours through the preservation of diversity and memory. Modified figure from [10]. -- Proc Biol Sci. via PubMed](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dormancy-in-the-Origin.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Dormancy in the Origin, Evolution and Persistence of Life on Earth
Life has existed on Earth for most of the planet’s history, yet major gaps and unresolved questions remain about how it first arose and persisted. Early Earth posed numerous challenges […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release
Explaining The Delayed Rise Of Plants And Animals On Land: Iodine And Oxygen
If you like the smell of spring roses, the sounds of summer birdsong and the colors of fall foliage, you have the stabilization of the ozone layer to thank for […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Did Organs Precede Organisms In The Origin Of Life?
Evolutionary processes acting on populations of organized molecules preceded the origin of living organisms.
Posted inFossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release
Hornwort Genomes Provide Clues On How Plants Moved From Water To Land On Earth
Over 450 million years ago, plants began the epic transition from water to dry land. Among the first pioneers were the ancestors of humble hornworts, a group of small, unassuming […]