Soda lakes, which are dominated by dissolved sodium and carbonate species, could have provided the right conditions for the first cells, according to a study.
extremeophiles
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Hot Springs Viruses At Yellowstone National Park Have Ancient Origins And Are Adapted To Their Thermophilic Hosts
Geothermal springs in areas such as Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA house unicellular red algae that dominate the microbial biomass. Little is known about the viruses that infect the biota.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
How a Methanogen Creates Its Own Sulfate Reduction Machinery
Sulfur is a fundamental element of life and all organisms need it to synthesize cellular materials. Autotrophs, such as plants and algae, acquire sulfur by converting sulfate into sulfide, which […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release
Away Team Issues: Humans Are Leaving Behind A Frozen Signature Of Microbes On Mount Everest
Almost 5 miles above sea level in the Himalayan mountains, the rocky dip between Mount Everest and its sister peak, Lhotse, lies windswept, free of snow. It is here at […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Methane-eating ‘Borgs’ Have Been Assimilating Earth’s Microbes
In Star Trek, the Borg are a ruthless, hive-minded collective that assimilate other beings with the intent of taking over the galaxy.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Discovery Of Exciting Bacteria In Underground Caves In North Africa
A research team from Umeå University, SLU and Algeria has found bacteria, with a number of interesting properties, in previously unexplored caves at a depth of several hundred meters in […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release
New NSF-Funded Institute Will Probe Biology In The Absence Of Water
Water is inextricably linked to our understanding of life—it makes up most of our planet’s surface and organisms across the tree of life depend on it to function. Yet the […]
Posted inCaves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Metagenome-assembled Genomes From Monte Cristo Cave (Diamantina, Brazil) Reveal Prokaryotic Lineages As Functional Models For Life On Mars
Although several studies have explored microbial communities in different terrestrial subsurface ecosystems, little is known about the diversity of their metabolic processes and survival strategies.
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments
Some Seafloor Microbes Can Take The Heat: And Here's What They Eat
It’s cold in the depths of the world’s oceans; most of the seafloor is at a chilly 4°C. Not so the seafloor of Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California. […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments
Exploring Hot Deep-Sea Vents for Signs of Extreme Life
Microbiology professor Jim Holden, a researcher in the School of Earth and Sustainability, recently received a three-year, $441,219 grant from NASA’s Exobiology Program to study competition between different types of […]