A UT San Antonio-led international research team has identified chitin, the primary organic component of modern crab shells and insect exoskeletons, in trilobite fossils more than 500 million years old, […]
Fossil
Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Sample Return
Wrinkly Rocks May Actually Be A Fossilized Microbial Community
In 2016 while hiking on a hillside in Morocco, geologist Rowan Martindale saw something that made her stop in her tracks: a slab of sedimentary rock covered in a wrinkly […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
What The Earliest Evidence For Life Tells Us About The Early Evolution Of The Biosphere
Life emerged on Earth in an ultramafic world under anaerobic conditions and conditioned by particular environmental characteristics for which no record remains.
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Huayuan Biota Decodes Earth’s First Phanerozoic Mass Extinction
Around 540 million years ago, Earth’s biosphere underwent a pivotal transformation, shifting from a microbe-dominated world to one teeming with animal life, as nearly all major animal phyla appeared abruptly […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
410 Million Year Old Fossil Of Prototaxites Defies Classification
The genus ‘Prototaxites’ had previously been thought to be an early type of fungus. However, in a new paper published in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Edinburgh and […]
Posted inExtinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Evidence Of ‘lightning-fast’ Evolution Found After Dinosaur-killing Asteroid Impact
The asteroid that struck the Earth 66 million years ago devastated life across the planet, wiping out the dinosaurs and other organisms in a hail of fire and catastrophic climate […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release
Lichen Paved The Way For Plants And Animals To Thrive On Earth
Lichens were already widespread over 410 million years ago, according to a new international study which identifies a fossil from Brazil as one of the oldest lichen in Earth’s history.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
How Did These Strange, Ancient Earth Life Forms Turn Into Such Remarkable Fossils?
In Earth’s fossil record, soft-bodied organisms like jellyfish rarely stand the test of time. What’s more, it’s hard for any animal to get preserved with exceptional detail in sandstones, which […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Salt Diapirs As An Architect Of Neoproterozoic Stromatolite Platform Reefs
During the Precambrian, stromatolite reefs played an essential role in the evolution of Earth’s climate and life systems. Many Precambrian basins contain salt-influenced stratigraphy, yet the potential for salt diapirism […]
![The multiple roles of methanogens in the modern-day carbon cycle. Processes shown in red contribute to greenhouse gas production. Part of the methane is removed through microbial methane oxidation (A)MO and photochemical reactions, where e is a generic electron donor (e.g., arsenate or sulfate) that is reduced to eH. Processes depicted in green sequester CO2, storing it long-term as carbonates. The size of the arrows relates to the relative biogeochemical importance of the process. The metabolic activity of methanogens may locally alter pH and produce copious amounts of EPS (seen as a veil surrounding the cells in the microphotograph (yellow arrow)). These EPS bind cations (e.g., Ca, Mg) and act as nucleation site, while elevated pH enhances the carbonate precipitation in microbial mats [196]. This contribution by methanogens may ultimately produce microbialites [183] -- preprints.org](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Methanogens-Through-Geological.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Methanogens Through Geological Time And Space: Impact On Planetary Evolution and Significance For Life Beyond Earth
Methanogens, also known as methanogenic archaea, are among the most ancient and widespread microorganisms, despite their particular requirements for growth. These oxygen-sensitive microorganisms have impacted climate and biogeochemical cycles throughout […]