The idea that dinosaurs were already in decline before an asteroid wiped most of them out 66 million years ago may be explained by a worsening fossil record from that […]
Fossil
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Press Release
How Survivors Spanned The Globe After Earth’s Biggest Mass Extinction
Scientists don’t call it the “Great Dying” for nothing. About 252 million years ago, upward of 80% of all marine species vanished during the end-Permian mass extinction – the most […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microgravity, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Status Report
Ancient Prototaxites Don’t Belong To Any Living Lineage – Possibly A Distinct Branch of Multicellular Earth life
Prototaxites was an extinct lineage of multicellular terrestrial eukaryotes. Prototaxites was the first giant organism to live on the terrestrial surface, reaching sizes of 8 metres in the Early Devonian.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Fossils & Paleontology, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Press Release
New Fossil Discovery Reveals How Volcanic Deposits Can Preserve The Microscopic Details Of Animal Tissues
An analysis of a 30,000-year-old fossil vulture from Central Italy has revealed for the first time that volcanic rock can preserve microscopic details in feathers – the first ever record […]
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Laser-powered Device Tested On Earth Could Help Us Detect Microbial Fossils On Mars
The first life on Earth formed four billion years ago, as microbes living in pools and seas: what if the same thing happened on Mars? If it did, how would […]
![The Köröm thermal well green [KG] biofilm sample and its two isolated layers. Close-up photo (left) of a cross-section of the green [KG] biofilm sample. The sample shows an exterior (upper panel), greenish blue colour [KGA] and an interior (lower panel), pale green colour [KGB] layer. The red arrows mark carbonate precipitates. -- Eötvös Loránd University](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Adaptation-to-Extreme-Conditions.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Adaptation to Extreme Conditions: Thermal Water Biofilm Studies Could Help Understand Ancient Ecosystems
Hungarian researchers have discovered unique bacterial communities in thermal waters that may help unravel the development of stromatolites, one of Earth’s oldest rock formations. These findings not only contribute to […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Impact Of Volcanic Activity On Early Marine Life
Analysis of fossilised rocks known as stromatolites from more than two-and-a-half billion years ago has provided new insights into the conditions on Earth before the evolution of oxygen.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Fossil Microorganisms In Messinian Gypsum: Implications For The Search For Life On Mars
Researchers from the University of Bern, in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene in Algeria, have made significant progress in astrobiology. In a recently published study, […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Press Release
Fossils Reveal Rapid Land Recovery After End-Permian Extinction
Tropical riparian ecosystems – those found along rivers and wetlands – recovered much faster than expected following the end-Permian mass extinction around 252 million years ago, according to new research.
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 […]