Scientists have found a “tipping point” in the evolution of fungi that throttles their growth and sculpts their shapes. The findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, demonstrate how small […]
Fungi
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Proxima Centauri, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics, TRAPPIST-1
How Habitable are M-dwarf Exoplanets?
How Habitable are M-dwarf Exoplanets? Modeling Surface Conditions and Exploring the Role of Melanins in the Survival of Aspergillus niger Spores Under Exoplanet-like Radiation
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Novel Endolithic Bacteria Of phylum Chloroflexota Reveal A Myriad Of Potential Survival Strategies In The Antarctic Desert
The ice-free McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are dominated by nutrient-poor mineral soil and rocky outcrops. The principal habitat for microorganisms is within rocks (endolithic).
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
DNA Reveals That Unique Microorganisms Evolved At Earth’s Poles
Communities of microorganisms at the bottom of polar lakes evolved independently from other regions, influenced by the particular geological, biological and climate history of their regions. The unique character of […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Correlations Between Life-Detection Techniques and Implications for Sampling Site Selection in Planetary Analog Missions
We conducted an analog sampling expedition under simulated mission constraints to areas dominated by basaltic tephra of the Eldfell and Fimmvörðuháls lava fields (Iceland).
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Forming Ice: There’s A Fungal Protein For That
The way ice forms is a lot more interesting than you think. This basic physical process, among the most common in nature, also remains somewhat mysterious despite decades of scientific […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Radiation, Status Report
Geography And Environmental Pressure Are Predictive Of Class-specific Radioresistance In Black Fungi
Black fungi are among the most resistant organisms to ionizing radiation on Earth.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microgravity, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Mass Spectrometry Approaches For Mold Identification
In recent years, filamentous fungi or molds have emerged as causative agents underlying life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release
Away Team Mission On Earth: Mapping Fungal Networks On Earth’s Most Remote Island
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean is an uninhabited atoll that houses underground mycorrhizal networks that may have evolved a unique ability to cycle nutrients between seabirds, rainforest trees, […]
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Plant Biology, Press Release, Radiation, Space Life Science
BioExpt-01 Payload Handover To The Artemis 1 Orion Capsule
Scientists package up part of NASA’s Biology Experiment-1 (BioExpt-1) for official handover to the Orion team for Artemis I inside the Space Station Processing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space […]