The flyby of the New Horizons spacecraft of the Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth revealed its reddish appearance and unraveled the unexpected presence of a methanol-rich surface.
galactic cosmic rays
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Radiation, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Weather & Heliophysics
Protection Against Cosmic Radiation Through Biological Response Pathways
The upcoming phase of space exploration not only includes trips to Mars and beyond, but also holds great promise for human progress.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Radiation, Status Report
Rapid Destruction of Lipid Biomarkers Under Simulated Cosmic Radiation
Understanding how organics degrade under galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) is critical as we search for traces of ancient life on Mars.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Radiation, Status Report
Ice Chemistry Modeling of Active Phase Comets: Hale-Bopp
We present a chemical kinetics model of the solid-phase chemical evolution of a comet, beginning with a long period of cold-storage in the Oort Cloud, followed by five orbits that […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
Formation Of Glyceric Acid – An Important Component Of Life – In Space
A critical molecule for the metabolism of living organisms has been synthesized for the first time by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers at low temperatures (10 K) on ice […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Formation of Amino Acids and Carboxylic Acids in Weakly Reducing Planetary Atmospheres by Solar Energetic Particles from the Young Sun
Life most likely started during the Hadean Eon; however, the environmental conditions which contributed to the complexity of its chemistry are poorly known.