A new study suggests a habitable past and signs of ancient microbial processes on Mars – and Imperial scientists provided crucial context.
Imperial College London
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Press Release
Signs Of Recent Life On Mars Could Be Detected Using New Simple Test
A PhD student and his supervisor have developed a simple way for testing for active life on Mars and other planets using equipment already on the Mars Curiosity rover and […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Meteorites Reveal The Likely Origin Of Earth’s Volatile Chemicals
By analysing meteorites, Imperial researchers have uncovered the likely far-flung origin of Earth’s volatile chemicals, some of which form the building blocks of life.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Organic Compounds Found In The Winchcombe Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite
New research has been published on the organic analysis of the Winchcombe meteorite that crash landed onto a driveway in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire in 2021.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Possible Organic Compounds Have Been Found In Martian Crater Rocks
A study published in Science analyses multiple rocks found at the bottom of Jezero Crater on Mars, where the Perseverance rover landed in 2020, revealing significant interaction between the rocks […]
Posted inOrigin & Evolution of Life
'Life-like' Lasers Can Self-organise, Adapt Their Structure, And Cooperate
By mimicking features of living systems, self-organising lasers could lead to new materials for sensing, computing, light sources and displays. While many artificial materials have advanced properties, they have a […]
Posted inMars
Mars' Changing Habitability Recorded by ancient dune fields in Gale crater
Understanding whether Mars was once able to support life has been a major driving force for Mars research over the past 50 years. To decipher the planet’s ancient climate and […]
Posted inPlant Biology
Photosynthesis Could Be As Old As Life Itself
Researchers find that the earliest bacteria had the tools to perform a crucial step in photosynthesis, changing how we think life evolved on Earth. The finding also challenges expectations for […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return
Potential For Life In Lakes Isolated Beneath Antarctic Ice
In a study published in Science Advances, researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Lyon and the British Antarctic Survey have shown Antarctic subglacial lakes may be more hospitable […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine
Lakes Isolated Beneath Antarctic Ice Could Be More Amenable To life Than Thought
Lakes underneath the Antarctic ice sheet could be more hospitable than previously thought, allowing them to host more microbial life. This is the finding of a new study that could […]