Lost City Hydrothermal Field Archives - Astrobiology

Graphical Abstract -- Istanbul Technical University

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Titania, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Thermodynamic Perspective On Potential Life In Icy Ocean Worlds

by Keith CowingJuly 9, 2025July 9, 2025

Dr. Seda Işık, who completed her doctorate at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences in the Earth System Science Program, achieved significant results in interpreting chemical evidence […]

TCA cycle and the associated prebiotic network centered on pyruvate. The thin arrows denote biologically expected pathways in typical terrestrial environments for aerobic organisms, while the double arrow shows the computed spontaneous (exergonic) direction of the associated reaction in the majority of the ocean-world interior conditions considered in this study. --astro-ph.EP

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Thermodynamic Constraints On The Citric Acid Cycle And Related Reactions In Ocean World Interiors

by Keith CowingApril 29, 2025April 29, 2025

Icy ocean worlds attract significant interest for their astrobiological potential due to subsurface oceans, organics, and chemical energy sources.

An international research team has discovered a new high-temperature hydrothermal vent field that hosts several 10- to 15-meter-tall actively venting chimney clusters. Scientists located the vent field in the Pacific Ocean off the Western Galápagos Islands utilizing state-of-the-art mapping technologies not often used in scientific exploration. Larger image — Schmidt Ocean Institute

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Status Report

Evaluating Serpentinization as a Source of Phosphite to Microbial Communities in Hydrothermal Vents

by Keith CowingApril 4, 2025April 4, 2025

Previous studies have documented the presence of phosphite, a reduced and highly soluble form of phosphorus, in serpentinites, which has led to the hypothesis that serpentinizing hydrothermal vents could have […]

A high-temperature hydrothermal vent field discovered on Puy des Folles Seamount on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at approximately 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) in depth, during the In Search of Hydrothermal Lost Cities expedition. Image courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute.

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Origin & Evolution of Life, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Video, Audio, Webcasts, Podcasts, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Webinar: “Origins of Life: The Lost City and Icy Worlds”

by Keith CowingAugust 12, 2024August 12, 2024

Date: August 12, 2024 Join the NASA Astrobiology Science Communication Guild for a presentation on a project in partnership with NASA Science Activation SCoPE to turn data from an expedition […]

A remotely operated vehicle shines a light on the spires of the Lost City. (D. Kelley/UW/URI-IAO/NOAA).

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Protecting The Lost City Hydrothermal Vent System

by Keith CowingNovember 25, 2023November 25, 2023

Lost City is a unique marine hydrothermal vent field in Area Beyond National Jurisdiction on the front line of deep-sea features that policy-makers should seek to protect.

In Search of Hydrothermal Lost Cities expedition

Away Teams & Field Reports, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Hydrothermal Activity Discovered Along The Puy de Folles Vent Field

by Keith CowingApril 17, 2023April 17, 2023

NOAA, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and partners recently embarked on the In Search of Hydrothermal Lost Cities expedition on the Schmidt’s Research Vessel Falkor (too) to locate and observe hydrothermal vent […]

Metabolic gene identification -- biorxiv.org

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report

Metagenome Mining And Functional Analysis Reveal Oxidized Guanine DNA Repair At The Lost City Hydrothermal Field

by Keith CowingApril 10, 2023April 10, 2023

The GO DNA repair system protects against GC → TC mutations by finding and removing oxidized guanine. The system is mechanistically well understood but its origins are unknown. We searched […]