Join us, as we follow impactors on their journeys through space as they hurtled towards Earth, and as we examine the subsequent long- and short-term consequences for habitability. We’ll tackle […]
meteorites
Posted inAstrochemistry
Photodynamics Of Amino Acids Under UV Excitation: Extraterrestrial Amino Acids
[J. Chem. Phys.] The detection of amino acids in extraterrestrial environments has important implications for astrobiology and prebiotic chemistry, yet the pathways to their syntheses and their photostability under such […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Oxidation Constraints On Terrestrial Planet Formation From A Ring
The present-day solar system comprises meteorites with varying oxidation levels, derived from different parent bodies.
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
New Method Sharpens The Search For Alien Biology
For decades, the search for life beyond Earth has revolved around a key question: What molecules should scientists be looking for on other planets or moons?
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Sample Return, Status Report
The Formation of Glycolamide on Interstellar Ices
For decades, scientists have searched interstellar space for the chemical seeds of life. In this issue of ACS Central Science, Kaiser and co-workers (1) offer a striking advance in that […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
Carbonaceous Chondrites Provide Evidence For Late-stage Planetesimal Formation In A Pressure Bump
Carbonaceous chondrites are samples from planetesimals that formed 2-4 million years after solar system formation began.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Mars, Mercury, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report, Venus
Homogeneous Accretion Of The Earth In The Inner Solar System
Meteorites are classified as either non-carbonaceous- (NC) or carbonaceous (CC), representing bodies that likely formed in the inner- or outer solar system, respectively. Despite its location in the inner solar […]
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return
Contaminants, Including Ink, Detected In Meteorites Suggest Sample Preparation Needs Improving
Several contaminants, including traces of ink, originating in the preparation of subsamples, have been identified in Martian meteorites by the EHU’s research group. The finding highlights the importance of stricter […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Atmospheric Supply Of HCN Is Not The Rate Limiting Step For Prebiotic Chemistry Across Rocky Exoplanets
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is crucial for the RNA World hypothesis, forming biomolecules essential for early life.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
Stringent Selection On Kinetics Of Condensation Reactions: Early Steps In Chemical Evolution
The emergence of chemical selectivity poses a central challenge in origins-of-life research. As demonstrated by analyses of asteroid and meteorite samples, abiotic chemistry is incredibly messy.