Editor’s note: As we expand outward from Earth to other worlds we are almost certainly going to encounter things we did not expect to find – things that are unlikely […]
microbiome
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Sample Return
Bacteria Live In Fog Droplets And Clear Toxins From Earth’s Air
What if fog isn’t just misty air, but a living ecosystem?
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report
A Thousand Meters Deep: Vertical Profiling of the Subterranean Microbiome of Gourgouthakas Cave
Introduction: Caves represent unique, nutrient-limited windows into the deep biosphere, yet the microbiology of the deep terrestrial subsurface remains remarkably under-explored. In this work, we took advantage of a rare […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Press Release, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations
Space Biology: CBIOMES Preflight Microscopic Imagery Of C. elegans
This investigation studies how spaceflight impacts the relationship between organisms and their gut microbiome by observing changes in nematodes down to the cellular level to identify ways to maintain microbiome […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release
Seminar: The Rare Microbiome, Contamination and Planetary Protection
Pushing back the detection limits, technological advances are now allowing the detection and analysis of very low content DNA samples.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Sample Return, Status Report
Genomic Adaptations Of Novel Halotolerant Bacteria From Extreme North Greenland
Peary Land, northern-most Greenland, is a cold desert region whose soil microbiome remains underexplored. This is the first study to explore the halotolerant soil microbiome of this region with culture-dependent […]
![Contribution of springs to the lake. (A) Venn diagram of genera found in the Corral Springs biofilm, salt crust, Springs 1 and 2 (S1, S2 combined), Roberts Ranch/Wyman Creek (RS), and the lake water. (B) Mixing proportions calculated using SourceTracker using the lake water samples (LW1, LW2, and overnight incubated [ON]) and the salt crust as sinks, and the biofilm, RS, S1 and S2 as sources. “Unk” indicates “unknown source.” The Gibbs sampler was run for 10,000 iterations. -- Frontiers](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Microbial-communities-of-selected.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report
Microbial Communities Of Selected Regions Of The Deep Springs Lake Aquifer System
Deep Springs Lake is a small, isolated, highly alkaline soda lake in Inyo County of Eastern California, USA. It is a seasonally filled salt lake or playa, and is part […]
Posted inLife Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations, Status Report
A Next Generation Space Antimicrobial: Assessing Microbial Activity And Reduction Across The ISS
Microbial contamination in spacecraft poses a threat to crew health and operational integrity. Currently, microbial reduction aboard the International Space Station (ISS) relies on rigorous cleaning, which is time-consuming for […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return, Status Report
Subsurface Life On Earth As A Key To Unlock Extraterrestrial Mysteries
The first forms of life on Earth were microbial, preceding the evolution of multicellular life by more than two billion years.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Sample Return
Caves On Earth As Proxies For Martian Subsurface Environments
On planet Earth, the inner part of cave systems represents an extreme and isolated environment, characterized by relatively stable microclimatic conditions, nutrient limitation and protection from external stressors such as […]