The so-called homochirality of life – the fact that all biomolecules in living organisms only ever occur in one of two mirror-image forms – has puzzled a number of scientific […]
organic chemistry
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release
The Cosmic Fertiliser That Fuelled The Origins Of Life
The origin of life is an event so rare that, to the best of our knowledge, it has only happened once: here on Earth. The questions of how life developed […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Pre-perihelion Monitoring of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov
The discovery of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov offered the unique opportunity to obtain a detailed analysis of an object coming from another planetary system, and leaving behind material in our interplanetary […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
The Effect Of Lightning On The Atmospheric Chemistry Of Exoplanets And Potential Biosignatures
Lightning has been suggested to play a role in triggering the occurrence of bio-ready chemical species. Future missions (PLATO, ARIEL, HWO, LIFE) and ground-based ELTs will investigate the atmospheres of […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Trapped Water On Silicates In The Laboratory And In Astrophysical Environments
Existence of strongly bound water molecules on silicate surfaces, above the desorption temperature of water ice, has been first predicted by computational studies and recently demonstrated by laboratory experiments.
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrochemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
HYACINTH: HYdrogen And Carbon chemistry In The INTerstellar Medium In Hydro Simulations
Aims. We present a new sub-grid model, HYACINTH — HYdrogen And Carbon chemistry in the INTerstellar medium in Hydro simulations, for computing the non-equilibrium abundances of H2 and its carbon-based […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Status Report
Prebiotic Access To Enantioenriched Amino Acids Via Peptide-mediated Transamination Reactions
The kinetic resolution of racemic amino acids mediated by dipeptides and pyridoxal provides a prebiotically plausible route to enantioenriched proteinogenic amino acids.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Pluto, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Moderate D/H Ratios in Methane Ice on Eris and Makemake as Evidence of Hydrothermal or Metamorphic Processes in Their Interiors: Geochemical Analysis
Dwarf planets Eris and Makemake have surfaces bearing methane ice of unknown origin. D/H ratios were recently determined from James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations of Eris and Makemake, giving […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Detection Of Indigenous Organic Matter In Rocks From The Interpretation Of Carbon Molecular Forms In The Laser-induced Plasma
Detection of indigenous organic matter (IOM) in rocks using molecular-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is reported. IOM refers to carbon-based compounds of variable complexity intimately associated with mineral and amorphous phases […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Titan
Titan Is Most Likely Not Habitable
A study led by Western astrobiologist Catherine Neish shows the subsurface ocean of Titan – the largest moon of Saturn – is most likely a non-habitable environment, meaning any hope […]