The search for extraterrestrial life hinges on identifying biosignatures, often focusing on gaseous metabolic byproducts as indicators. However, most such biosignatures require assuming specific metabolic processes.
q-bio.PE
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Stellar Cartography, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Cosmic Radiation Drives Quasi-periodic Changes In The Diversity Of Siliceous Marine Microplankton
Radiolarians are significant contributors to the oceanic primary productivity and the global silica cycle in the last 500 Myr. Their diversity throughout the Phanerozoic shows periodic fluctuations.
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Is the Emergence Of Life An Expected Phase Transition In The Evolving Universe?
We propose a novel definition of life in terms of which its emergence in the universe is expected, and its ever-creative open-ended evolution is entailed by no law. Living organisms […]
![Chain length distributions created by foldcats’ cooperativity. (Left, black) Typical polymerizations produce mostly short chains (shown as bin filling), following a Flory distribution [62, 90]. (Right, red) Foldcats produce more long chains for 2 reasons: (i) Foldcats catalyze elongation of other chains (k1 and k2), and (ii) Folded chains degrade more slowly because their folded cores are protected from solvent (k3). For analytical forms, see Appendix A. -- physics.bio-ph](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ThePrebioticEmergence.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
The Prebiotic Emergence Of Biological Evolution
The origin of life must have been preceded by Darwin-like evolutionary dynamics that could propagate it. How did that adaptive dynamics arise?
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Biophysics, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Does Gaia Play Dice?: Simple Models Of Non-Darwinian Selection
In this paper we introduce some simple models, based on rolling dice, to explore mechanisms proposed to explain planetary habitability.
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
What It Takes To Solve The Origin(s) Of Life: An Integrated Review Of Techniques
Understanding the origin(s) of life (OoL) is a fundamental challenge for science in the 21st century. Research on OoL spans many disciplines, including chemistry, physics, biology, planetary sciences, computer science, […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
ACEs In Spaces: Autocatalytic Chemical Ecosystems In Spatial Settings
Autocatalysis is thought to have played an important role in the earliest stages of the origin of life. An autocatalytic cycle’s (AC) constituent chemicals can collectively catalyze their own recreation.
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Coevolution Of Primitive Methane Cycling Ecosystems And Early Earth Atmosphere And Climate
The history of the Earth has been marked by major ecological transitions, driven by metabolic innovation, that radically reshaped the composition of the oceans and atmosphere. The nature and magnitude […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Press Release
Theory Of Chemical Evolution Of Molecule Compositions In The Universe
Chemical evolution is essential in understanding the origins of life. We present a theory for the evolution of molecule masses and show that small molecules grow by random diffusion and […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life
Geometry Shapes Evolution of Early Multicellularity
Organisms have increased in complexity through a series of major evolutionary transitions, in which formerly autonomous entities become parts of a novel higher-level entity. One intriguing feature of the higher-level […]