[FEMS Microbes] Desert cyanobacteria of the Chroococcidiopsis genus, due to their remarkable desiccation and radiation tolerance, are considered model candidates in the field of astrobiology.
radiation
![Reflation events (red) occur across a range of ages and with different magnitudes across the evolution of irradiated super-Earths. The plot shows the normalised bulk density evolution of individual simulations, versus the time elapsed since planet formation. The red lines indicate cases where a reflation event occurs, while blue lines indicate those where it does not occur. The evolution tracks that end with a dot indicate the planet has reached an airless state and complete atmospheric erosion by hydrodynamic escape has taken place. The evolution of the two select cases for Figure 1 are highlighted and denoted with a R and D. These cases illustrate in more detail a representative reflation (red) and deflation case (blue). -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Reflation.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrogeology
Reflation: Redox-driven Atmospheric Inflation As Tracer Of Super-Earth Geochemistry
[astro-ph.EP] We demonstrate that the redox-sensitivity of mantle outgassing can trigger transient episodes of atmospheric re-inflation in highly irradiated and geochemically-reduced super-Earths, a mechanism we term reflation.
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments
Rising From The Fragments: A Multi-factorial Regulatory Framework Of DNA Damage Response In Deinococcus radiodurans
[Extremophiles] Understanding the coordinated regulation of gene expression in response to environmental challenges is critical for unravelling the resistance strategies of the extremophiles that endure extreme habitats.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report
The Genetic Determinants of Extreme UV Radiation and Desiccation Tolerance in a Bacterium Recovered from the Stratosphere
Microbes that survive transport to and in the stratosphere endure extremes of low temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity, as well as high fluxes in ultraviolet radiation (UVR).
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Acenaphthene Derivatives As Signatures Of C11H9 Reactivity With Methylated Naphthalenes
C11H+9 ion is the dominant fragment cation formed from methyl-naphthalene (MeNp) and dimethyl-naphthalene (diMeNp).
Posted inBiophysics, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Radiation, Space Life Science
Radiation-Resistant Microbes: Pioneers for Life Beyond Earth
Radiation is one of the most pervasive environmental stressors that has profoundly influenced microbial evolution, driving the development of intricate survival strategies in extreme environments.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Mars, Press Release, Space Weather & Heliophysics
MAVEN Discovers Space Weather Atmospheric Effect At Mars
In December 2023, scientists looking at Mars data stumbled across something completely unexpected — observations of an atmospheric effect never before seen in the Red Planet’s atmosphere.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Microgravity, Panspermia, Radiation, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Status Report
Antarctic Microbe Survival Tests Aboard The International Space Station
An international team is sending microbes from Antarctica and Chile to the International Space Station (ISS) to study how they withstand radiation and other spaceflight stressors.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
A Single Power Law For The TRAPPIST-1 Flare Distribution Across Four Orders Of Magnitude In Energy
TRAPPIST-1 is an ultra-cool dwarf that flares frequently. These flares shape the surrounding planets’ high-energy irradiation environments, with consequences for atmospheric chemistry and escape, and they can contaminate transmission spectroscopy […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Cryobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Press Release, Radiation, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors
Responses of Cyanobacterial Crusts and Microbial Communities to Extreme Environments of the Stratosphere
How microbial communities respond to extreme conditions in the stratosphere remains unclear.