Serpentinization Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Astrobiology

Conceptual illustration of terrestrial hot springs on early Earth -- Illustration by Alex Bosoy, Design & Illustration, LLC

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Possible Role Of Iron Sulfides In Creating Life In Terrestrial Hot Springs

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2024November 29, 2024

An international team of scientists recently published a study highlighting the potential role of iron sulfides in the formation of life in early Earth’s terrestrial hot springs. According to the […]

Global distribution of serpentinization-influenced environments that have been1412 investigated microbiologically and those that hosted 70 publicly available shotgun1413 metagenomes used in the meta-analysis of this review. Geologic systems are indicated by1414 points and abbreviations on the map, with those in green hosting metagenomes that were used in1415 the meta-analysis of this review. Bottom left insert shows the pH distribution of water samples1416 from which the metagenomes were derived, as reported by the original publication. Additional1417 information for metagenomes is shown in Supplementary Table 1. Abbreviations are defined as1418 follows (and further identified in Supplementary Table 1). NEY: Ney Springs; CED: The1419 Cedars; CROMO: Coast Range Ophiolite Microbial Observatory; SEO: Santa Elena Ophiolite;1420 TBL: Tablelands Ophiolite; RHF: Rainbow Hydrothermal Field; LCHF: Lost City Hydrothermal1421 Field; LVF: Logatchev Vent Field; AVF: Ashadze Vent Field; AUR: Aurora Seamount; LEKA:1422 Leka Ophiolite; CDV: Cabeço de Vide; VOL: Voltri Massif; YAN: Yanartaş; ALL: Allas1423 Springs; SAM: Samail Ophiolite; KMR: Khalilovsky Massif; KHF: Karei Hydrothermal Field;1424 OCHF: Old City Hydrothermal Field; HHS: Hakuba Happo Hot Springs; MAN: Manleluag1425 Spring; LCR: La Crouen Spring; PBHF: Prony Bay Hydrothermal Field. -- biorxiv.org

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

The Microbial Ecology of Serpentinites

by Keith CowingNovember 14, 2024

Serpentinization, the collective set of geochemical reactions initiated by the hydration of ultramafic rock, has occurred throughout Earth history and is inferred to occur on several planets and moons in […]

NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image, a nighttime mosaic of the Malgosa Crest abrasion patch at “Serpentine Rapids,” using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. The diameter of the abrasion patch is 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) and the large green spot in the upper center left of the image is approximately 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inch) in diameter. Mosaic source images have been debayered, flat-fielded, and linearly color stretched. This image was acquired on Aug. 19, 2024 (sol 1243, or Martian day 1,243 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 19:45:30. NASA/JPL-Caltech Larger image

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report

Mars Perseverance Rover Observes Red Rocks With Green Spots at Serpentine Rapids – Possible Biosignatures?

by Keith CowingOctober 27, 2024October 27, 2024

Editor’s note: I will make this simple: did NASA find evidence of life on Mars? No. Did NASA find an interesting rock feature that might signal or indicate that there […]

The formose reaction

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Serpentinization-Associated Mineral Catalysis of the Protometabolic Formose System

by Keith CowingJuly 4, 2023July 4, 2023

The formose reaction is a plausible prebiotic chemistry, famed for its production of sugars. In this work, we demonstrate that the Cannizzaro process is the dominant process in the formose […]

The mountains of northeastern Oman

Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release

Finding Evidence Of Past Life In Serpentinite Rock

by Keith CowingFebruary 5, 2023February 5, 2023

NASA-supported researchers have provided new insights into microorganisms that survive on products from serpentinization reactions.