[Stanford University] A new Stanford-led study offers the clearest picture yet of how some ocean life survived our planet’s biggest mass extinction while most animals did not.
Stanford University
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
New Model Refines Search For Habitable Planets
Researchers have developed the Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model (STEHM) to assess which planets can maintain life-supporting atmospheres, focusing on size and atmospheric dynamics.
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Protein Sequencing Advance Offers New Insights Into Life’s Foundations
Editor’s note: with recent speculation about the potential habitability of other worlds and understanding the processes whereby other biospheres arise and evolve, thought needs to be given to developing sensor […]
![Reef scene off the coast of St. Croix, USVI [Photo credit: NOAA CCMA Biogeography Branch]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/How-Earths-Biomass-Changed-Over.jpg?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
How Earth’s Biomass Changed Over 500 Million Years
In a first-of-its-kind study, Stanford researchers have measured how the abundance of ocean life has changed over the past half-billion years of Earth’s history.
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Press Release
How Survivors Spanned The Globe After Earth’s Biggest Mass Extinction
Scientists don’t call it the “Great Dying” for nothing. About 252 million years ago, upward of 80% of all marine species vanished during the end-Permian mass extinction – the most […]
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return
Removal Of Magnetic Spacecraft Contamination Within Extraterrestrial Samples Is Easy To Do
For decades, scientists have pondered the mystery of the moon’s ancient magnetism. Based on analyses of lunar samples, its now-deceased magnetic field may have been active for more than 1.5 […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Press Release
The Formation Of Abundant Features On Europa Bodes Well For The Search For Extraterrestrial Life
Europa is a prime candidate for life in our solar system, and its deep saltwater ocean has captivated scientists for decades. But it’s enclosed by an icy shell that could […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Stanford Study Reveals New Biomolecule
Stanford researchers have discovered a new kind of biomolecule that could play a significant role in the biology of all living things. The novel biomolecule, dubbed glycoRNA, is a small […]
Posted inEuropa
Researchers Model Source Of Eruption On Jupiter's Moon Europa
On Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, powerful eruptions may spew into space, raising questions among hopeful astrobiologists on Earth: What would blast out from miles-high plumes? Could they contain signs of […]
Posted inImpact events, Press Release
Study Links Ocean Deoxygenation To Ancient Die-off
In a new study, Stanford researchers have strongly bolstered the theory that a lack of oxygen in Earth’s oceans contributed to a devastating die-off approximately 444 million years ago. The […]