Samples of Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032, an endospore-forming bacterial strain, were externally mounted on ISS in the EXPOSE facility and with full UV exposure. While nearly all the bacterial spores were […]
tricorder
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: MinION Sequencing Platform Effectively Detects Transcriptional Activity of Plant Microbes
Healthy plants are vital for successful, long-duration missions in space, as they provide the crew with life support, food production, and psychological benefits.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Scientists Develop New Molecular Tool To Detect Alien Life
While scientists know the discovery of alien life would be a game-changing, interstellar event for humanity, the search to date has been unsuccessful. But now, they have a new tool […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Design Of The Life Signature Detection Polarimeter LSDpol
Many biologically produced chiral molecules such as amino acids and sugars show a preference for left or right handedness (homochirality). Light reflected by biological materials such as algae and leaves […]
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Citizen Science / Open Science, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
iGenomics: The World's First DNA 'Tricorder' In Your Pocket
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists developed the world’s first mobile genome sequence analyzer, a new iPhone app called iGenomics.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: This Device Could Help Detect Signs Of Extraterrestrial Life
Although Earth is uniquely situated in the solar system to support creatures that call it home, different forms of life could have once existed, or might still exist, on other […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
ORIGIN Mass Spectrometer
The question of whether life exists beyond the Earth is one of humanity’s most fundamental questions. Future NASA missions, for example, aim to examine the ice moons of Jupiter and […]
Posted inImaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
A Snapshot Full-Stokes Spectropolarimeter For Detecting Life On Earth
We present the design of a point-and-shoot non-imaging full-Stokes spectropolarimeter dedicated to detecting life on Earth from an orbiting platform like the ISS. We specifically aim to map circular polarization […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
A Tricorder From Scotland
A Star Trek-inspired handheld device based on a silicon chip could help make rapid, sophisticated medical diagnostics more accessible to people around the world, scientists say. In a new paper […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microgravity, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release, Space Life Science, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Using A MinION Nanopore DNA Sequencer In Orbit
Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold prepares amplified DNA collected from microbes living aboard the International Space Station for sequencing using the Biomolecule Sequencer.