University of Texas Austin Archives - Astrobiology

In December 2025, Brett Baker led a research cruise to collect microbial genomes off the coast of Uruguay. In this photo, Tyler Smith pilots a remotely operated vehicle collecting shallow coastal sediments. Credit: Brett Baker.

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Break In A Longstanding Mystery About The Origin Of Complex Life

by Keith CowingFebruary 18, 2026February 18, 2026

The most widely accepted scientific explanation for the arrival of all complex life on Earth has had an unsolved mystery at its heart. According to the theory, all plants, animals […]

a 187Os/188Os ratios represent age-corrected (red circle) and measured (white circle) isotope ratios. bOs and Re concentrations. cIr and Ru concentrations. d Pt and Pd concentrations. e Os/Ir ratios. Planktic foraminiferal zonations A21 and W11 are from ref. 29 and ref. 31, respectively. Os/Ir ratios for CI chondrite and upper continental crust (UCC) are from refs. -- University of Texas Austin

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Impact events, Press Release, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Hydrothermal System Helped Life Recover After Dino-Killing Asteroid

by Keith CowingFebruary 18, 2026February 18, 2026

About 66 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into the planet, wiping out all non-avian dinosaurs and about 70% of all marine species. But according to new research, the crater […]

ML tree (IQ-TREE, WAG+C60+R4+F+PMSF model) of concatenated protein sequences from at least 5 genes, encoded on a single contig, of a RP15 gene cluster retrieved from publicly available and newly reported Asgard archaeal MAGs. Bootstrap support (100 pseudo-replicates) is indicated by circles at branches, with filled and open circles representing values equal to or larger than 90% and 70% support, respectively. Leaf names indicate the geographical source and isolate name (inner and outer label, respectively) for the MAGs reported in this study. Only the in-group is shown (263 out of 542 total sequences). Scale bar denotes the average number of substitutions per site. AB, Aarhus Bay (Denmark); ABE, ABE vent field, Eastern Lau Spreading Center; ALCG, Asgard Lake Cootharaba Group; Asgard, Asgardarchaeia; Baldr, Baldrarchaeia; GB, Guaymas Basin (Mexico); Gerd, Gerdarchaeales; Hel, Helarchaeales; Heimdall, Heimdallarchaeaceae; Hermod, Hermodarchaeia; Hod, Hodarchaeales; Jord, Jordarchaeia; JZ, Jinze (China); Kari, Kariarchaeaceae; Loki, Lokiarchaeales; Mar, Mariner vent field, Eastern Lau Spreading Center; Njord, Njordarchaeales; Odin, Odinarchaeia; QC, QuCai village (China); QZM, QuZhuoMu village (China); RP, Radiata Pool (New Zealand); SHR, South Hydrate Ridge; Sif, Sifarchaeia; Thor, Thorarchaeia; TNS, Taketomi Island (Japan); WOR: White Oak River (USA); Wukong, Wukongarchaeia. - Nature/University of Texas Austin

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

New Clues About The Origin Of Complex Life

by Keith CowingJune 23, 2023June 23, 2023

Thor, the legendary Norse god from the mythological city of Asgard, is not alone. According to groundbreaking research published in the journal Nature, we humans — along with eagles, starfish, […]

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Europa

Radar Techniques Used in Antarctica Will Scour Europa for Life-Supporting Environments

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2015March 25, 2023

When a NASA spacecraft sets off to explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to look for the ingredients of life, radar equipment designed to pierce the ice of Antarctica will be […]