If we find life on the Red Planet, we’ll have astrobiologists like Dr. Kennda Lynch to thank. Lynch is an astrobiologist and geomicrobiologist studying life in extreme environments on Earth […]
volcano
Volcanic Eruptions Directly Triggered Ocean Acidification During The Early Cretaceous
Around 120 million years ago, the earth experienced an extreme environmental disruption that choked oxygen from its oceans. Known as oceanic anoxic event (OAE) 1a, the oxygen-deprived water led to […]
Can Volcanism Build Hydrogen-Rich Early Atmospheres?
Hydrogen in rocky planet atmospheres has been invoked in arguments for extending the habitable zone via N2-H2 and CO2-H2 greenhouse warming, and providing atmospheric conditions suitable for efficient production of […]
Ultra-small Microbes Exhibit Extreme Survival Skills In Ethiopia's Mars-like Wonderland
The first study of ultra-small bacteria living in the extreme environment of Ethiopia’s Dallol hot springs shows that life can thrive in conditions similar to those thought to have been […]
Extreme Environment of Danakil Depression Sheds Light on Mars, Titan
The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is a spectacular, hostile environment that may resemble conditions encountered on Mars and Titan — as well as in sites containing nuclear waste. From 20 […]
Stellar Cosmic Rays in a Habitable Zone
According to recent observations relative number of flare stars does not change very much from cool dwarfs to hot A stars. Flare energies are strongly correlated with stellar luminosity and […]
Active Cryovolcanism on Europa?
Evidence for plumes of water on Europa has previously been found using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) using two different observing techniques. Roth et al. (2014) found line emission from […]
Volcanic Hydrogen Spurs Chances of Finding Exoplanet Life
Hunting for habitable exoplanets now may be easier: Cornell University astronomers report that hydrogen pouring from volcanic sources on planets throughout the universe could improve the chances of locating life […]
Hydrothermal Systems Show Spectrum of Extreme Life on Earth
The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. Hydrothermal system at the Danakil Depression. The yellow deposits are a variety of sulphates and the […]
Atmospheric Signs of Volcanic Activity Could Aid Search for Life
Planets with volcanic activity are considered better candidates for life than worlds without such heated internal goings-on. Now, graduate students at the University of Washington have found a way to […]
