News
Discovery Of A Universal Enzyme That Makes All Four Nucleotide Building Blocks Of Life
2+ day, 15+ hour ago (615+ words) A bacterial enzyme called universal PPK2 may simplify and lower the cost of RNA synthesis. Inside our cells, DNA'the blueprint of life'and RNA, which supports cellular functions based on that blueprint, are constantly being produced. Both DNA and RNA are made…...
A Thousand Meters Deep: Vertical Profiling of the Subterranean Microbiome of Gourgouthakas Cave
6+ day, 15+ hour ago (293+ words) astrobiology. com A Thousand Meters Deep: Vertical Profiling of the Subterranean Microbiome of Gourgouthakas Cave Introduction: Caves represent unique, nutrient-limited windows into the deep biosphere, yet the microbiology of the deep terrestrial subsurface remains remarkably under-explored. In this work, we…...
Redox distribution Of Asgard Archaea And Co-occurring Taxa In Microbial Mats From An Early Proterozoic Ecosystem Analog
1+ week, 1+ day ago (205+ words) astrobiology. com Redox distribution Of Asgard Archaea And Co-occurring Taxa In Microbial Mats From An Early Proterozoic Ecosystem Analog Eukaryotes originated from the symbiosis of an Asgard archaeon, the alphaproteobacterial ancestor of mitochondria, and possibly additional bacterial contributions. This transition…...
Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Glycolamide (NH2 COCH2 OH), a Precursor to Amino Acids, on Interstellar Nanoparticles
1+ week, 2+ day ago (187+ words) astrobiology. com Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Glycolamide (NH2 COCH2 OH), a Precursor to Amino Acids, on Interstellar Nanoparticles Complex organic molecules (COMs) are thought to form in cold interstellar environments, yet the chemical routes to key prebiotic precursors remain poorly understood. Glycine, the…...
Antagonistic Effects Of Amino Acids Support Abiotic Nano-environments In Clay
1+ week, 4+ day ago (245+ words) astrobiology. com Antagonistic Effects Of Amino Acids Support Abiotic Nano-environments In Clay Prebiotic chemistry in nano-environments confined within catalytic mineral media is emerging as a promising frontier in origins-of-life research. Such confined spaces exhibit physicochemical properties distinct from bulk conditions,…...
Ichnofossils in Volcanic Glass From Palaeoproterozoic Hydrothermal Vents Were Burrowed By Microorganisms Probably Seeking Phosphate
1+ week, 4+ day ago (188+ words) Ichnofossils in Volcanic Glass From Palaeoproterozoic Hydrothermal Vents Were Burrowed By Microorganisms Probably Sseeking Phosphate'astrobiology. com Ichnofossils in Volcanic Glass From Palaeoproterozoic Hydrothermal Vents Were Burrowed By Microorganisms Probably Seeking Phosphate Ichnofossils in basaltic glass are putative microscopic trace fossils…...
Lipid Biomarkers Reveal Dominance Of Aerobic Methanotrophy In A Continental Serpentinizing System
2+ week, 13+ hour ago (144+ words) astrobiology. com Lipid Biomarkers Reveal Dominance Of Aerobic Methanotrophy In A Continental Serpentinizing System Sources and sinks of methane within an advanced serpentinization-influenced system were investigated at the Coast Range Ophiolite Microbial Observatory (CROMO) in Lower Lake, California. Subsurface water-rock…...
Astrobiology Early Career Opportunities: March 2026 Digest
2+ week, 3+ day ago (306+ words) Applications are currently being accepted for Cohort 7 of the Dragonfly Mission's Guest Investigator Program. Over a two-year period, students will be mentored by members of the Dragonfly team for 3. 6 months per year on projects relevant to Saturn's moon Titan. These…...
Icelandic Hot Springs as a Prebiotic Analog: Wet-Dry Cycling Effects on the Stability of Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids
2+ week, 4+ day ago (222+ words) astrobiology. com Icelandic Hot Springs as a Prebiotic Analog: Wet-Dry Cycling Effects on the Stability of Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids The hot spring hypothesis for the origin of life proposes that naturally occurring wet-dry cycles in small bodies of water…...
A Formal Physical Framework for the Origin of Life: Dissipation-Driven Selection of Evolving Replicators
2+ week, 6+ day ago (259+ words) astrobiology. com A Formal Physical Framework for the Origin of Life: Dissipation-Driven Selection of Evolving Replicators The emergence of life from inanimate matter presents a thermodynamic challenge: the Second Law of Thermodynamics dictates a global trend towards disorder, yet life…...