2022 - Astrobiology

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, TRAPPIST-1

The Search for Habitable, Earth-Sized Planets around SPECULOOS-2

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

In a new paper, NASA-supported scientists have predicted that there is an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone of the star SPECULOOS-2.

Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety

Planetary Protection: Killing Bacteria Deep Inside a Spacecraft

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

Astrogeology, Mars, Missions & Hardware

No Oxygen Was Required To Make Manganese Oxides Found On Mars

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones

Analytic Frozen Orbits Under The Zonal Harmonics Perturbation From An Earth-like Planet

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Perseverance Rover Starts To Collect Regolith Samples

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

mage: endolithic organism found within Antarctic rocks by NASA Astrobologists.

Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Radiation, Space Stations

A Self-Replicating Radiation-Shield for Human Deep-Space Exploration

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022November 18, 2023

Miles O'Brien (NY City) talks with Keith Cowing (Everest Base Camp) while Scott Parazynski is on the summit of Mt. Everest

Interstellar, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Panspermia

Nanotech Away Missions: Picogram-scale Probes To Explore Nearby Stars

by Keith CowingDecember 28, 2022December 28, 2022

Image: Keith Cowing standing at Everest Base Camp in Nepal holding a container with 4 small moon rocks collected during the Apollo 11 mission. The Moon can be seen overhead. These moon rocks were carried to the summit of Mt. Everest by astronaut Scott Parazynski in May 2009. These moon rocks, plus a piece of the summit of Mt. Everest are now on board the International Space Station.

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy

PHANGS-JWST First Results: Destruction of the PAH molecules in HII regions probed by JWST and MUSE

by Keith CowingDecember 27, 2022December 27, 2022

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids

Ancient Asteroid Grains Provide Insight Into The Evolution Of Our Solar System

by Keith CowingDecember 27, 2022December 27, 2022

Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Stations

Enhanced Assembly Of Bacteriophage T7 Produced In Cell-free Reactions Under Simulated Microgravity

by Keith CowingDecember 27, 2022December 27, 2022

Extreme Arabian Environments And Their Microbiomes: New Frontiers For Astrobiology And Biosignature Discovery

Astrobiology assesses the habitability of planetary bodies and the potential for extraterrestrial life. Analog environments on Earth serve as sites for studying extreme environments that resemble extraterrestrial conditions, aiding in validating life-detection methods, mission instrumentation, and biosignature preservation. These environments function as a source of model microorganisms and communities that define the habitability and biochemistry…

by Keith Cowing April 13, 2026April 13, 2026

From Early Earth to Enceladus – Mineral Electrochemistry Could Drive Organic Synthesis

At some point in Earth’s history, chemistry transitioned from abiotic organic synthesis—the building of more complicated organic molecules from smaller ones by nonbiological means—to biochemistry. Hydrothermal settings are compelling sites for the origins of this transition because they are natural chemical reactors. In this non-equilibrium setting; hot, reduced fluids continuously mix with cold, oxidized seawater…

by Keith Cowing April 13, 2026April 13, 2026

Chang’e Mission Samples Reveal How Exogenous Organic Matter Evolves On The Moon

Elements essential to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur, were “delivered” to the Earth and Moon during the early stages of the Solar System via asteroids and comets impacting their surfaces. These exogenous materials may have provided the chemical building blocks necessary for the origin and early evolution of life on Earth.…

by Keith Cowing April 13, 2026April 13, 2026