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Graphical Abstract -- Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy

Analog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

Microstructural And Biochemical Constraints On Cryptoendolithic Life In Atacama Halite: Implications For Extreme Habitability

by Keith CowingApril 11, 2026April 11, 2026

Halite pinnacles from the Yungay area in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert harbor cryptoendolithic microbial colonies.

Selected pictures of microbial diversity of Gourgouthakas isolated bacteria. (A-B) Initial screenings of sample material prior to purecultures. (C) A “color palette” of isolated microbes from the collection of Gourgouthakas cave. Variaty of colors from yellow, purple and bioiridescent colonies. -- biorxiv.org

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

A Thousand Meters Deep: Vertical Profiling of the Subterranean Microbiome of Gourgouthakas Cave

by Keith CowingApril 11, 2026April 11, 2026

Heatmap analysis of bacterial community composition across cave samples at phylum (A) and class (B) levels. A Euclidean dendrogram visualizes the hierarchical clustering of both samples and taxa. -- Microorganisms via PubMed

Analog Studies, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

Evaluation Of The Bacterial Diversity In The World’s Deepest Cave—Veryovkina, Arabika Massif, Western Caucasus

by Keith CowingApril 10, 2026April 10, 2026

A) Subcluster of viral genomes within the family Microviridae. Network constructed using vConTACT3 and visualized in Cytoscape. Reference nodes are colored by genus (RefSeq and vConTACT3 predictions), while fumarole viruses are colored by sample site. Edges represent genesharing strength. The blue node (phiX174) forms a weakly resolved clade with fumarole viruses in the maximum-likelihood phylogeny based on major capsid protein amino acid sequences. B) Pairwise genome comparisons of RefSeq and fumarole Microviridae using local alignment (MMseqs2). The top row and left column indicate predicted genus assignments (vConTACT3) for fumarole and RefSeq viruses. The top-left quadrant shows RefSeq–RefSeq comparisons; the top-right shows fumarole–RefSeq comparisons (RefSeq colored by genus). The second row (genome source) is colored by fumarole sample site. The star denotes comparisons involving the phiX174 RefSeq genome. -- biorxiv.org

Analog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

Hawaiian Geothermal Fumaroles Contain Diverse and Novel Viruses

by Keith CowingApril 9, 2026April 9, 2026

Correlations of Asgardarchaeota with other microbial lineages in DAN-LK4 microbial mats inferred by co-occurrence network analyses. a, Sankey plot showing positive correlations of Asgard archaeal orders based on normalized USCGs (RPKM) inferred by SparCC alongside their distribution across the redox gradient in the indigenous and mesocosm-maintained microbial mat. The size of boxes is proportional to the relative abundance of Asgard archaea (center) and the number of links with prokaryotic taxa (left) in co-occurrence networks. The relative abundance of the different asgardarchaeal orders is indicated by the thickness of links connecting with the different mat layers (right). -- biorxiv.org

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Redox distribution Of Asgard Archaea And Co-occurring Taxa In Microbial Mats From An Early Proterozoic Ecosystem Analog

by Keith CowingApril 9, 2026April 9, 2026

Chemical processes in molecular clouds, such as grain-surface reactions and reactions in the gas phase, yield fundamental molecules, such as water, methanol, and ammonia. After experiencing further processes induced by energetic particles such as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons and cosmic rays in the pre- or protosolar nebula stage, as well as (hydro)thermal events occurring on Solar System bodies after their formation, further complex organic molecules, such as those found in Bennu, Ryugu, and carbonaceous meteorites, may have been synthesized. (Image credit: NAOJ, NASA).

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Distribution Of Extraterrestrial Nucleobases, Other N-heterocycles, And Their Precursors In A Sample From Asteroid Bennu

by Keith CowingApril 8, 2026April 8, 2026

A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

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A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars

by Keith CowingApril 7, 2026April 7, 2026

Images. (A-B) Purple biofilms dominated by Gloeobacter inside a pit-like feature inside the ERZ, (C-E) green to dark green/purple biofilms found in an open area within the ERZ with various steam vents surrounding it, (F) dried up biofilm inside a cave named “Big Ell” within Kīlauea Caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, (G) dark green biofilms inside a fissure within Big Ell cave, (H) soil samples inside Big Ell -- biorxiv.org

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

Amplicon And Metagenomic Data From Fumarole-associated Geothermal Features Of Hawai’i

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Schematic diagram showing the relative depths of the CROMO well array, Quarry Valley and Core Shed Wells, with reference to the lithostratigraphic levels from CSW1-1 cores. Depth of the well, in meters, is shown below each well in the cartoon. In the field, water levels differed slightly. Stars suggest zones of inferred lateral flow of water from formation in CSW1-4 and QV1-3 . Redrawn after Cardace et al. (2013). -- Frontiers in Microbiology

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Lipid Biomarkers Reveal Dominance Of Aerobic Methanotrophy In A Continental Serpentinizing System

by Keith CowingApril 3, 2026April 3, 2026

Micro-characteristics of 40 mJ × 80 times laser-irradiated Kheneg Ljouâd powders observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). a SEM secondary electron image of irradiated powder. -- astro-ph.EP

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Tianwen-2 Target Asteroid (469219) Kamo’oalewa Probably Develops An Itokawa-compositional But Ultra-highly Space-weathered Surface

by Keith CowingApril 1, 2026April 1, 2026