European Planetary Science Conference Aug 21, 2009
The scientific program comprises more than 30 sessions covering a wide range of planetary topics, including new results from Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Titan and the Moon, planetary protection, astrobiology and habitability of other worlds ... 14:00-17:05: Astrobiology of Mars and Icy Satellites. (NASA Watch)
Major Insight Into Evolution Of Life On Earth Aug 20, 2009
"This work is a major advance in our understanding of how a group of organisms came to be that learned to harness the sun and then effected the greatest environmental change the Earth has ever seen, in this case with beneficial results," said Carl Pilcher, director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, headquartered at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. which co-funded the study with the National Science Foundation. (Science Daily)
'Life chemical' detected in comet Aug 19, 2009
"The discovery of glycine in a comet supports the idea that the fundamental building blocks of life are prevalent in space, and strengthens the argument that life in the Universe may be common rather than rare," commented Dr Carl Pilcher, who leads Nasa's Astrobiology Institute. Glycine has been detected in meteorites before and there are also observations in interstellar gas clouds claimed for telescopes, but the Stardust find is described as a first in cometary material. (BBC News -- Science)
Building Block of Life Found on Comet Aug 19, 2009
"The discovery of glycine in a comet supports the idea that the fundamental building blocks of life are prevalent in space, and strengthens the argument that life in the universe may be common rather than rare," said Carl Pilcher, the director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute in California, which co-funded the research. Glycine and other amino acids have been found in a number of meteorites before, most notably one that landed near the town of Murchison, Australia in 1969, Elsila said. (Newsmax)
New hope for intelligent life elsewhere Aug 14, 2009
Cirkovic and team outline their argument in the June 2009 issue of the journal Astrobiology. 2009 Space. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Martian methane mystery deepens Aug 6, 2009
Dr Michael Mumma, director of Nasa's Goddard Center for Astrobiology and lead author on the previous paper, told BBC News it was vital to understand how methane was destroyed on Mars and to explain how so much of the gas is produced and destroyed so quickly on the Red Planet. Dr Mumma does not rule out a biological explanation for the phenomenon but says it is possible that geology alone could be responsible. (BBC News -- Science)
GSFC Summer Student Presentations Aug 5, 2009
The 2009 Summer Undergraduate Internship in Astrobiology is a ten-week internship in astrobiology held each year at Goddard Space Flight Center. Presenters. (NASA Watch)
Shuttle plumes uncover culprit of 1908 space impact Jul 28, 2009
"Just because it contained water, or ice, does not make it a comet," says asteroid expert David Morrison of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, who was not part of the plume study. "The behavior of the Tunguska impactor was that of a solid compact object," he says. (USA Today -- Tech)
Minerals On Mars Influence Measuring Of Its Temperature Jul 22, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 21, 2009) A team of researchers from the CSIC-INTA Astrobiology Centre in Madrid has confirmed that the type of mineralogical composition on the surface of Mars influences the measuring of its temperature ... Mar;a Paz Mart;n is a researcher at the Astrobiology Centre (the CAB, a CSIC-INTA mixed organisation) and the main author of a study which has just been published by the Journal of Environmental Monitoring. (Science Daily)
For summer star-gazing, campus observatory offers unique view Jul 16, 2009
Dr. Gibbs studies astrobiology, a multi-disciplinary field that brings together scientists in biology, geology, astronomy, physics and chemistry to take a big-picture look at the origins of life in the cosmos. One unique area Gibbs has lectured on is the study of comets and their potential role in the origin of life. (The Current Online, MO)
Minerals on Mars influence the measuring of its temperature Jul 15, 2009
WASHINGTON: In a new study, scientists from the CSIC-INTA Astrobiology Centre in Madrid have confirmed that the type of mineralogical composition on the surface of Mars influences the measuring of its temperature ... "We have confirmed, by means of infrared spectroscopy tests, that the chemical-mineralogical associations on the surface of Mars influence the measuring of the temperature of the Martian soil," explained Maria Paz Martin, a researcher at the Astrobiology Centre, and the mai 00004000... (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Methane-eating Microbes Use Oxides To 'Breathe' Jul 10, 2009
"We do not think that iron and manganese are more important than sulfate reduction today, but they are not trivial components," said House, who is director of Penn State's Astrobiology Research Center ... The National Science Foundation and the NASA Astrobiology Institute supported this work. (Science Daily)
Toy universe may solve mystery of lifes origins Jul 3, 2009
By Leslie MullenAstrobiology Magazine ... Damer muses that "in its ultimate incarnation, a much more powerful EvoGrid would allow us to pose the question: where in this universe or others might life exist and at what level of complexity?" Damer thinks an EvoGrid tuned for SETI and astrobiology could be used to simulate extraterrestrial environments and address the question of whether life could have emerged there. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Nickel isotope may be methane producing microbe biomarker Jun 23, 2009
D. recipient in geosciences and astrobiology and currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Bristol ... "There is a lot of interest in iron and copper isotopes and other metals that microbes use in trace amounts," said Christopher H. House, associate professor of geosciences and director of the Penn State Astrobiology Research Center, part of the NASA Astrobiology Institute ... WUN and the NASA Astrobiology Institute supported this research. (EurekAlert!)
NASA Astrobiology Institute ABGradCon 2009 Jun 2, 2009
The next Astrobiology Graduate Student Conference (AbGradCon) will be held July 17 - 20 2009 at the University of Washington in Seattle. The primary objective of AbGradCon is to improve the future of astrobiology research by bringing together in a unique setting the early-career astrobiologists (graduate students and post-doctoral fellows within 2 years of finishing their Ph. (NASA Watch)
Life on Earth May Have Started Even Earlier May 22, 2009
The modeling work was supported by the NASA Astrobiology Program's Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Department and the NASA Postdoctoral Program ... "Exactly when life originated on Earth is a hotly debated topic," says NASA's Astrobiology Discipline Scientist Michael H. New. (Fox News)
Asteroid Attack 3.9 Billion Years Ago May Have Enhanced Early Life On Earth May 21, 2009
"Exactly when life originated on Earth is a hotly debated topic," says NASA's Astrobiology Discipline Scientist Michael H. New, manager of the Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology program ... The research by Abramov and Mojzsis is sponsored by NASA Astrobiology Program's Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Department and the NASA Postdoctoral Program ... For more information on the NASA Astrobiology Institute visit. (Science Daily)
Study shows asteroids may have accelerated life on Earth May 21, 2009
"Exactly when life originated on Earth is a hotly debated topic," said Michael H. New, the astrobiology discipline scientist and manager of the Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These findings are significant because they indicate that if life had begun before the LHB or some time prior to 4 billion years ago, it could have survived in limited refuges and then expanded to fill our world," New said. (Xinhuanet, China)
> read more May 3, 2009
In an atmosphere that might be described as a Woodstock of Science, some of the best-known researchers and popular science communicators familiar names like Brian Greene, Steven Weinberg, Richard Dawkins, Paul Davies, Craig Venter, and Steven Pinker explored topics from the Big Bang to string theory, from human origins to the roots of consciousness, from evolution to astrobiology. The four-day event was capped by a full day of public lectures at ASUs 3,000-seat Gammage Auditorium,... (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Mathematical Model Used To Explain Viral Extinction Apr 29, 2009
28, 2009) Two researchers from the Spanish Centre of Astrobiology (INTA-CSIC) have developed a mathematical model which demonstrates that a mild increase in the mutation rate of some viruses can reduce their infectivity, driving them to extinction ... "The model we present shows how simple evolutionary mechanisms can cause the extinction of populations of fast mutating pathogens, such as certain viruses," co-author of the study and Centre of Astrobiology researcher Susanna C. Manrubia explained... (Science Daily)
Spotting Distant Worlds from the Backyard Apr 19, 2009
What makes Sally Langford's discovery so remarkable and worthy of reporting in the journal Astrobiology on April 6 is not what she saw, but how she saw it ... Although modern technology has made "exoplanets" commonplace, with almost 350 already known and more found each day, astronomers are still eluded by the holy grail of astrobiology signs of a planet capable of supporting life like our own. (Time.com)
Shedding light on exoplanet hunt Apr 16, 2009
The study will be published in the journal Astrobiology. The idea rests on a distant star's light skimming off an exoplanet's surface and toward the Earth in a so-called specular reflection. (BBC News -- Science)
DNA Origami Seeds Control Complex Nucleation Processes Apr 10, 2009
The work was supported by grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's astrobiology program, the National Science Foundation, and the Focus Center Research Program, and a gift from Microsoft Research. Journal reference. (Science Daily)
Earthshine Reflects Earth's Oceans And Continents From The Dark Side Of The Moon Apr 9, 2009
The paper is published in this week s edition of the international journal Astrobiology ... Astrobiology, 2009; 090406045512046 DOI. (Science Daily)
Caltech scientists control complex nucleation processes using DNA origami seeds Apr 9, 2009
The work was supported by grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's astrobiology program, the National Science Foundation, and the Focus Center Research Program, and a gift from Microsoft Research. Visit the Caltech Media Relations website at. (EurekAlert!)
Astrobiology Workshop: Open Questions on the Origins of Life Apr 8, 2009
SpaceRef - Space News as it Happens. Wednesday, April 8, 2009. (NASA Watch)
Gamma ray burst may strike again Apr 6, 2009
But the study, which has been submitted to the International Journal of Astrobiology, isnt necessarily sending other astrophysicists into a panic. There is certainly no harm in looking at what a gamma-ray burst might do if it were close enough to us, as this author has done. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Gamma-Ray Burst Caused Mass Extinction? Apr 4, 2009
But the study, which has been submitted to the International Journal of Astrobiology, isn't necessarily sending other astrophysicists into a panic. "There is certainly no harm in looking at what a gamma-ray burst might do if it were close enough to us, as this author has done. That's the way science works," said David Thompson, a NASA astrophysicist and deputy project director on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. (National Geographic)
Science: Plants and animals crowd equator Apr 3, 2009
Their paper appears in an upcoming issue of Astrobiology Journal. Making the gradientThe LDG was first documented 200 years ago, and several explanations for this phenomenon have been put forth. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Does Prebiotic Material Exist In Outer Space? Mar 29, 2009
"We have proved in the laboratory that an organic material of prebiotic interest known as yellow stuff possesses a very characteristic absorption band that can be searched for in zones in space which have dust grains in order to try and identify similar substances", Guillermo Mu;oz, a researcher at the Centre for Astrobiology (INTA-CSIC), points out to SINC.. The scientist explains that the dust grains observed in the interstellar clouds and around the young stars are usually "surrounded by tiny... (Science Daily)
Deep-sea Rocks Point To Early Oxygen On Earth Mar 26, 2009
The NASA Astrobiology Institute supported this work. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
Asteroid Impact Helps Trace Meteorite Origins Mar 26, 2009
Rumble's work was funded by NASA Cosmochemistry grant NNX07AI48G. Steele was supported by NASA's Sample Return Laboratory Instruments and Data Analysis Program (SRLIDAP) , NASA's Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program , and the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). Journal reference. (Science Daily)
Mars program faces turning point Mar 24, 2009
Mars is now in competition for the position of primary astrobiology target with other worlds particularly Saturn's moons Titan and , McKay argues ... McKay believes that for Mars to retain a special place in exploration, the rationale for studying the place is not driven purely by science astrobiology or planetary. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Secret Of Life Clues Found In Meteorite Dust Mar 18, 2009
The research was funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, the NASA Cosmochemistry program, and the NASA Astrobiology: Exobiology, and Evolutionary Biology program. Journal reference. (Science Daily)
Profile: Malcolm Walter Mar 15, 2009
Walter, 64, is the director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology at the University of NSW (aca ... It's only been over the past decade that Walter has become a full-time academic, setting up his astrobiology research group first at Macquarie University and then moving it to UNSW last year ... Biggest achievement Setting up the Australian Centre for Astrobiology at Macquarie University in 2001 [it's now at the University of NSW. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Lecture on Darwin and the Origin of Life Mar 12, 2009
Employees and members of the public are invited to attend this free public lecture sponsored by Ames and the NASA Astrobiology Institute ... About the Speaker: Dr. James Strick is an Associate Professor, science historian, and author in the Department of Earth and Environment at Franklin all College in Lancaster, PA. Dr. Strick's interests are centered on the history of biology and the environmental sciences with research focuses on the history of ideas relating to the origin of life,... (NASA Watch)
The mission: Pinpoint other planets like Earth Mar 7, 2009
The Kepler space telescope, to be launched from Cape Canaveral tonight, will seek to find the Holy Grail of astrobiology ... "It's the Holy Grail of astrobiology," said University of Washington astronomer Donald Brownlee, one of the researchers involved in the mission. (Globe and Mail)
NRL astronomers selected for NASA's Lunar Science Institute Mar 5, 2009
The NLSI opened in April 2008 and the facility is modeled after the NASA Astrobiology Institute, also based at Ames. That institute is a virtual facility that has successfully sustained a productive research program for more than a decade. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Highest Microbial Systems Fueled By Volcanoes Mar 4, 2009
Schmidt, who likened the high Andes to the harsh Dry Valleys of Antarctica under study by researchers from NASA's Astrobiology Institute because of their hostile, arid conditions, said the new research also provides information on how the cold regions of Earth function and how they may respond to future climate change. Research in such extreme environments could lead to the discovery of new antibiotics and other products. (Science Daily)
Meet Stanford's Pac-10 Wrestling Contingent Feb 27, 2009
I got paid to blow stuff up My sports hero growing up was: I was a nerd, my hero was Yoda My favorite class at Stanford has been: Introduction to Astrobiology Something people would be surprised to know about me: I own a grappling hook in hopes that I will have to use it one day My favorite thing to do on campus is: Eat at Jimmy V's My favorite spot in the Bay Area: The living room of 24 Amherst Avenue I'm afraid of: Spiders Over the summer, I: Worked with a hedge fund. - SO, 157 Pounds. (Gostanford.com)
Life From Ancient Hot Springs On Mars? Feb 21, 2009
"Hot spring deposits are key target areas for future Mars missions," says Sherry L. Cady, PhD, Editor of Astrobiology and Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at Portland State University ... Astrobiology, 2008; 8 (6): 1093 DOI. (Science Daily)
Facts of the Matter: Doomsayers retain doubt, ignore science Feb 16, 2009
One writer to NASA's Astrobiology Institute Web site claimed that we are already experiencing pre-apocalyptic effects such as shortening of the day from 24 to 16 hours, that being the reason why the days seem to go faster as we get older ... One writer to NASA's Astrobiology Institute Web site claimed that we are already experiencing pre-apocalyptic effects such as shortening of the day from 24 to 16 hours, that being the reason why the days seem to go faster as we get older. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Details emerge on possible Mars hot springs Feb 14, 2009
Mounds on Mars that could be from ancient hot springs are described in a new study, after setting the astrobiology community abuzz last spring ... The findings, announced today, are detailed in the new issue of the journal Astrobiology, and were presented last April. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Alien Census: Can We Estimate How Much Life Is Out There? Feb 11, 2009
In by the International Journal of Astrobiology, graduate student Duncan Forgan of the in Scotland set up a numerical model of the universe under different scenarios of biogenesis. His model relies on current observational knowledge of stars and planetary systems, as well as some assumptions about the viability of life and its ability to evolve into an advanced, intelligent form. (Scientific American)
Health and Science Briefs Feb 10, 2009
The event is part of a free community lecture series sponsored by MSU s Thermal Biology Institute and the NASA-funded MSU Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center. Hors d oeuvres and beverages will be served prior to the lecture. (Helena Independent Record)
Alien life forms 'out there' - and there could be thousands Feb 7, 2009
The work is reported in the International Journal of Astrobiology. Even with the higher of the two estimates, however, it is not very likely that contact could be established with alien worlds. (BBC News -- Science)
Earliest Evidence For Animal Life Discovered: Fossil Animal Steroids Date Back More Than 635 Million Years Feb 7, 2009
The four-year study was funded by Petroleum Development Oman; the NASA Exobiology Program; the National Science Foundation Division of Earth Sciences; the Agouron Institute; and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
