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How Did Life Arise? Fuel Cells May Have Answers

By Guest PostMarch 16, 2014Scienceanswers, arise, astrobiology, biological catalysts, chimneys, chung kuang lin, development of life, energy, energy for life, fuel cells, how did life, hydrogen gas, ivria doloboff, laurie barge, metal containing enzymes, mystery, NASA, origins of life, solar system, thomas valdez, transfer of electrons

How life arose from the toxic and inhospitable environment of our planet billions of years ago remains a deep mystery. Researchers have simulated the conditions of an early Earth in test tubes, even fashioning some of life’s basic ingredients. But how those ingredients assembled into living cells, and how life was first able to generate energy, remain unknown.

A new study led by Laurie Barge of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., demonstrates a unique way to study the origins of life: fuel cells. (more…)

NASA Receives Mars 2020 Rover Instrument Proposals for Evaluation

By Guest PostJanuary 21, 2014Science2018 exomars rover, 2020, astrobiology, atmosphere, carbon dioxide, electra telecommunication radios, Environment, esa, european space agency, exploration technology, geological assessment, habitability, hazards, human explorers, humans to mars, instrument, john grunsfeld, landing site, mars, mars 2020 rover, mars in 2030s, mars rover, martian dust, michael gazarik, NASA, oxygen, President Obama, red planet, rocket fuel, space exploration, william gerstenmaier

NASA has received 58 proposals for science and exploration technology instruments to fly aboard the agency’s next Mars rover in 2020, twice the usual number submitted for instrument competitions in the recent past, and an indicator of the extraordinary interest in exploration of the Red Planet.

The agency is beginning a thorough review to determine the best combination of science and exploration technology investigations for the mission and anticipates making final selections in the next five months. (more…)

Book explains astrobiology for a general audience

By Guest PostJanuary 13, 2014Scienceacid, acknowledge the wonder, alkaline, astrobiology, d h lawrence, david catling, enceladus, europa, extraterrestrial microbes, geology, icy particles, mars, moon of jupiter, moon of saturn, origin of life, oxford university press, ph, planetary science, plume, political realms, seafloor, solar system, southwest native americans, united states

In the late 1990s, the University of Washington created what was arguably the world’s first graduate program in astrobiology, aimed at preparing scientists to hunt for life away from Earth. In 2001, David Catling became one of the first people brought to the UW specifically to teach astrobiology.

Catling, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences, is the author of Astrobiology: A Very Short Introduction, the 370^th offering in the Oxford University Press series of “very short introduction” books by experts in various fields. Catling was commissioned by editors to write the book, which was published in the United States on Jan. 1. Following are his answers to some questions about the book and astrobiology. (more…)

Life Possible on Extrasolar Moons

By Guest PostJanuary 14, 2013Scienceastrobiology, astrophysics potsdam, benign environment, climatic conditions, earth size, energy source, exomoons, exoplanets, extrasolar moons, extrasolar planets, Germany, greenhouse effect, habitable edge, habitable moons, habitable worlds, habitable zone, issue, jupiter, kepler space telescope, leibniz institute, life, liquid surface water, mars, NASA, orbiting planets, possible, rene heller, rory barnes, solar system, sources of light, stellar illumination, sterile gas giants, theoretical model, theoretical question, tidal heating, university of washington

In their search for habitable worlds, astronomers have started to consider exomoons, or those likely orbiting planets outside the solar system. In a new study, a pair of researchers has found that exomoons are just as likely to support life as exoplanets.

The research, conducted by Rory Barnes of the University of Washington and the NASA Astrobiology Institute and René Heller of Germany’s Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam, will appear in the January issue of Astrobiology. Heller is lead author of the paper. (more…)

Space Life

By Guest PostDecember 7, 2012Scienceask magazine, astrobiology, biology, c elegans, chandran sabanayagam, cubesat projects, dbi, desg, DNA, does life exist, earth, Environment, evolution, microbes, microscopic worms, NASA, physicist, proteins, space life, space research, telemetry, trl3, universe, zero gravity

NASA funds astrobiology research by Delaware Biotechnology Institute scientist

Does life exist anywhere else in the universe? That’s the type of broad but poignant question NASA likes to ask, according to Chandran Sabanayagam, associate scientist in the Bioimaging Center at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI). And he would know, because he’s preparing to help answer it.

NASA will receive $100 billion from the federal government over the next five years to assure America is number one in space exploration, according to Astrobiology.com. As part of its push to seek new partnerships and broaden its vision, NASA is offering grants to people conducting transformational science. With this opportunity, Sabanayagam is merging his love of physics and biology. (more…)

Tag Archives: astrobiology

How Did Life Arise? Fuel Cells May Have Answers

NASA Receives Mars 2020 Rover Instrument Proposals for Evaluation

Book explains astrobiology for a general audience

Life Possible on Extrasolar Moons

Space Life