Discovery of a bacterium 10,000 times larger than normal surprises microbiologists
The living organisms that we see around us are made up of billions or even trillions of cells. Multicellular organisms are often considered…
Category: Astrobiology & Space Science
Why did a bunch of asteroids hit the Earth billions of years ago?
The first cells of life on Earth had a lot to contend with. Conditions were harsh and unpredictable. The air was thick with volcanic gases.…
Future telescopes could search for alien farms
Simulations suggest that the light observed from a distant planet around another star might be able to show evidence of ammonia and nitrous…
A crater lake on Mars was racked by ancient flash floods
One picture from the surface of Mars can tell us an entire story about the history and formation of that place. Often, the similarities and…
Ancient bacteria leave behind fossils, too!
Scientists used genetic technology to identify the different roles of bacteria present in ancient fossil formations called stromatolites.
Salt pools can guide our search for life on other planets
Pink, green, and square-shaped microbes can help us understand the limits of life on Earth and guide our search for life outside the planet.
Bacteria found with superpowers that let them survive in space
Scientists who study how humans might travel through space found a handful of specific genes that give bacteria some cool superpowers.
A detailed look at a rare meteorite
A carbonaceous meteorite that fell in Costa Rica holds organic compounds that are preserved from the earliest stages of our solar system,…
Microbes that eat iron cause bedrock erosion
Are microscopic mineral-eating microbes breaking down our mountains? They may be behind bedrock erosion.
How can we search for life as we don’t know it?
It's hard to look for signs of life beyond Earth. It's a little easier if we assume that life out there is like Earth life. But what if it…