Content with the tag: “extremophiles”
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Opportunities in Microbial Genome Sequencing
Microbial Genome Sequencing Program, Fiscal Year 2009
The National Science Foundation has released details on the final year of the Microbial Genome Sequencing Program. This interagency program supports genome sequencing of microorganisms and the metagenomes of mixed microbial communities. One major goal is to make novel genome sequences more valuable to the research community.
By studying genome sequences, researchers can gain valuable insight into how microorganisms function, live and interact with their environments. This information is invaluable for astrobiologists studying the potential for life on other celestial bodies in the solar system. Investigators in the program are focused on topics...Source: [NSF]
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Life in Transition
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a new initiative from the Biological Sciences Directorate to support emerging interdisciplinary research at the intersection of the life and physical sciences. The program will focus particularly on the fundamental questions of ‘Life in Transition’, including areas relevant to the goals of astrobiology. These areas include “how the living world has and is adapting to and transforming the Earth’s climate, the diverse strategies by which living systems obtain and use energy, and life’s origins and indispensable properties.“
Target and deadline dates for proposals are...Source: [NSF]
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Life's Boiling Point
Some proteins can work above the boiling point of water, but these vital biomolecules may have a harder time evolving at high temperature. A new project is searching for the maximum temperature for protein-based life.
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
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"Alien" Water Bears Amaze Scientists
Tardigrades, commonly known as “water bears”, have been reared under laboratory conditions and subjected to a barrage of tests. Their survivability shows that animals can survive extreme conditions, and also may indicate how humans could adapt to the rigors of space.Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
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Can the Martian Arctic Support Extreme Life?
ABC.com features NASA’s Phoenix lander and the search for life on Mars in a new article on their Technology and Science website. Harkening back to Viking, and citing new discoveries of microbes in Greenland’s glaciers, the article focuses on the need to understand the microbiology of Earth’s extreme environments in order to best search for life on other planets.
Source: [ABC]
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How Low Can Geologists Go?
Scientists have begun the final leg of a five-year, NASA-funded mission to reach the bottom of Cenote Zacatón in Mexico, the world’s deepest known sinkhole.
No one has ever reached bottom and at least one diver has died in the attempt. Scientists want to learn more about Cenote Zacatón’s physical dimensions, the geothermal vents that feed it and the forms of life that exist in its murky depths.
Previous expeditions tested the robotic probe that will make the dive. The Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer, known as DEPTHX, is a tangerine-shaped submarine designed to survey...
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Microbes of the Deep
In this week’s Science, researchers from NAI’s Indiana, Princeton, Tennessee Astrobiology Initiative (IPTAI) and Carnegie Institution of Washington Teams report that they have found an extant microbial biome at 2.8km depth in a South African mine. Analyses showed thermophilic sulfate reducers existing “with no apparent reliance on photosynthetically derived substrates.”
Source: [Link]
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NAI Scientists Successfully Drill into Subglacial Lake
Last month, scientists from NAI’s University of Hawai’i Team, in collaboration with Icelandic research institutes, successfully drilled into and sampled a lake deep beneath a glacier in Iceland. The lake and other subglacial lakes are the focus of studies of life in “extreme environments,” and may resemble potential habitats on Mars and icy satellites in the outer Solar System
Source: [Link]
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Going Deep
Some of the most arresting images of life on our planet have come from the deep-sea world of hydrothermal vents. Massive chimneys belching superheated fluids, colonies of giant crimson-tipped tubeworms swaying in the current, swarms of tiny shrimp, albino crabs. These ecosystems, although isolated from life on the surface, contain a virtual zoo of creatures, thriving under conditions of heat and pressure so extreme that, until the vent communities were discovered in the late 1970s, scientists did not even imagine that they existed.
Perhaps even more fascinating – at least to biologists – has been the cataloging of the microbial...
Biological potential of Mars
Chemistry and biology of ultramafic-hosted alkaline springs
Examination of the Microbial Diversity Found in Ice Cores (Brenchley)
Functional Genomics of Thioredoxins in Halobacterium sp. NRC-1
Interplanetary Pioneers
Microbial diversity and population structure studies in the Rio Tinto
Planetary Habitability
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analysis program) aspartic acid asteroid asteroid 10537 (1991 ry16) asteroids asteroids--dynamics astrobiology astrobiology (journal) astrobiology drilling program astrobiology journal astrobiotechnology astrochemistry astronaut astronomical journal astrophysical journal astrophysical journal letters astrophysics atacama atacama desert atlantis atmosphere atmosphere escape atmosphere evolution atmospheric airglow atmospheric carbon dioxide atmospheric chemistry atmospheric evolution atmospheric formation atmospheric photochemistry atp-binding proteins australia australian centre for astrobiology autotrophic auv avhrr database awards axial volcano subsurface fluids axis bacteria bacterial metagenomes bacteriorhodopsin banded iron formations basaltic basaltic lava basalt tuff basalt weathering binaries binaries: spectroscopic bioastronomy biochemical adaption biochemistry bioenergetics biofilms biogenic mineral structure biogenic molecules biogeochemical cycles biogeochemistry biogeography biological biomarkers biome biomimetic synthesis biosignature biosignatures biosphere-atmosphere interactions biosustaining energy bodonids boethin books borehole brine britian brown dwarfs burgess shale-type ca calcite calcite nano-fibers calcium cambrian canada canyon canyons carbon-13 carbonaceous chondrite carbonate carbonate rocks carbonates carbon chemistry carbon cycle carbon dioxide carbon dioxide ice cargill salt company cassini catalysis catalytic cavity ring-down spectrometer cdna celestial mechanics celestial mechanics – methods: n-body simulations – planets and satellites: general – solar system: celestial mechanics. cells chelation chemical weathering chemin (chemical and mineralogical xrd/xrf instrument) chemoautotrophy chemolithoautotrophs chemostratigraphy chemosynthetic communities chemotrophs chile chimpanzee china chip chiral chlamydomonad chlorophyll concentration chondritic meteorites chrysophyte chrysophytes circumstellar disks circumstellar dust. citations climate climate change climate model climate modeling climate models clouds cnn co-evolution co3 cold environments collaborative technology colors comet cometary comet recovery comets comet wild 2 comics community community software complex life complex organics composition compound specific isotopic analysis computational chemistry conference contamination continental core accretion cork observatories cosmic rays cosmochemistry coupled models cryptoendolith. crystalline water ice curriculum cyanobacteria cycling d/h ratio dance darwin sequence analysis data data analysis database databases data processing techniques dawn ddf decoherence deep biosphere deep impact deep impact extended mission deep marine sediments deep subsurface biosphere deep terrestrial biosphere dehydratases dehydrogenases deinococci denitrifcation depthx desulfobulbus desulforhopalus detection methods: transit photometry deuterium deutertation devonian devon island dice dinosaurs director direct planet detection disk-averaged spectra. disk chemistry disks dissimilatory dissimilatory iron reduction distributed temperature sensor diversity dna dna. dna damage dna sequencing dolomite dolphin drilling dune dust dust flux dwarf star dynamical modeling dynamic global vegetation model dynamics e. coli ea early atmosphere early atmospheres early earth early earth geochemistry early evolution of life early life early mars early planetary system evolution early solar system earth earth’s early biosphere earth's early atmosphere earth's water earth-like planets earth and planetary science letters earth and planetary science letters (journal) earthshine east pacific rise eclipsing ecogenomics ecosystem model edax education electric discharge electrochemistry electrocorrosion electronic arts element fractionation el ni�o embedded star formation enceladus encyclopedia of life endosymbiosis endourance endurance england environments enzyme enzymes eoarchean epimerases epoxi erosion esa ethane eubacteria eukaryote eukaryote evolution eukaryotes eukaryotic-specific primers eukaryotic microbial community europa evaporation evaporite evolution evolution and environment exo-planetary systems exobiology exoplanet exoplanets expose express extra-solar planets extrasolar life extrasolar planet extrasolar planets extraterrestrial extraterrestrial life extreme conditions extreme environment extreme environments extreme life extremeophiles extremephiles extremophiles faint companion farmer fe fe isotopes femtochemistry fiction fieldwork in april of 1999 in the tinto river located in the huelva district of southwestern spain fingerprint fischer-tropsch catalysis flood fluorescence in situ hybridization focus group formation routes forward contamination fossil fossils fracture frogs functional genomics funding fungi fu orionis fuse future of life galaxies galileo galileo extended mission games ganymede gardening gas gas giants gas phase gene expression general genome-genome interaction genome evolution genomes genome sequencing genotype-phenotype geobiology geobiology (journal) geochemical geochemical tca cycle geochemsitry geochronology geology geology (journal) geomicrobiology geophysics geysers giant planet models giant planets glacial ice glacier glaciers glutamic acid gossan grain growth grain surface chemistry great oxidation even great oxidation event greenhouse effect greenland ground currents groundwater gsfc guaymas basin guerrero negro gullies gypsum habitability habitable planets habitable zone habitablity in the universe habitat hadean halophiles handbook of star forming regions hard materials haughton crater hawaii hawaiian volcanic rocks hawaii team haze hd 46375 hd 209458 hematite heterotrophic flagellates high-lakes high-magnesium calcite high angular resolution high contrast highly siderophile elements high ph historical science holmes homochirality horizontal gene transfer hot spots hot springs hubble human human factors hydrate hydrocarbons hydrogen hydrogenase hydrogen metabolism hydrogen peroxide hydrogen sulfide hydrothermal hydrothermal redox pathway hydrothermal vent hydrothermal vent organisms hydrothermal vents hydroxylamine hyperion hypersaline hypersaline ecosystems hypersalinity hyperthermophilic ice ice analogs iceland ices icy satellites idaho igneous rocks image processing impact craters impactites impact melt rocks information technology infrared infrared astrophysics infrared imaging inorganic in situ analysis in situ life detection instrumentation instruments international space station interstellar interstellar chemistry interstellar ice interstellar ices. interstellar medium interstellar molecules interviews in vitro evolution ionizing radiation ion microprobe iron iron –sulfides iron-sulfur enzymes iron-sulfur minerals iron concentrations iron formation iron isotope fractionation iron oxide iron oxidizing bacteria iron reduction kinetics irons-sulfur surfaces iron spectromicroscopy irradation irradiation ir spectroscopy isomerases isotope isotopes isotopic fractionation iss issol jack hills jakoba incarcerata jakoba libera jakobids jarosite journal:earth journal: journal of geophysical research journal of bacteriology journal of the american chemical society jpl jupiter kbo kbo size distribution kepler key nutrient metals kuiper belt kuiper belt objects laboratory laboratory investigation laboratory science lake lakes landsat tm data laser laser desorption lassen lassen volcanic national park late accretion late bombardment ldn 673 left-handed lefty level of analysis lexen program life life and environment life elsewhere in the universe life in extreme life in our solar system life on mars lightning li isotopes lipids liquid liquid chromatography mass spectrometry lithic clasts lithophiles living in the microbial world: summer teacher enhancement - august 1999 lmt low-mass low-mass stars low albedo deposits lunar-like satellites lunar impacts m�ssbauer mafic maghemite magnesite magnet magnetic field magnetic fields magnetic fields - stars magnetite magnets main belt asteroids main belt comets maine malawimonas jakobiformis maps marco polo marine ecology marine sediments eukaryotes mars mars. mars analog mars analog. mars analogs mars analog site mars analogues mars atmosphere mars environmental chamber mars exploration mars express mars glaciers mars global surveyor mars life mars methane mars orbiter mars reconnaissance orbiter mars rovers mars science laboratory mars time mars water martian analogues martian atmosphere martian channels martian dynamo martian meteorites martian oceans mass extinction mass extinctions mbcs m dwarfs m dwarf stars media membranes mercury messenger metabolic chemistry metagenome metagenomics metal isotope fractionation metal sulfides metamorphism meteor meteorite meteorites meteoritic organics meteors meterite meterorites methane methane cycle methanococcus methanogen methanogenesis methanogens methanopyrus methodology mexico micro-oxic environment microbes microbial microbial communities microbial community microbial community population structures microbial diversity microbial ecology microbial ecosystem microbial ecosystems microbial evolution microbial evolutionary processes. microbial geochemistry microbialite microbialites microbial life microbial mat microbial mats microbiology microlensing microorganisms microscopy miller-urey miller-urey experiments mineral biosignature mineralogy mirs missions mitochondria mixed cation carbonates mo model interface models mojave molecular-level computer simulations molecular beam molecular biology and evolution (journal) molecular cloud molecular clouds molecular evolution molecular hydrogen molecular mechanics molecular spectroscopy molecular weight molecules molecules of life molybdenum molybdenum isotope fractionation monocarboxylic acids moon moon and planets moons mrna mro msl msl (mars science laboratory) m star m stars multi-realizable processes multiple-planet system murchison music mutualism mycobacterium tuberculosis mysql nad nai nai arc team nai asu team nai berkeley team nai cal team nai ciw team nai cub team nai gsfc team nai har team nai hawaii team nai iptai team nai mbl team nai minority institution research support nai mit team nai montana team nai msu team nai postdoctoral fellow nai psu team nai seti team nai ua team nai ucb team nai ucla team nai uh team nai uri team nai uw team nai virus focus group nai vpl at jpl nai vpl at jpl team nai vpl at uw team nai wisconsin team nano-fibers nanoparticles nasa arc nasa history nasa jpl nasa tv nasda nature (journal) ndvi variations near near earth asteroid rendezvous nebular organics neoproterozoic neteritics and planetary science (journal) new horizons new planets new york times nitrate nitrite nitrogenase nitrogen cycle nitrogen cycling nitrogen fixation nitrogen reduction non-el ni�o non-lte effects novel proteins npr ntiric oxide nucleic acids nucleobases numerical simulations obituary ocean ocean-bottom ocean crust ocean drilling program oceans odyssey ophiolites opportunity optical microscopy orbital light curves organic organic molecules organics organic synthesis origin of ion channels origin of life origin of transmembrane proteins origins of life origins of protein function orion nebula-like osmium isotopes outer solar system outgassing outreach oven ovens oxidation oxidative stress oxidize acetate anaerobicallly oxygen oxygenic photosynthesis oxygen isotopes ozone ozone production pah paleoproterozoic paleosol pan-starrs parachute parasitism past-ecosystem process model past-sea surface temperature past carbon cycle past net primary production pavilion lake pbs pelagophytes pelobionts perchlorate perldbi permafrost permian peroxy defects phage phenotypic changes philosophy phoenix phoenix mission phospholipid fatty acids phosphorus phosphorus limitation photo-dissociation photochemistry photosynthesis photosynthetic photosynthetic communities photsynthesis phyllosilicate phylogenetic phylogeny physiology pigments placozoa planetary accretion planetary disks planetary dynamics planetary formation planetary geology planetary geologyearly biosphere planetary habitability planetary oxidation planetary protection planetary science planetary systems: formation planetary systems: protoplanetary disks planet formation planet formation. planet detection. planetary dynamics. planet migration planets planets and satellites plankton plant-fungal symbioses plants plasticity plate tectonics. playa pnas podcast polar drilling polar wander poles pollen analysis poly(a)-rna polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons popularization population genetics poster pre–main‐sequence pre-biotic chemistry pre-main sequence stars prebiotic chemistry prebiotic molecules prebiotic soup precambrian precambrian redox environment precambrian research (journal) pre main-sequence - x-rays preservation primer probe proceedings of the national academy of sciences (journal) prokaryote prokaryotes propane protein enzymes protein evolution proteins proteobacteria proterozoic proterozoic-cambrian proterozoic doushantuo formation proterozoic nama group proterozoic sediments proto-metabolism protocells protocellular protocellular catalysts protoplanetary disk ps1 psi_blast psychrotolerant public pyrite pyrosequencing pyroxenes and olivine. pyruvic acid quantifying quantum quantum mechanics quartet radiation radiation chemistry radiative-transfer models radiative transfer radiative transfer model radio radioactivity radiolysis raman microscope raman spectroscopy raman spectroscopy` rdna reclinomonas americana redox redox-sensitive metals redox evolution redox processes reduction remote-sensing remote-sensing techniques remote sensing remote sensing database reptiles ribosomal gene ribosomal rna ribosomal rna phylogeny rio tinto rise of oxygen rna rna display rna world robatic robot robotic robotics robots rover rovers rrna saline salt sam (sample analysis at mars) samples satellites saturn scanning electron microscopy science (journal) scientific american (journal) seafloor weathering sea surface temperature seawater second life sediment sediment-buried basement sediments seepage erosion segan medal serpentinization shoemaker short-lived radionucleides short-lived radionuclides siderite signatures of life silicon isotopes silurian sims sinkhole skaft��rkatlar lake sleep disruption slime world sm-nd snow snowball earth so2 soft materials sogin soil soil moisture soil na soils solar-like young stars solar nebula solar panel solar system solar system: formation solar system chronology solar system ices south africa space shuttle space telescope science institute spark discharge spectral biosignatures spectroscopy spectroscopy. spirit spitzer space telescope spore sr isotopes stability stable isotopes star-formation star and planet formation stardust star formation star forming regions stars stars - x-rays stars: late-type steam atmosphere stellar flares steranes sterols stromatolites sub-permafrost ecosystem subglacial volcanic lake subseafloor subseafloor hyperthermophiles subsurface subsurface biosphere subsurface life subsurface microbiology subterranean plants sulfate sulfate reducing bacteria sulfate reduction sulfide sulfide minerals sulfides sulfidic cave sulfidic mesoproterozoic ocean sulfur sulfuric acid speleogenesis sulfur isotopes sulfur mif sun sun-like stars super-earths super earths supergiant star supergiant stars supertrees surface temperature and relative humidity symbioses symbiosis-specific genes symbiotic synchrotron tardigrade targeted metal uptake tca cycle teachers technology worlds tega temperate-controlled mineral growth templates temporal frameworks teraforming terrestrial terrestrial atmospheres terrestrial planet finder (tpf) terrestrial planet formation terrestrial planets terrestrial subsurface thalassicolla nucleata theoretical/computational chemistry thermal and evolved-gas analyzer thermal emission spectrometer thermometer thermophiles thermus/deinococcus thioredoxins tholins time time-of-flight mass spectrometer timescale timetree tinto river titan titanium transiting planets tree of life tree rings tropical rainforest trunk river tubulins tweets twitter u-tube uk ultramafic ultrasmall cells uncultured archaea underwater united kingdom upsilon andromedae uv uv light uv radiation v733 cephei v1647 orionis vegetation vegetation red edge venus video viking viral metagenomes virus viruses visible-near infrared spectroscopy volatile delivery volatile elements volatile exchange volcanoes voyager vysos vysos (variable young stellar objects survey) wall street journal water water rock interaction weathering web 2.0 website websites well-skeletonized animals wet-chemistry workbook workshop workshop in molecular evolution at woods hole - august 1999 yeast yellowstone young binaries young stellar objects zircon zircons zoe