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Bringing Martian samples to Earth -- preparations outlined in journal Astrobiology
August 14, 2008A critical component of NASA's Mars exploration program involves bringing planetary samples back to Earth for in-depth analysis, plans for which are detailed in the latest issue of Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The report is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/ast
In the published report entitled, "Science Priorities for Mars Sample Return," (http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ast.2008.0759) the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) describes 11 scientific objectives for future missions, which could best be met through extensive analysis of martian samples using the tools and instruments available in state-of-the-art laboratories on Earth. As noted in the paper, "spacecraft instrumentation cannot perform critical measurements such as precise radiometric age dating, sophisticated stable isotopic analyses, and definitive life-detection assays."
Direct access to martian samples would enable subsampling for different types of analysis, as well as sample archiving for future studies. Unlike the situation with meteorite samples from Mars, returned samples could be collected from multiple selected sites with defined contextual information and would represent types of materials that are not present in the meteorite collection. Furthermore, the samples could be packaged and transported under conditions that approximate those found on the martian surface to maintain their integrity.
This issue of Astrobiology also includes a special collection of papers that describe "Instruments for In Situ Exploration of Planets," compiled by Guest Editors Max Coleman and Frank Grunthaner, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena.
"The papers in this collection complement each other to give a fairly comprehensive view of the achievements and issues in this area," write the editors.
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
This issue of Astrobiology also includes a special collection of papers that describe "Instruments for In Situ Exploration of Planets," compiled by Guest Editors Max Coleman and Frank Grunthaner, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena.
"The papers in this collection complement each other to give a fairly comprehensive view of the achievements and issues in this area," write the editors.
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
Astrobiology Current Events and Astrobiology News RSSBeyond sunlight: Explorers census 17,650 ocean species between edge of darkness and black abyss
Census of Marine Life scientists have inventoried an astonishing abundance, diversity and distribution of deep sea species that have never known sunlight - creatures that somehow manage a living in a frigid black world down to 5,000 meters (~3 miles) below the ocean waves.
Banded rocks reveal early Earth conditions, changes
The strikingly banded rocks scattered across the upper Midwest and elsewhere throughout the world are actually ambassadors from the past, offering clues to the environment of the early Earth more than 2 billion years ago.
A new day dawned fast
In 1980, Luis Alvarez and his collaborators stunned the world with their discovery that an asteroid impact 65 million years ago probably killed off the dinosaurs and much of the the world's living organisms. But ever since, there has been an ongoing debate about how long it took for life to return to the devastated planet and for ecosystems to bounce back.
Laser technique has implications for detecting microbial life forms in Martian ice
An innovative technique called L.I.F.E. imaging used successfully to detect bacteria in frozen Antarctic lakes could have exciting implications for demonstrating signs of life in the polar regions of Mars.
NASA Researchers Make First Discovery of Life's Building Block in Comet
NASA scientists have discovered glycine, a fundamental building block of life, in samples of comet Wild 2 returned by NASA's Stardust spacecraft.
Evidence of liquid water in comets reveals possible origin of life
Comets contained vast oceans of liquid water in their interiors during the first million years of their formation, a new study claims.
The minerals on Mars influence the measuring of its temperature
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.
Methane-eating microbes can use iron and manganese oxides to 'breathe'
Iron and manganese compounds, in addition to sulfate, may play an important role in converting methane to carbon dioxide and eventually carbonates in the Earth's oceans, according to a team of researchers looking at anaerobic sediments.
Nickel isotope may be methane producing microbe biomarker
Nickel, an important trace nutrient for the single cell organisms that produce methane, may be a useful isotopic marker to pinpoint the past origins of these methanogenic microbes, according to Penn State and University of Bristol, UK, researchers.
New cleaning protocol for future 'search for life' missions
Scientists have developed a new cleaning protocol for space hardware, such as the scoops of Mars rovers, which could be used on future "Search for Life" missions on other planets.
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An Introduction to Astrobiology by Iain Gilmour (Editor), Mark A. Sephton (Editor) Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astrobiology. It begins with an examination of how life may have arisen on Earth and then reviews the evidence for possible life on Mars, Europa and Titan. The potential for life in exoplanetary systems and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence are also discussed. The text contains numerous useful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. It is also supported by a website hosting further teaching materials. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur enthusiasts as well as undergraduate students. It contains numerous helpful learning... |
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Life in Space: Astrobiology for Everyone by Dr. Lucas John Mix (Author) Life is a property of the universe. We may not know how it began or where else it exists, but we have come to know a great deal about how it relates to stars, planets, and the larger cosmos. In clear and compelling terms, this book shows how the emerging field of astrobiology investigates the nature of life in space. How did life begin? How common is it? Where do we fit in? These are the important questions that astrobiology seeks to answer. A truly interdisciplinary endeavor, astrobiology looks at the evidence of astronomy, biology, physics, chemistry, and a host of other fields. A grand narrative emerges, beginning from the smallest, most common particles yet producing amazing complexity and order. Lucas Mix is a congenial guide through the depths of astrobiology,... |
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Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints (Advances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics) by Dirk Schulze-Makuch (Author), Louis N. Irwin (Author) Energy, chemistry, solvents, and habitats - the basic elements of living systems - define the opportunities and limitations for life on other worlds. This class-tested text examines each of these parameters in crucial depth and makes the argument that life forms we would recognize may be more common in our solar system than many assume. It also considers, however, exotic forms of life that would not have to rely on carbon as basic chemical element, solar energy as a main energy source, or water as primary solvent. Finally the question of detecting bio- and geosignature of such life forms is discussed, ranging from Earth environments to deep space. While speculative considerations in this emerging field of science cannot be avoided, the authors have tried to present their study with the... |
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Astrobiology: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach by Jonathan Lunine (Author) Astrobiology: A Multidisciplinary Approach is the most comprehensive textbook available for emerging upper-level courses in astrobiology. Internationally renowned authority Jonathan Lunine gives students with a variety of backgrounds a solid foundation in the essential concepts of physics, chemistry, biology, and other relevant sciences to help them achieve a well-rounded understanding of the fascinating study of the origin of life, planetary evolution, and life in the cosmos. |
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Astrobiology: A Brief Introduction by Kevin W. Plaxco (Author), Michael Gross (Author) Astrobiology -- the study of the intimate relationship between life and the cosmos -- is a fast-growing field that touches on aspects of cosmology, astrophysics, and chemistry. In the first scholarly overview of this dynamic field, biochemists Kevin W. Plaxco and Michael Gross tell the story of life from the Big Bang to the present. Emphasizing the biochemical nature of astrobiology, Plaxco and Gross examine the origin of the chemical elements, the events behind the developments that made the Universe habitable, and the ongoing sustenance of life. They discuss the formation of the first galaxies and stars, the diverse chemistry of the primordial planet, the origins of metabolism, the evolution of complex organisms, and the feedback regulation of Earth's climate. They also... |
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Extrasolar Planets and Astrobiology by Caleb A. Scharf (Author) This book offers an advanced introduction to the increasingly robust fields of extrasolar planets and astrobiology. No other text currently available applies this level of mathematics and physics, while also providing an extensive grounding in key issues of chemistry, biology, and geophysics. With extensive references to the literature and chapter-ending exercises, this book can be used as the core text for teaching undergraduate or introductory graduate level courses. The text will also provide astrobiologists with an indispensable "User's Manual" when quick reference to key mathematical and physical techniques is needed. A continually updated online component, fully cross referenced with the text, is also available. Foreword by Geoff Marcy. |
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Complete Course in Astrobiology (Physics Textbook) by Gerda Horneck (Editor), Petra Rettberg (Editor) This up-to-date resource is based on lectures developed by experts in the relevant fields and carefully edited by the leading astrobiologists within the European community. Aimed at graduate students in physics, astronomy and biology and their lecturers, the text begins with a general introduction to astrobiology, followed by sections on basic prebiotic chemistry, extremophiles, and habitability in our solar system and beyond. A discussion of astrodynamics leads to a look at experimental facilities and instrumentation for space experiments and, ultimately, astrobiology missions, backed in each case by the latest research results from this fascinating field. Includes a CD-ROM with additional course material. |
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Life in the Universe: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides series- Astrobiology) by Lewis Dartnell (Author) Astrobiology, the study of life and its existence in the universe, is now one of the hottest areas of both popular science and serious academic research, fusing biology, chemistry, astrophysics, and geology. In this masterful introduction, Lewis Dartnell explores its latest findings, and delves into some of the most fascinating questions in science. What actually is 'life'? Could it exist on other planets? Could alien cells be based on silicon rather than carbon, or need ammonia instead of water? Introducing some of the most extreme lifeforms on Earth - those thriving in boiling acid or huddled around deep-sea volcanoes - Dartnell takes us on a tour of the universe to reveal how deeply linked we are to our cosmic environment, and shows why the Earth is so uniquely suited for the... |
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Planets and Life: The Emerging Science of Astrobiology by Woodruff T. Sullivan III (Editor), John Baross (Editor) Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by... |
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The Life and Death of Planet Earth: How the New Science of Astrobiology Charts the Ultimate Fate of Our World by Peter D. Ward (Author), Donald Brownlee (Author) “They deftly bring together findings from many disparate areas of science in a book that science buffs will find hard to put down.” —Publishers Weekly Science has worked hard to piece together the story of the evolution of our world up to this point, but only recently have we developed the understanding and the tools to describe the entire life cycle of our planet. Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee, a geologist and an astronomer respectively, are in the vanguard of the new field of astrobiology. Combining their knowledge of how the critical sustaining systems of our planet evolve through time with their understanding of how stars and solar systems grow and change throughout their own life cycles, the authors tell the story of the second half of Earth’s life. In this... |
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