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New Study Reveals Incredible Microbial Life Deep Under Earth’s Surface
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed the extensive microbial life thriving beneath Earth's surface. The research led by Emil Ruff uncovers diverse ecosystems at depths of up to 4,375 metres, challenging previous assumptions about energy limitations in deep environments. It also suggests that Earth's subsurface microbes ...
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Did Venus Ever Have Oceans? Scientists Have An Answer
Earth is an ocean world, with water covering about 71% of its surface. Venus, our closest planetary neighbor, is sometimes called Earth's twin based on their similar size and rocky composition.
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Evidence of Hot Water on Mars Found in Ancient Meteorite From Early Days of Solar System
Evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars has been found in a 4.45-billion-year-old zircon grain from the NWA7034 meteorite. The findings, detailed in Science Advances, reveal that hydrothermal systems were active on Mars during the Pre-Noachian period. Researchers suggest these systems, essential for life on Earth, could have made Mars habita...
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Space Debris Accumulation in the Stratosphere Threatens Major Environmental Risks
The growing presence of satellite space junk, as more satellites enter Earth's orbit, has raised concerns about environmental impacts. Pollution from burnt-up satellites contributes to changes in atmospheric chemistry, with metals like aluminium potentially harming the ozone layer. Scientists warn that satellite re-entries are contributing to a ris...
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Octopuses May Become Earth's Next Dominant Species if Humans Go Extinct, Claims New Study
Experts believe octopuses could rise as the dominant species on Earth if humans were to face extinction, due to factors like climate change or war. With their advanced intelligence, adaptability, and ability to use tools, octopuses are seen as prime candidates for developing complex societies. While unlikely to fully adapt to land life, they could ...
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To Better Understand Why Sun Gets Angry, India To Build Massive Solar Telescope In Ladakh
The Sun is the harbinger of life on Earth, but we understand so little of our nearest star. The Sun occasionally gets very angry; it then unleashes massive solar storms that take down or burn satellites and electronic equipment on Earth.
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Colossal Meteorite Impact 3 Billion Years Ago May Have Boosted Early Life on Earth
Around 3.26 billion years ago, a giant meteorite, 200 times larger than the one that killed the dinosaurs, struck Earth. This impact stirred up nutrients from the ocean floor, like phosphorus and iron, that may have given early microbes a much-needed boost. While the event was likely catastrophic for some life forms, it also created opportunities f...
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Mega Meteorite, 4 Times The Size Of Mount Everest, May Have Sparked Life On Earth: Study
This immense rock slammed into Earth, boiling the oceans and unleashing a record-breaking tsunami.
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Phosphorus Grains in Ryugu Samples Offer Insights into Earth’s Early Life Chemistry
Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...
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How Rainwater Helped Stabilise Early Cells, Enabling Life's Complexity on Earth
Recent research led by Aman Agrawal, in collaboration with experts from the University of Chicago and University of Houston, uncovers the potential role rainwater played in stabilising protocells on early Earth. Their findings show how this helped prevent RNA leakage and uncontrolled mixing, allowing the formation of stable genetic material. This n...
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Animal Life Discovered Underground Near Hydrothermal Vents in the Deep Pacific Seabed
Recent deep-sea explorations have unveiled a remarkable ecosystem thriving beneath the Pacific Ocean's floor. Scientists deployed a remotely operated vehicle to investigate hydrothermal vent sites along the East Pacific Rise, where two tectonic plates diverge. Beneath the seafloor, they discovered cavities harboring giant tubeworms—the largest wo...
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NASA's Study Suggests Life Could Thrive Beneath Ice in Mars
NASA's latest study proposes that meltwater beneath Mars' icy surface could sustain microbial life. Researchers utilised advanced computer modelling to demonstrate that sunlight can penetrate water ice enough to allow photosynthesis in shallow meltwater pools. These pools, which may form in the Martian tropics, could provide a protective environmen...
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El Nino and Massive Volcanic Eruptions Triggered Mass Extinction of Life 250 Million Years Ago
The worst mass extinction in Earth's history, 250 million years ago, was triggered by extreme El Niño events and volcanic eruptions in Siberia. These eruptions released vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing severe climate changes. The warming environment led to the death of 90% of species on land and in the oceans. While this...
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Ancient Viral Genomes in Glaciers Reveal Pathogens’ Climate Adaptation Over 41,000 Years
Researchers from The Ohio State University have uncovered how ancient viruses preserved in glacier ice have adapted to Earth's shifting climate over the past 41,000 years. By analysing viral genomes from the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, the study reveals significant variations in viral communities between cold and warm climatic periods. T...
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Discover LUCA: The 4.2 Billion-Year-Old Ancestor of All Life on Earth
Recent research has revealed that LUCA, the last universal common ancestor of all life, lived around 4.2 billion years ago. This new estimate pushes back the timeline for the origin of life by 300 million years. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, involved analysis of genes from 700 species of bacteria and archaea, as well as ancien...
-
New Study Reveals Incredible Microbial Life Deep Under Earth’s Surface
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed the extensive microbial life thriving beneath Earth's surface. The research led by Emil Ruff uncovers diverse ecosystems at depths of up to 4,375 metres, challenging previous assumptions about energy limitations in deep environments. It also suggests that Earth's subsurface microbes ...
-
Did Venus Ever Have Oceans? Scientists Have An Answer
Earth is an ocean world, with water covering about 71% of its surface. Venus, our closest planetary neighbor, is sometimes called Earth's twin based on their similar size and rocky composition.
-
Evidence of Hot Water on Mars Found in Ancient Meteorite From Early Days of Solar System
Evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars has been found in a 4.45-billion-year-old zircon grain from the NWA7034 meteorite. The findings, detailed in Science Advances, reveal that hydrothermal systems were active on Mars during the Pre-Noachian period. Researchers suggest these systems, essential for life on Earth, could have made Mars habita...
-
Space Debris Accumulation in the Stratosphere Threatens Major Environmental Risks
The growing presence of satellite space junk, as more satellites enter Earth's orbit, has raised concerns about environmental impacts. Pollution from burnt-up satellites contributes to changes in atmospheric chemistry, with metals like aluminium potentially harming the ozone layer. Scientists warn that satellite re-entries are contributing to a ris...
-
Octopuses May Become Earth's Next Dominant Species if Humans Go Extinct, Claims New Study
Experts believe octopuses could rise as the dominant species on Earth if humans were to face extinction, due to factors like climate change or war. With their advanced intelligence, adaptability, and ability to use tools, octopuses are seen as prime candidates for developing complex societies. While unlikely to fully adapt to land life, they could ...
-
To Better Understand Why Sun Gets Angry, India To Build Massive Solar Telescope In Ladakh
The Sun is the harbinger of life on Earth, but we understand so little of our nearest star. The Sun occasionally gets very angry; it then unleashes massive solar storms that take down or burn satellites and electronic equipment on Earth.
-
Colossal Meteorite Impact 3 Billion Years Ago May Have Boosted Early Life on Earth
Around 3.26 billion years ago, a giant meteorite, 200 times larger than the one that killed the dinosaurs, struck Earth. This impact stirred up nutrients from the ocean floor, like phosphorus and iron, that may have given early microbes a much-needed boost. While the event was likely catastrophic for some life forms, it also created opportunities f...
-
Mega Meteorite, 4 Times The Size Of Mount Everest, May Have Sparked Life On Earth: Study
This immense rock slammed into Earth, boiling the oceans and unleashing a record-breaking tsunami.
-
Phosphorus Grains in Ryugu Samples Offer Insights into Earth’s Early Life Chemistry
Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...
-
How Rainwater Helped Stabilise Early Cells, Enabling Life's Complexity on Earth
Recent research led by Aman Agrawal, in collaboration with experts from the University of Chicago and University of Houston, uncovers the potential role rainwater played in stabilising protocells on early Earth. Their findings show how this helped prevent RNA leakage and uncontrolled mixing, allowing the formation of stable genetic material. This n...
-
Animal Life Discovered Underground Near Hydrothermal Vents in the Deep Pacific Seabed
Recent deep-sea explorations have unveiled a remarkable ecosystem thriving beneath the Pacific Ocean's floor. Scientists deployed a remotely operated vehicle to investigate hydrothermal vent sites along the East Pacific Rise, where two tectonic plates diverge. Beneath the seafloor, they discovered cavities harboring giant tubeworms—the largest wo...
-
NASA's Study Suggests Life Could Thrive Beneath Ice in Mars
NASA's latest study proposes that meltwater beneath Mars' icy surface could sustain microbial life. Researchers utilised advanced computer modelling to demonstrate that sunlight can penetrate water ice enough to allow photosynthesis in shallow meltwater pools. These pools, which may form in the Martian tropics, could provide a protective environmen...
-
El Nino and Massive Volcanic Eruptions Triggered Mass Extinction of Life 250 Million Years Ago
The worst mass extinction in Earth's history, 250 million years ago, was triggered by extreme El Niño events and volcanic eruptions in Siberia. These eruptions released vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing severe climate changes. The warming environment led to the death of 90% of species on land and in the oceans. While this...
-
Ancient Viral Genomes in Glaciers Reveal Pathogens’ Climate Adaptation Over 41,000 Years
Researchers from The Ohio State University have uncovered how ancient viruses preserved in glacier ice have adapted to Earth's shifting climate over the past 41,000 years. By analysing viral genomes from the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, the study reveals significant variations in viral communities between cold and warm climatic periods. T...
-
Discover LUCA: The 4.2 Billion-Year-Old Ancestor of All Life on Earth
Recent research has revealed that LUCA, the last universal common ancestor of all life, lived around 4.2 billion years ago. This new estimate pushes back the timeline for the origin of life by 300 million years. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, involved analysis of genes from 700 species of bacteria and archaea, as well as ancien...
