Day 1 - 5.12.2024
Time [CET]
Event
17:20
Opening and Introduction
17:40
Session - Biosignatures and Search for Life
Laura Sánchez – Garcia
Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
A fundamental point in astrobiology exploration is to be capable to detect unambiguous signs of a putative extraterrestrial life, either present or past. In the particular case of Mars, the most likely scenario for life is the past, given the most habitable conditions existing in the Noachian and early Hesperian, when the climate was wetter and warmer than today [1]. However, detecting ancient life is a tremendous challenge, not only beyond the Earth, but also within, as its features can easily loss their diagnostic value through alteration during diagenesis [2]. Understanding the effects and extent of taphonomic processes on biomarker degradation is crucial to identify preservational biases in the fossil record, key information to guide biosignature search strategies in astrobiology. One of most compelling biomarkers for astrobiology are the cell membrane-derived lipids because, besides their ubiquity in terrestrial life, their hydrocarbon skeletons are the most resistant against diagenesis, resulting in geopolymers that are able to persist for billions of years [3]. Here I present results from two complementary studies addressing the search for molecular and isotopic fingerprints of life of two Martian analogs and the evaluation of the progressive alteration of lipid biosignatures in the transition towards the fossil record. In the first study, two extreme environments from the Ladakh desertic region of the Indian Himalayas are explored for their ecological interest as high-altitude systems reproducing physico-chemical conditions relevant to Mars. The Puga hot springs represents a prebiotic analog, where a 4410 m high hydrothermal system discharges near-neutral water rich in boron. The shallow and alkaline brine lake Tso Kar (4535 masl) represents a Martian paleolake analog. In both systems, the poorly-characterized biogeochemistry [4] was investigated, and the prevailing biosources and associated metabolic pathways identified. The lipid biomarkers profiles characteristic of each analogous scenarios were built as a benchmark for recognizing traces of possible life in equivalent environments on Mars. In the second study, an in-depth qualitative and quantitative assessment of lipid biomarker taphonomy was accomplished across a lithification gradient in an environment analogous to early Earth and Mars. Pozo Bravo is a high-altitude lake in La Puna (Argentinean Andes) meeting a series of extreme conditions (i.e. high UV irradiation, aridity, hypersalinity, low oxygen pressure, daily temperature fluctuations, and strong winds; [5]) that establish the volcanically-influenced area not only as a suitable primitive Earth analogue [6], but also as a Noachian Mars analogue, where saline lagoons were presumed to exist [7]. Combining molecular and stable-carbon isotopic analysis, we evaluated how lipid biomarkers from a soft microbial mat – acknowledged as a microbe-rich representative of the biosphere – evolve toward the geosphere as governed by the mechanisms of (early) diagenesis, with the objective of assessing their molecular and isotopic fingerprints once in the fossil record. To analyze this bio-to-geo transition, we scrutinize the lipid profile of a soft mat representative of the biosphere, a microbialite as the geo end-member of the lithification gradient, and a lithifying microbial mat representing the transition from the bio- to the geosphere (i.e., the process of mineralization while still growing at a substantially lesser extent).
References:
[1] Fairén, A.G. et al., (2010). Astrobiology 10, 821-843. DOI: 10.1089/ast.2009.0440.
[2] Brocks, J.J. et al., (2008). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72 (2008) 1396–1414. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2007.12.006.
[3] Vinnichenko, G. et al., 2020. Geobiology 18, 544–559; doi: 10.1111/gbi.12390.
[4] Pandey, S. et al 2019. International Journal of Astrobiology, 1-21 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550419000119.
[5] Lencina, A.I. et al. (2021). J Sediment Res 2021;91(12):1305–1330; doi: 10.2110/jsr.2020.166.
[6] Vignale F. et al., (in prep). Biogeochemical insights into a modern microbialite reef analogue for early Earth biostructures.
[7] Cabrol and Grin, 2001. Icarus 2001;149(2):291–328; doi: 10.1006/icar.2000.6530.
Amritpal Singh Chaddhaa,b, Sunil Kumar Shuklaa, Kamlesh Kumara,b, Vivesh vir Kapura, Anupam Sharmaa,b, Binita Phartiyala, M.G. Thakkara
a Earth and planetary Exploration Group (EPEG), Birbal Sahni institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, India
b Geochemistry laboratory, Birbal Sahni institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, India
The concept of habitability has evolved significantly over the past few decades, driven by increasing knowledge of microbial life in extreme environments on Earth1. In assessing a planet’s potential to support life, there is an urgent need to develop techniques capable of identifying and differentiating false biosignatures within geological matrices. It is essential to recognize the synergistic effects of biotic and abiotic factors, as habitats and organisms co-evolve over time. Hot springs, known to host organisms such as Cyanobacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes, provide environments where temperature and minerals play critical roles in supporting life, offering analogues conditions on Mars and thus attracting astrobiological research2.
A recent study on the Puga hot spring in Ladakh suggests that diatoms found in sinter samples were primarily deposited in cold water, rather than surviving in the “hot” conditions of hot spring environment3. However, this finding requires further confirmation through geochemical analysis. Our X-ray diffraction analysis of the same sinter sample reveals the dominance of biogenic calcite crystals, which show anisotropic lattice distortions, typical of biogenic origins, compared to geological or synthetic counterparts4. For the first time, in this study we have applied X-ray powder diffraction analysis and lattice parameter calculations to the geyserite sinter, demonstrating calcite crystal formation as a result of biologically controlled biomineralization. This biogenic calcite suggests that the microorganisms likely thrived in colder waters, complementing previous biotic studies. We propose that this biogenic calcite, found in sinter samples, represents a secondary deposition in cold environments and should be considered a “false biosignature” and should be used cautiously when correlated with survival of these life forms in extreme “hot” hot spring conditions particularly in cold environments similar to Ladakh, India.
References: 1. Cayol, J. L., Ollivier, B., Alazard, D., Amils, R., Godfroy, A., Piette, F., & Prieur, D. Environmental Microbiology: Fundamentals and Applications: Microbial Ecology, 353-394 (2015). 2. Brock, T.D. Science 158, 1012-1019 (1967). 3. Shukla, S.K., Chaddha, A.S., Kumar, K., Sharma, A., Pandey, S.K., Kapur, V.V., Phartiyal, B., Shivam, A., Dabhi, A. and Bhushan, R., Authorea Preprints (2023). 4. Pokroy, B., Quintana, J., Caspi, E., Berner, A., Zolotoyabko, E. Nature Mater 3, 900–902 (2004).
Radoslaw Piasta
a Warsaw University
Rudolf Virchow in 1855 wrote that “life will always remain something apart, even if we should find out that it is mechanically aroused and propagated down to the minute detail”. The lack of consensus regarding the definition of life almost two centuries later proves his words to be strikingly relevant today. Although, as living creatures, we have imprinted awareness about what is life and what is not, the problem is far from trivial. In my presentation, I will explore several prominent definitions of life, examining the ideas behind them and the challenges they encounter. As life even studied down to a minute detail still remains something hard to grasp in all its glory.
Reference:
- Virchow RL. Die cellularpathologie. A. Hirschwald; 1855.
19:00
Networking Break
19:40
Plenary Lecture - Public Event
Does life need water?
The possibility of alternative biochemistry
in concentrated sulfuric acid as a solvent
by Janusz Pętkowski
Streaming on YouTube
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Life is a complex, dynamic chemical system that requires a dense fluid solvent in which to take place. A common assumption is that the most likely solvent for life is liquid water, and some researchers argue that water is the only plausible solvent. However, a persistent theme in astrobiological research postulates that other liquids might be cosmically common, and could be solvents for the chemistry of life. One such potential alternative solvent is concentrated sulfuric acid.
Recent renewed interest regarding the possibility of life in the Venusian sulfuric acid clouds has led to new studies on organic chemistry in this aggressive solvent. In my talk I will present the newest, unexpected results on the stability and reactivity of complex organic chemicals in concentrated sulfuric acid and discuss the potential for biochemistry in this usual solvent.
20:40
Networking Break
21:00
Session - Synthetic & Gravitational Biology Part I.
Jorge Díaz-Rullo
Department of Molecular Evolution. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain
Perchlorate is a toxic compound with a major interest in astrobiology due to its abundance in the Martian regolith and its hygroscopic activity, allowing for the formation of liquid salt brines even at very low temperatures. Therefore, we decided to search for novel perchlorate resistance genes in microorganisms exposed to perchlorate from sediments of a hypersaline lake in Atacama Desert (Salar de Maricunga, Chile), a Martian analogue. For that purpose, and considering that less than 1% of microorganisms are culturable, we used the culture-independent technique called functional metagenomics. Environmental DNA was isolated from Atacama samples and a metagenomic library was constructed using Escherichia coli DH10B as host. This library was screened for resistance to perchlorate, which allowed the identification of diverse genes responsible for perchlorate resistance. One of those genes, pJR12-orf2, encoded for a protein highly similar to the queuosine (Q) biosynthetic enzyme QueF. Due to the physiological role of Q remained elusive in bacteria, we decided to explore the role of Q more in detail.
Q is present at the wobble anticodon position of certain transfer RNAs (tRNAs) of bacteria. It is known that tRNA modifications are crucial for fine-tuning of protein translation, and tRNA Q-modification was thought to modulate NAU codons translation rate. Therefore, we hypothesize that Q-tRNAs control those physiological processes involving NAU codon-enriched genes (Q-genes). Here, we report a novel bioinformatic strategy to predict Q-genes, revealing an enrichment in functions especially related to biofilm formation and virulence widely in bacteria, and particularly in human pathogens. Indeed, we experimentally verified that these processes were significantly affected by altering the degree of tRNA Q-modification in different model bacteria, representing the first report of a general mechanism controlling biofilm formation and virulence in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria possibly through the coordination of the expression of functionally related genes. In addition, the promotion of biofilm formation by Q may explain that this tRNA modification has been associated to resistance towards different stress, such as perchlorate. Our findings open the door to the control of bacterial infections and biofilm formation by inhibition of tRNA Q-modification.
Garrett A. Roberts Kingmana, Lynn J. Rothschildb
a Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, NASA Ames Research Center
b NASA Ames Research Center, Planetary Systems Branch, Moffett Field, CA
As we look to assess the potential habitability of other worlds, we are fundamentally limited by only being able to study terrestrial life adapted to terrestrial conditions. The environments found on Earth, though tremendously diverse, do not approach the incredible multitude of potentially habitable environments beyond Earth, and so the failure of terrestrial life to thrive under many of these conditions tells us little about the fundamental biochemical limits of life. One approach to this problem is to use experimental laboratory evolution to adapt microbes to these novel environmental conditions.
We expand on this approach by using functional metagenomics to exploit Earth’s immense biological diversity with high-throughput screening for genetic tools that can facilitate adaptation to these environmental challenges. In particular, we address a key gap in previous functional metagenomics work and explore the impact of the experimental parameters chosen for functional metagenomics libraries. Each entry in the library consists of a plasmid backbone containing a fragment of extremophile genomic DNA. Experimental design dictates the fragment size and the copy number of the resultant plasmid, and we show that both can have outsized effects on the efficacy of the introduced genetic material in producing desired phenotypes in non-intuitive ways. For example, the optimal fragment size may be substantially larger than the size of the causative gene, and increasing dosage of the causative gene may actually reduce environmental tolerances. We also show the impact of utilizing multiple such genetic tools in conjunction to further expand environmental tolerances. These results highlight the potential of functional metagenomics for adapting life rapidly to challenging new environments, with important implications in both astrobiology and bioindustry, while also emphasizing the impacts of decisions in experimental design.
Adamczyka, T. Zajkowskia,b,c, A. Kołodziejczyka,d, M. Krzekc,d, e
a AGH University of Cracov, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracov, Poland
b Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 1001 4th Ave, Suite 1006, Seattle, WA 98154, United States
c Polish Astrobiology Society, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
d The Analog Astronaut Training Center, Koło Strzelnicy 8A, 30-219 Cracov, Poland
e ECHIA Lab, Józefa Marcika 27, 30-443 Cracov, Poland
Protein aggregation towards fibrils has been extensively studied since this phenomenon contributes to amyloid disease etiology and is used in biomaterials preparation [1], [2]. Mass transfer next to the air-water interface plays a pivotal role during this process. For fibrilization, few reports show the influence of low-complex mass transfer types. While looking at the micro-scale mass transfer, the gravitational level is pivotal since it alters movements of higher and lower density masses around the evolving solute [3] and further probability of their interactions. Until now, very few reports describe the gravity effect on fibril formation [4]–[6] and the studies published start from fully homogenous solutions which includes nucleation phase.
The influence of DNA presence is of great relevance in understanding diseases etiology in which proteins fibrilization is involved including diabetes and neurogenerative diseases e.g. Parkinson’s [7].
Our study addresses the effect of rpm machine-generated microgravity on protein and peptides aggregation pathway selection for homogenous and initially temperature-destabilized solutions in the presence and absence of DNA. The findings have shown that microgravity was more detrimental fibrilization factor for the selection of aggregation after initial destabilization of homogeneous solution. For homogenous solution the dominant factor pathway selection had DNA presence and microgravity modulated the final morphology. Our contribution will discuss further details
References:
- Researcher, A. Scientist, J. Phys. Chem. 15, 1-12 (2020). 1. G. Wei et al., Chem. Soc. Rev. 46, 4661–4708 (2017).
- V. N. Uversky, A. L. Fink, Biochim. Biophys. Acta – Proteins Proteomics, 1698, 131–153 (2004).
- K. Jackson et al., Crystals, 14 (2024).
- M. Krzek, et al., Biomolecules, 12 (2022).
- J. Zhou et al., Chem. Sci., 11 3687–3693, (2020).
- D. Bell et al., Gravitational Sp. Res., 6, 10–26 (2018).
- T.J. Litberg, S. Horowitz, ACS Chem. Biol. 19, 809–823 (2024).
Kacper Odziomeka
a Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31155 Cracow, Poland
The aim of this work was to develop a concept for an experiment suitable for implementation on the International Space Station that could explore the impact of microgravity on hydrogel skin dressings.
The experiment focuses on an innovative solution for long-distance space journeys. Based on preliminary data, freeze-drying can be a great multifunctional process in improving the properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)-based biomaterials [1]. Under space conditions, the release profile of medicines from hydrogels can be improved, which should provide progressive and controlled release. Hydrogel dressings can be incorporated with various medicines for wound healing, skin diseases, and mucosa inflammations. They are lightweight, compact, and can be tailored to suit specific wound types and sizes. Moreover, they are biodegradable and biocompatibile, which should reduce the need for waste management on board the spacecraft. They can also be fresh prepared under in-situ conditions, which should increase their therapeutic effect. The first phase of the experiment is preparation and set-up configuration; the second phase is on-orbit operations performed for one week. After splashdown, it is planned to perform post-flight research and reference ground experiments. The already tested hardware and software include microplates, which allow a reaction not to occur until the experiment is ready to be activated on orbit, as well as for mixing between chambers, and the plate reader, which allows absorbance readings. The research can lead to the development of more effective drug delivery systems tailored for space environments, including the development of customized hydrogel dressings, enabling astronauts to receive fast and effective treatment. Moreover, findings may improve Earth applications.
The „Pharmacosmogel” project was a finalist in the Direction: Space contest organized by the New Space Foundation and Empiria i Wiedza Foundation.
References:
- Odziomek, K.; Drabczyk, A.K.; Kościelniak, P.; Konieczny, P.; Barczewski, M.; Bialik-Wąs, K. The Role of Freeze-Drying as a Multifunctional Process in Improving the Properties of Hydrogels for Medical Use. Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17, 1512. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17111512
22:20
Closing the day
Day 2 - 6.12.2024
15:20
Session - Synthetic & Gravitational Biology Part II.
Marta Filipa Simõesa,b
a 1 State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets), Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
b China National Space Administration (CNSA), Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science, Macau SAR, China.
Fungi play a crucial role in life on Earth and potentially beyond. In space exploration, fungi have been identified as contaminants, stowaways, or essential components of missions [1,2]. Some strains pose health risks or contribute to infrastructure degradation, while others could be beneficial for in situ production processes, especially in long-duration space missions.
At the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets), at Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), we have been exploring various species of filamentous fungi under different gravity conditions: microgravity (as found on the ISS) and hypergravity (encountered during launches and reentries). Through the HyperGES program by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA), we conducted hypergravity experiments with selected fungal strains using the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC) at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC). Additionally, we have been exposing fungi to simulated microgravity using a 3-D clinostat in our lab.
Most fungal assays have focused on microgravity with limited species [2]. To address this, we exposed 17 fungal species to hypergravity (10 and 15G) and analyzed their mycogenic silver nanoparticle production. Until now, we have not detected significant differences when compared to normal gravity, suggesting these strains are suitable for space applications. However, hypergravity remains underexplored and could offer new settings for mycological processes. Our analyses show more morphological alterations under simulated microgravity than hypergravity, indicating significant fungal changes and the need for further research.
References:
- Makimura K, et al. Microbiol. Immunol. 45(5), 357-363 (2001).
- Simões MF, et al. Mycosphere 14(1),1190-1253 (2022).
Agata M Rudolfa
a Space Technology Centre, AGH University of Krakow
As humanity prepares for upcoming missions to the Moon and Mars, and beyond, understanding the health risks associated with spaceflight remains incomplete. Space is a challenging environment, due to several health hazards including radiation and microgravity, but also less characterized factors like disrupted magnetic fields, that dysregulate cellular homeostasis. Moreover, the idea of future long-term, life-long, and even multigenerational space exploration constitutes yet unknown health challenges. Bioenergetics is a key mechanism underlying many physiological and evolutionary processes, including adaptations to extreme environments, such as spaceflight. Mitochondrial stress is also considered one of the fundamental features of spaceflight, and the physiological stress of spaceflight appears similar to accelerated ageing. Furthermore, the direction of adaptive changes triggered by future extended space exploration is yet unknown. Therefore, investigating the phenotypic adaptations to spaceflight conditions with a focus on bioenergetics can help answer current questions in space biology and astrobiology. I would like to introduce some of the directions of research that will be conducted at the newly developed laboratory of the Space Technology Centre at AGH University.
References:
- A.M. Rudolf, W.R. Hood, Mitochondrion, 101855 (2024).
- W.A. Silveira, Cell 183(5), 1185-1201 (2020).
- J.T. McDonald, Cancers 12(2), 381 (2020).
Barbara Szaflarskaa,b, Karolina Gocyka,b, Przemysław Kaczorowskia,b, Kamil Puchalskia,b, Piotr Słonkaa,b, Magdalena Króla,b, Robert Zubeka,b, Jan Chyczyńskia,b, Zbigniew Skokb, Kajetan Gudowskib, Justyna Kościelniaka,b, Jan Hahna,b, Kacper Nowakowskia,b, Patryk Koniecznya,b
a AGH University of Kraków
b AGH Space Systems Students’ Association
The GraviTE (Gravity-free Tissue Engineering) project, developed by students from the AGH Space Systems Students’ Association at the AGH University of Science and Technology, aims to study the behaviour of bone tissue model in microgravity. This innovative research endeavour seeks to unravel the mysteries of cell adaptation to the space environment by employing tissue engineering techniques and creating a scaffold-supported model consisting of a polymeric biomaterial and bone cells.
One of GraviTE’s main goals is to construct a bioreactor that allows for cell culturing on the International Space Station (ISS). The device consists of mechanical and thermal isolation, a biocompatible hydraulic system including the cell culture chambers, and an electronic subsystem, controlling the flow of cell culture media and maintaining proper temperature.
The importance of the project is underscored by its recent recognition as one of the best entries in the Direction: Space competition, highlighting its potential impact on space medical research. By studying the functioning and adaptation of bone tissue in space conditions, GraviTE contributes to the broader field of space medicine and tissue engineering.
16:40
Session - Space BioTechnology
Sergio R. Santa Maria
NASA Ames Research Center
In upcoming biological missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), the use of autonomous instrumentation will allow scientists to perform a variety of experiments, including the characterization of the response to different space environments (Moon, Mars, interplanetary space) using biological models like microbes, plants, organoids, and tissue chips. BioSentinel is an ongoing deep space mission, currently at over 50 million kilometers from Earth and the first instrument developed to perform biological experiments beyond LEO. Even though the primary objective of this CubeSat mission was to investigate the effects of the deep space radiation environment on budding yeast, the spacecraft bus (i.e., all the subsystems that support the biological payload like power, thermal, data telemetry, navigation, etc.) can accommodate a variety of biological (and physical) experiments and model organisms. LEIA, an upcoming CLPS mission to the lunar surface, uses a microfluidic and optical instrument based on BioSentinel to study the effects of the lunar environment on different cellular processes and on bioproduction of antioxidants. A new series of science mission concepts are being proposed to be accommodated into platforms like BioSentinel. These missions will investigate the response of a variety of organisms to the deep space environment, including but not limited to single-cell eukaryotes, cyanobacteria, plants (including crops), organoids, and tissue chips. In addition to optical absorbance measurements like the ones performed in BioSentinel (and LEIA), we are investigating the use of fluorescence detection, microscopy, sequencing devices, etc. Thus, instruments like the ones proposed here can be adapted to a variety of platforms like free-flyers, deployable payloads, landers, rovers, and the lunar Gateway. These technologies can be used as steppingstones for establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and in deep space while providing knowledge for the development of potential countermeasures.
Kacper Odziomeka
a Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31155 Cracow, Poland
The aim of this research was to manufacture and investigate hybrid hydrogel-based drug delivery systems dedicated to space and terrestrial medicine.
According to NASA, skin abrasions, infections, lacerations and rash are medical conditions that may occur during space missions. Difficult hygiene care, temperature changes, microgravity and radiation, have a major impact on the astronaut’s skin. Based on medical records, skin alterations, peeling, dryness, burning, itching, sensitivity and delayed wound healing are serious problems. The spacesuit, gloves and boots can cause significant injuries to crew members, such as irritation, bruising and abrasions. Bacterial and fungal infections, skin diseases such as psoriasis and inflammation of mucosal tissues can occur.
Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems can be a promising innovation for astronaut treatment, as they offer an environment that promotes wound healing and skin regeneration, and relieve symptoms such as itching and burning, while protecting the affected skin from outside irritants. They allow for targeted delivery of active substances directly to the infected skin areas and controlled release over a specified period of time. The hydrogel biomaterials can release active substances progressively over several days, which should provide both a longer therapeutic effect and reduced treatment costs. This is significant, especially in future long-duration space missions, during which access to professional medical care will be limited.
Consequently, this study aimed to investigate sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol)-based hydrogels with a nanocarrier-drug system, especially their physicochemical, structural, morphological, thermal, and biological properties, as well as the release profiles and kinetics of encapsulated medicines. Additionally, the obtained hydrogel biomaterials were studied using advanced 3D models, recreating the 3D structure of the skin tissue affected by Psoriasis. The results show a high application potential for both space and terrestrial medicine.
References:
- J. Myers, et al., PSAM 14, Los Angeles, CA, 2018.
- Á. Farkas, G. Farkas, Skin Pharmacol. Physiol. 34, 239–245 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1159/000515963.
Tonietti Luca
Krishnendu Ghosha
a Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
From time immemorial, the vastness of space has always been the center of be-wilderness for human civilization. With the advancement of science and technology, the journey into space has become one of the most lucrative modes of expedition. From setting up cutting-edge space-based laboratories and stations to searching for life elsewhere in the universe, space travel is gradually becoming the way of deciphering life from a cosmic perspective. However there are plenty of odds, ranging from microgravity, extreme space radiation, low oxygen to fluctuated temperature, that astronauts face during space travel. These factors are responsible for various adverse health conditions affecting astronauts’ health both at physiological as well as at molecular and genetical level. Owing to number of disarrayed cellular signaling cascades followed by drastic changes in the transcriptional and translational attributes of cells, deregulation of homeostasis, increased gene mutation and alteration of immune regulation take place that result into host of disease conditions that could go up to the extreme fatality of muscle paralysis, neurodegenerative diseases and even cancer. Thus more research driven knowledge, from Earth based simulations to space lab based in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo conditions, are required in the fast growing field of space medicine to cope up with these disease conditions and finding solutions that would address these issues at molecular and cellular level for betterment of health conditions of astronauts’ health.
Ewelina Dobosza
a AGH University of Kraków
18:20
Networking Break
19:00
Plenary Lecture
Extraterrestrial hydrothermal systems:
unlocking resources and life beyond Earth
by Jakub Ciążela
Extraterrestrial hydrothermal systems, shaped by volcanic activity, hold a complex geological history of ancient planetary environments. While these systems are dormant on Mars and extinct on the Moon, they provide valuable insights into past high-temperature processes and resource-rich conditions that may have supported life. Terrestrial analogs, such as hydrothermal vents and seafloor massive sulfides, offer a framework for understanding similar processes on other planetary bodies. This presentation examines metal transport and ore formation within these inactive systems, emphasizing their potential as resource reservoirs for space exploration. I will discuss the implications for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), highlighting sustainable exploration strategies for the Moon and Mars. By studying these ancient systems, we can achieve dual benefits: enhancing resource prospecting and advancing scientific discovery related to life-supporting conditions.
20:00
Networking Break
20:20
Session - Origins of Life and Evolution
Zack Cohen
NASA Ames Research Center
In vitro selection simulates natural evolutionary processes, including the optimization of enzymes and ribozymes during the emergence of life. Typically, in vitro selection experiments identify individual oligomers with important functions. However, cooperative interactions between oligomers (e.g. polypeptide subunits of a multimeric polymerase) enable unique activities that modern cells rely on. To select for cooperative interactions, biopolymers must be encapsulated inside compartments. Water-in-oil emulsions are convenient to compartmentalize ribozymes and their substrates, but cells are bounded by lipid membranes. By developing methods for in vitro selection experiments in lipid vesicles, we aim to simulate early evolutionary processes. Expression and selection of ribozymes inside lipid vesicles is challenging because vesicle formation is hindered by moderate concentrations of divalent cations, which are needed to support transcription. We are developing a novel strategy for in vitro transcription inside lipid vesicles by optimizing lipid composition and MgCl2 concentration. We have identified conditions compatible with both expression of active ligase ribozymes and stability of lipid vesicles. I will present our progress applying this strategy towards in vitro selection of multimeric ligase ribozymes from random sequences. Our platform provides a powerful way to screen catalysts that may provide insight into the emergence of life on Earth.
Omer Markovitcha,b
a Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences and Department of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
b Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 600 1st Avenue, 1st Floor, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA
For supramolecular chemistry to resemble life we ought to understand self-replication and evolution on a level equivalent to how biological life is understood. By focusing on the microscopic details of supramolecular polymerization (self-assembly) we can compare the chemical replication that is driven by self-assembly with the biological replication that is governed by the central dogma (DNA>RNA>proteins). One unexpected fruit of such an approach is the discovery of an emergent ability of assemblies to reduce their errors during replication and correct them even if they do occur.
For a system where disulfide macrocycles self-assemble by stacking on each other to form fibers which then elongate and self-replicate when agitated [1], we hypothesized that higher fidelity could be achieved if the replication could occur by selectively consuming precursor material [2]. Using centrifugation experiments, we found that fibers exerts selectivity towards precursors such that the composition of precursor material that binds to the fiber side resembles that of the fiber. The latter means that when the fiber replicates it is doing so in a homeostatic way as the new macrocycles are forming from the bound material and hence are more likely to have a composition that resembles that of the fiber [2].
This is important not only towards resolving Eigen’s information paradox at the origins of life, but also for the demonstration of a novel error reduction mechanism in replicator assemblies.
Acknowledgments:
We thank support from the John Templeton foundation (#62828) and the Foundation for Science and Technology (2023.05971.CEECIND and 2023.11473.CPCA).
References:
1. S. Otto, Accounts of Chemical Research 55, 145 (2022).
2. O. Markovitch et al, Angewandte Chemie International Edition 63, e202317997 (2024).
Carla Alejandrea,b, Adrián Aguirre-Tamarala,c, Carlos Brionesa, Jacobo Aguirrea,b
a Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain
b Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC), Madrid, Spain
c Department of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
According to prebiotic systems chemistry, in the early Earth, molecular complexity could have experienced a progressive increase in several out-of-equilibrium, heterogeneous environments such as surface lakes, seacoasts, water-mineral interfaces, oceanic hydrothermal vents, etc. In some of those scenarios, the accumulation of organic compounds and the availability of energetic sources laid the foundations for the emergence of life. One of the most accepted hypotheses related to the origin of life, widely supported by experimental data, is the RNA world. It suggests that life was originated in an environment in which informational and functional RNA molecules were able to self-replicate (through the activity of RNA ribozymes). It is likely that those already complex ribozymes emerged thanks to a step-wise, ligation-based modular evolution of short RNA sequences [1]. Nevertheless, even modular evolution of RNA requires the presence of an up-to-now unknown replicative mechanism to guarantee the availability of copies of specific RNA sequences (oligoribonucleotides) in which selection can act.
In this work we introduce a theoretical and computational framework called EarlyWorld to model the non-enzymatic polymerization of ribonucleotides and the template-dependent replication of primordial RNA molecules at the interfaces between the aqueous solution and a clay mineral supplied by its interlayers and channels [2], an environment known to favor RNA polymerization. This conceptually simple in silico model allows us to test how environmental conditions can affect the length and fidelity of RNA copies, as well as to study how the efficiency of the RNA replicative phenomenology depends on other parameters of the system, such as the size of the genetic alphabet. Our theoretical and numerical results show that efficient polymerization and accurate replication of single-stranded RNA polymers, sufficiently long to acquire basic functions (>15 nt), were possible at clay-water interfaces in early Earth, provided the physico-chemical environment exhibited an oscillatory pattern of large amplitude and a period compatible with spring tide dynamics. This reinforces the potential importance of the Moon in the origin and early evolution of life. In addition, the model suggests that genetic alphabets of four letters, like our current DNA and RNA, represent an optimal balance of replication speed and sequence diversity, surpassing both shorter and larger alphabets.
References:
1. C. Briones, M. Stich, S. Manrubia, RNA 15, 743749 (2009).
2. C. Alejandre, A. Aguirre-Tamaral, C. Briones, J. Aguirre, (submitted article)
Marina Fernández-Ruza,b, Gabriel Piedrafitac, Marta Ruiz-Bermejoa, Jacobo Aguirrea,b
a Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) CSIC-INTA
b Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC)
c Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
The origin of life represents one of the most fundamental questions in science, but it remains challenging to be fully described in detailed physico-chemical terms due to its intricate and multidisciplinary nature. In the last decades, complexity theory has become a fruitful framework to address fundamental aspects of the origin and early evolution of life because of its ability to capture emergent phenomena and describe the dynamics of multi-component systems. In this context, protocells are systems that have gardened significant attention [1,2], as they are the precursors of modern cells, although their growth and division had to follow a so-far unknown mechanism, necessarily much simpler than that of current biology. Here we present a computational framework for protocellular stochastic modeling in which the autocatalytic internal chemistry [3], coupled with osmotic forces [4], drives protocell growth in an out-of-equilibrium regime. Our primary objective is to understand how protocells could self-sustain and grow continuously without relying on a sophisticated modern cellular machinery (enzymes). Specifically, we aim to determine how the topology of the chemical network could impact the growth rate of the protocell containing it, paying special attention to the molecular complexity and diversity generated by the network. Importantly, we analyze the growth rate as a proxy for fitness, because if we assume that sufficiently large protocells tend to divide, higher growth rates translate into a higher amount of protocells. In a competitive environment (e.g., with limited resources), this could potentially drive the selection and proliferation of certain protocellular configurations. In summary, we believe that our systemic and computational approach could be useful to explore chemical and evolutionary possibilities that cannot be easily reproduced in the lab, contributing to understand which chemical configurations were likely to be present in the origin of life.
References:
- R. Serra, M. Villani, Modelling Protocells. Springer (2017). 2. R.V. Solé, S. Rasmussen, and M. Bedau, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362, 1725 (2007). 3. A. Blokhuis, D. Lacoste, P. Nghe, PNAS 117(41), 25230–25236 (2020). 4. H. Lu, A. Blokhuis, R. Turk-MacLeod et al., Nat. Chem 16, 70–78 (2024).
Tatsuya Corletta, Harrison B. Smitha,b, Joshua E. Goldfordb,c,d, Liam M. Longoa,b
a Earth-Life Science Institute, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
b Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA
c Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
d Physics of Living Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Protein catalysts play a unique role in the evolution of metabolism as they drive the discovery of new catalysis while simultaneously adapting to the new metabolic landscape they create1. This reciprocal, coevolutionary relationship between proteins and metabolism may have left traces of their evolutionary history that can be identified within contemporary metabolic pathways in the form of enzyme-reaction mapping. Computational models of the evolution of metabolism, however, often lack explicit consideration of protein catalysts, instead assuming that pre-enzymatic catalysts are sufficient for metabolic network growth2,3.
Herein, we present a new approach to study fold-metabolism coevolution using a network expansion algorithm, where metabolic reactions were annotated with protein folds to introduce ‘availability of folds’ as a constraint for network growth. By mapping metabolic reactions to folds, we identified 396 metabolic folds required for full expansion of the network, 37 of which significantly reduced the network size upon removal from the model. Based solely on the dependency structure of metabolic reaction networks, sequential addition of folds to maximize the rate of network growth results in continuous expansion of the network, from which a proxy for fold age can be derived. Patterns of fold-reuse over the course of the network expansion suggest that key metabolites are strong drivers of fold evolution, promoting the discovery of new folds and adaptation of pre-existing folds across the protein universe. Differential recruitment of folds upon adaptation to new metabolites provides a unique window into the ‘evolvability’ of folds.
References:
- A. Lazcano, SL. Miller, J. Mol. Evol. 49, 424–31 (1999).
- T. Handorf, O. Ebenhöh, R. Heinrich, J. Mol. Evol. 61(4), 498–512 (2005).
- JE. Goldford, HB. Smith, LM Longo, BA Wing, SE. McGlynn, Nat. Ecol. Evol., 8(5), 999–1009. (2024).
Day 3 - 7.12.2023
15:20
Session - Space Architecture
Barbara Imhof
Institute of Experimental Architecture at the University of Innsbruck, Austria
LIQUIFER’s work focuses on supporting life and advancing knowledge through science, technology, and architecture, whether for space exploration or sustainable living on Earth. Humans share the same basic needs—shelter, water, food, and air—whether on a space station or at home. In extreme environments, resource management becomes critical, and architecture plays a key role in creating not only survival spaces but thriving living environments. This talk will present recent projects, from simulation habitats to habitat designs for the new space station Gateway.
Katharina Hankea, Yelyzaveta Leshchenkob, Paweł Rukatb, Karolina Joachimczykc, Filip Łabajd
a Faculty of Biology, Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Plants Molecular Ecophysiology, University of Warsaw, Poland
b Faculty of Mechatronics, Institute of Micromechanics and Photonics, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
c Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Institute of Radioelectronics and Multimedia Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
d Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
The LASPA experiment investigates the potential of laser light stimulation to reduce stress and enhance plant growth in microgravity, a crucial step in optimizing space agriculture for long-term space missions. Using wavelengths of 520 nm (green) we aim to stimulate germination and biomass production in garden cress (Lepidium sativum). This research seeks to uncover the biological mechanisms that allow plants to adapt to the unique stressors, such as microgravity, capillary phenomena and altered light conditions[1,3,11,16,17]. Previous studies suggest that green light, including laser stimulation, can activate photoreceptors in plants, triggering physiological responses that affect growth, stress resistance[7,15], and metabolic efficiency[8,9,14]. It is hypothesized that laser light can induce epigenetic[19,20,21] changes in plant cells with the potential to enhance growth rates[2,4,23] and improve stress tolerance[6,12,13,22]. By stimulating the seeds with green laser light before germination[5], the experiment aims to investigate how these wavelengths affect the early stages of plant development, particularly in the absence of gravity. Initial ground-based simulations included growth in static conditions and on RPM[10,18,24,25,26] and indicate that laser-stimulated seeds show improved and faster germination compared to control seeds, suggesting that laser light may accelerate key physiological processes, including enzymatic activity and metabolic responses. This may enable plants to better adapt to the harsh conditions of space, where microgravity and limited resources can severely impact growth.
The results of this experiment could significantly contribute to the understanding of plant biology in space and may have broader applications in optimizing plant growth on Earth, particularly in regions with challenging agricultural conditions. Furthermore, laser stimulation could play a vital role in improving plant cultivation systems for future long-duration space missions, providing astronauts with a more sustainable and healthy source of food.
References:
1. Zabel, P., Bamsey, M., Schubert, D., Tajmar, M. (2016). Review and analysis of over 40 years of space plant growth systems. Life sciences in space research, 10, 1-16.
2. Jakubiak, M., Gdowska, K. (2013). Innovative environmental technology applications of laser light stimulation. Енергетика і автоматика, (3), 14-21.
3. Sathasivam, M., Hosamani, R.,, Basavalingayya K., Sreejalekshmi, K. (2020). Mechano-biological plant responses to microgravity. Life Sciences in Space Research. 28.
4. Hernandez, A. C., Dominguez, P. A., Cruz. et all (2010). Laser in agriculture. Int. Agrophys, 24(4), 407-422.
5. Gładyszewska, B., Kornas-Czuczwar, B., Koper, R., Lipski, S. (1998). Theoretical and practical aspects of pre-sowing laser bio-stimulation of seeds.
6. Khalifa, N. S., Ghandoor, H. E. (2011). Investigate the effect of Nd-Yag laser beam on soybean (Glycin max) leaves at the protein level. International Journal of Biology, 3(2), 135-144.
7. Qiu, Z. B., Liu, X., Tian, X. J., Yue, M. (2008). Effects of CO2 laser pretreatment on drought stress resistance in wheat. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 90(1), 17-25.
8. Hernández, A.C., Dominguez, P.A., Cruz, O.A., Ivanov, R., Carballo, C.A., Zepeda, B.R. (2010). Laser in agriculture. International Agrophysics, 24, 407-422.
9. Trewavas, A. (2005) “Green plants as intelligent organisms.” Trends in plant science vol. 10,9 : 413-9.
10. Raklevičienė, D., Losinska-Siciuniene, R., Svegzdiene, D. (2011). Clinorotation Effect on Response of Cress Leaves to Red and Far-Red Light. Microgravity Science and Technology. 23. 227-233.
11. Kiss, J. Z., Guisinger, M. M., Miller, A. J., Stackhouse, K. S. (1997). Reduced gravitropism in hypocotyls of starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant and Cell Physiology, 38(5), 518-525.
12. Smith H. (2000). Phytochromes and light signal perception by plants–an emerging synthesis. Nature, 407(6804), 585–591. 13. Anisimov A., Vorob´ev V., and Zuikov A., 1997. The influence of laser radiation on the velocity of rotational motion of protoplasm elodea cells. Laser Physics,7,1132-1137.
14. Śliwka, M., Jakubiak, M. (2010). Application of laser biotechnology for more efficient phytoremediation of biogenic elements. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering A. 17. 297-303.
15. Sommer, A. P., Franke, R. P. (2006). Plants grow better if seeds see green. Naturwissenschaften, 93, 334-337.
16. Zheng, H. Q., Han, F., Le, J. (2015). Higher plants in space: microgravity perception, response, and adaptation. Microgravity Science and Technology, 27, 377-386.
17. Hejnowicz, Z., Sondag, C., Alt, W., & Sievers, A. (1998). Temporal course of graviperception in intermittently stimulated cress roots. Plant, Cell & Environment, 21(12), 1293-1300.
18. Leitz, G., Kang, B. H., Schoenwaelder, M. E., Staehelin, L. A. (2009). Statolith sedimentation kinetics and force transduction to the cortical endoplasmic reticulum in gravity-sensing Arabidopsis columella cells. The Plant Cell, 21(3), 843-860.
19. Lukens, L. et all, (2004). Genome redundancy and plasticity within ancient and recent Brassica crop species. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, v.82, 665-674 (2004). 82.
20. Bouly, J. P., Schleicher, E., Dionisio-Sese, M., et all. (2007). Cryptochrome blue light photoreceptors are activated through interconversion of flavin redox states. The Journal of biological chemistry, 282(13), 9383–9391.
21. Lewak S., Kopcewicz J., Jaworski K. (2012). Fizjologia roślin. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN
22. Osmond, C. et all. (1987). Stress Physiology and the Distribution of Plants. Bioscience
23. Went F.W. Reflections and Speculations. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 1974;25:1–26
24. Analog Astronaut Training Center: About, https://www.astronaut.center. Accessed 15 September 2024.
25. “Analog Colony.” Analog Astronaut Training Center, https://www.astronaut.center/analog-colony/. Accessed 15 September 2024.
26. “ESA – Random Positioning Machine.” European Space Agency, https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2019/04/Random_Positioning_Machine. Accessed 15 September 2024.
Ivan Sánchez Alvaa,b, Abigail Calzada Díazb
a University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
b European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), Luxembourg
This study explores the spatial planning and strategic decision-making involved in selecting locations for lunar platforms, focusing on a human geography perspective. As space missions move closer to establishing permanent infrastructures on the Moon, understanding how these location choices impact spatial organization and human life in such environments becomes crucial. A systematic review of existing literature serves as the foundation for identifying key factors that influence the placement of lunar landing platforms, such as proximity to resources, geographic conditions, and logistical considerations for future human settlements. The research applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assign measurable importance to these factors, offering a clear priority for decision-making. The results are synthesized into a Spatial Development Framework (SDF), which provides structured guidelines and technical criteria to ensure the optimal location of these platforms. By integrating both physical factors and human needs, the framework helps minimize risks and maximize efficiency in lunar space planning. This work emphasizes the value of human geography in space infrastructure planning and presents a comprehensive approach that can be applied not only to the Moon but also to future missions on other planetary bodies.
Giacomo D’Amicoa
a University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria
The design of space habitats is inherently tied to the human experience, requiring a balance between functionality and the psycho-physical well-being of inhabitants. This challenge is magnified in environments beyond Earth, where architecture must not only adapt to extreme conditions but also consider the human body’s relationship with its surrounding space. Drawing inspiration on classical human-proportional systems like the Vitruvian Man and Le Corbusier’s Modulor, this presentation explores how human-scale design principles can be adapted to create scalable and modular space habitats, capable of supporting long-term habitation in space.
The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between the human body and its surrounding space in the context of space architecture, emphasizing the application of human-centric design strategies. By analyzing case studies of existing space habitats such as the International Space Station (ISS), Tiangong Space Station, Lunar Gateway, as well as theoretical concepts for on-surface habitats and settlements, this study investigates how these design principles have been implemented and how they can be reinterpreted for future extraterrestrial habitats.
This approach provides insights into the design strategies currently used in space habitats and explores the potential of modular, scalable solutions to accommodate the evolving needs of long-term space missions. By examining the advantages and challenges of these design approaches, the paper seeks to understand how they can foster sustainable and adaptable living environments beyond Earth.
In conclusion, this research aims to advance the conversation on the role of architecture in space exploration, offering insights into how the human body can continue to shape the design of habitats in the cosmos, fostering not only survival but thriving in space settlements.
References:
- Le Corbusier, Il Modulor. (1974).
- B. Zevi, F.L. Wright and the Conquest of Space. Magazie of Arts 5, pp. 186-191 (1950).
- Le Corbusier, Vers un Architecture. (1979).
- G. Argan, Walter Gropius e la Bauhaus. (1988).
- A. Rossi, L’Architettura della Città. pp. 9-11 (1995).
- P. Meuser, Galina Balaschowa: Architektin des sowjetischen Raumfahrtprogramms. (2014).
- S. Häuplik‐Meusburger, Architecture for Astronauts: An Activity-based Approach. (2011).
Som Duttaa , Dana Tulodzieckb, Hansjorg Schwertzc,d,e, Anton Kadomtseva, Aditya Parika, Yi-Cheng Chena, Dominick P. D’Agostinof,g, Manisha Dagarh, Marshall Tabetahh, Kathleen Rubinsi, David Alexanderi, Tom Marshburnj, and D. Marshall Porterfieldh
a Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT,
b Department of Philosophy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN,
c Molecular Medicine Program, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT,
d Division of Occupational Medicine, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT,
e Department of Occupational Medicine, Billings Clinic Bozeman, Bozeman, MT,
f Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL,
g Human Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance, Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, FL,
h Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, iNational Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, TX , jSierra Space Inc.,Louisville, CO
The atmosphere serves as the primary interface for human existence, supplying oxygen for mitochondrial respiration and producing CO2, which must be expelled to avoid its toxic effects in our human built environments. Our research investigates how gravity influences redox and thermal exchange via the human thermal body plume (HTBP). Using computational fluid dynamics, we model how gravity facilitates respiratory gas exchange through buoyancy in a 1g environment to drive the HTBP. Linear velocities of HTBP flow range from 0.3 to 0.4 m/s above the head (air 22°C/body 37°C), comparable to a candle flame in thermal power and flow velocities. Without gravity, the thermal plume around the body or a candle lacks buoyancy, reducing mass transport to diffusional limits. The model has been validated in 3D simulations and with a novel human-worn CO2 biophysical redox sensor system. Utilizing this model, we have conducted various simulations of human thermal/redox exchange under controlled theoretical conditions, with integrated “virtual” biophysics and physiology. Our findings highlight the impact of microgravity on human respiration in spaceflight, potentially underlying chronic spaceflight exposure issues. The foundational biophysical HTBP model, elucidating gravity-mediated thermal redox exchange on Earth, is crucial for addressing physiological challenges in any human built environment. In microgravity on the ISS this model also serves as a tool for designing systems to optimize human performance and health in space. We are calibrating microgravity engineering requirements for air exchange rate (AER) values by running simulations with various crossflow levels until simulated CO2 rates align with normal gravity performance. Establishing theoretical standards for life support systems addresses critical questions about human adaptation in space, coinciding with significant government and commercial investment in new space exploration platforms.
17:20
Session - Extremophiles
Łukasz Kaczmarek
Departmant of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, Poland
To survive in open space, organisms should have specific abilities including a high tolerance for freezing, radiation and desiccation. The best candidates to survive under such conditions are extremophiles, like some species of Bacteria and Archea, rotifers, several species of Nematoda, some of the arthropods and of course water bears (Tardigrada). Tardigrades are one of the toughest animals on Earth. They are very small animals (50 to 2,100 μm in length), which inhabit great number of Earth environments. Ever since it was proven that tardigrades have high resistance to the different kinds of stress factors associated with cosmic journeys, combined with their relatively complex structure and their relative ease of observation, they have become a perfect model organism for space research. Therefore, in this presentation it will be shown a review of the space research performed on tardigrades in the past, conducting at present, as well as, some considerations for further studies.
Łukasz Szydłowskia,b
a AstroFarms
b Sano Centre for Computational Personalised Medicine
In the vastness of space, where radiation from stars like the Sun is lethal and darkness is almost absolute, the existence of life seems impossible. Yet, there are organisms that have learned to cope with these conditions. A team of researchers from Poland and Turkey, in close collaboration with partners from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has conducted research on how microorganisms adapt to the extreme conditions in space. As a result, a groundbreaking scientific paper titled “Adaptation to space conditions of novel bacterial species isolated from the International Space Station revealed by functional gene annotations and comparative genome analysis” has been published today in the prestigious journal Microbiome. The authors of the publication examined the adaptive mechanisms of bacteria collected from the ISS. The findings indicate that microorganisms isolated from inside the ISS have adapted to life in outer space.
Promising Directions in the Development of New Antibiotics
Discoveries in space genomics are possible thanks to tools using deep machine learning for functional annotations. The genomes of bacteria found on the ISS contain genes for antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation, as well as potential new antimicrobial compounds. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs that will have applications in both space missions and on Earth. Thanks to this research, we can not only improve the health of astronauts in difficult space conditions but also create innovative therapies for people that will help fight treatment-resistant infections and support the development of new strategies for treating infectious diseases.
Potatoes on Mars and Medicines from Space
AstroFarms, a company founded by Dr. Łukasz Szydłowski, is one of the most innovative projects aimed at transferring agriculture beyond Earth. AstroFarms is developing the cultivation of adapted potato varieties on lunar and Martian simulators, creating the foundations for future agriculture on other planets. The company is also working on developing microorganisms that will enable the bioproduction of many important substances: pharmaceuticals, polymers, biofuels, etc. This solution aims to ensure self-sufficiency for future space inhabitants, reduce dependence on Earth’s resources, shorten the supply chain, and expand research to other celestial bodies. The use of microorganisms as biofactories to provide optimal nutrition may concern not only future inhabitants of space stations but also people on Earth, where comprehensive nutrition and disease prevention is one of humanity’s challenges.
Itay Weintrauba, Hagai B. Peretsa,b
a Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Haifa 32000, Israel
b Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel, University Road, PO Box 808, Raanana 4353701, Israel, Austria
The dynamic nature of life’s ability to thrive in diverse and changing planetary environments suggests that habitability and survival depend on the evolutionary path and life adaptation to environmental conditions. Here we explore such response to dynamic habitability through astro-ecological models.
We study the interplay between temperature adaptation and environmental fluctuations, particularly those induced by solar activity and orbital dynamics. We present a simplified ecological-evolutionary model to investigate the limits of life’s adaptability on a planetary scale. By incorporating complexities such as multiple niches, migration, species interactions, and realistic temperature variations, we demonstrate the potential role of biological adaptation in the face of both gradual and abrupt environmental changes in exoplanets. Through simulations encompassing monotonic, periodic, and secular dynamical evolution-induced temperature profiles, we identify critical thresholds for survival and extinction, highlighting the importance of phenotypic variance and dispersal rates in adapting to varying environmental conditions. These findings underscore the significance of considering temporal variations in assessing exoplanet habitability and expanding the search space for potentially habitable worlds.
Dirk Schulze-Makuch a,b,c
a Astrobiology Group, ZAA, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 36A, 10623 Berlin, Germany, email:
b German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
c Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
Whether extraterrestrial life exists is one of the most ancient questions of humanity. While the search for unambiguous evidence for life beyond Earth is ongoing, we may have overlooked its previous detection in the only life detection experiment ever conducted on another planet: the Viking lander experiments on Mars in the late 1970s. New insights from recent Mars missions, such as Curiosity and Perseverance, along with a better understanding of the hyperarid Martian environment and how life might adapt to it, lead to the conclusion that Viking might have in fact detect living organisms, only to accidently kill them1. While the Martian environment is extremely challenging for life, organisms may have adapted to the hyperarid conditions by attracting water from the relative humidity of the Martian atmosphere using the hygroscopicity of salts such as sodium chloride or (per)chlorates. If these inferences are correct, we should “follow the salt” rather than only the water and search for active life on Mars in hygroscopic salt regions such as the Southern Highlands.
Reference
- Schulze-Makuch, D. (2024) We may be looking for Martian life in the wrong place. Nature Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02381-x
18:40
Networking Break
19:00
Plenary Lecture
Why and how to seek life
existing today on Mars
by Steven Benner
The Viking 1976 mission to Mars observed:
- Fixation of 14C from 14CO2 and 14CO presented in the atmosphere above the soil
- Emergence of 14CO2 from 14C-food fed to the soil in water
- Release of O2 from the soil when moistened.
Under standard models for how science develops, “dueling theories” should then have emerged to analyze these results under two models, one based on the premise that these observations were created by endogenous Martian life, the other denying that premise.
Unfortunately, development of this dialectic was cut short when gas chromatography-mass spectrometry data were misinterpreted as showing that the Viking soil lacked organic molecules, this despite the delivery of organics to the Martian surface continuously by meteorites. Viking Project scientist Gerald Soffen declared the conclusion: “That’s the ball game. No organics, no life”.
The conclusion that the Martian soil lacks organics has been known to be incorrect for a quarter century. In 1999, Benner et al. noted that the GC-MS could not have detected the primary organic molecules expected from meteorites even if they were abundant [1]. In 2010 [2], Navarro-Gonzales et al. explained the GC-MS results under a model that presumed a presence of organics and perchlorate. Rovers have found many organics in the Martian soil [3].
However, in a fascinating example of sociology in science, these developments failed to overturn the “community consensus” that had emerged in 1976 and the immediate aftermath. This consensus had become fixed in the minds of the generation of scientists who were taught it.
The progression of ideas is worth summarizing [4]. In 1976, the need to find a slow soil oxidant to explain the absence of meteoritic organics expanded (unnecessarily) to a need for that oxidant to also explain the rapid release of O2 from the soil when moistened, and the release of 14CO2 from radiolabeled food. Both processes occurred over minutes. This in turn led to the view that the Martian soil was “self-sterilizing”. This, in turn, influenced the segment of the community that served on panels writing the Decadal Survey, the segment that makes decisions about what NASA missions to fly, and what NASA missions to not fly.
Thus, convinced against all evidence that the Martian accessible surface could not hold extant life living today. the 2013 Decadal Survey decided to limit Martian astrobiology to activities to seek evidence for long-extinct life [5]. Despite a report from a 2019 Carlsbad conference where astrobiologists laid out the case for an extant biosphere on Mars [6], a committee empaneled by NASA and led by Victoria Meadows and Heather Graham, hoping to fix community standards against which to judge claims for life-evidence, repeated the 1976 misinterpretation of the Viking results as fact [7], evidently without being aware of any of this history [8].
For these reasons, only in the past two years has progress been made to establish the dialectic necessary for a healthy science concerning Mars life. A pro-life model has asked what lifestyle might make a bacterial photosynthetic autotroph fit to survive in the Viking soil given the scarcity of atmospheric O2. On Earth, photosynthetic microbes release into the atmosphere O2 that they generate in daytime as they fix organic carbon, confident that they can recover O2 from the atmosphere when they respire some of that fixed carbon at night. On Mars, low atmospheric O2 makes similar confidence unwarranted. Thus, to be fit for survival on the surface, photosynthetic autotrophs must store O2 generated in the day for respiration at night [9].
This BARSOOM model (bacterial autotrophs respiring with stored oxygen for overnight metabolism) accounts for the three Viking results thus:
- Fixation of 14CO2 is the key autotrophic process
- Emergence of 14CO2 from 14C-food fed to the soil is the key respiratory process during the night.
- The O2 released when the Viking soil when moistened was the O2 stored for overnight metabolism.
From a Terran biology perspective, BARSOOM faces these further challenges:
(a) The scarcity of liquid water, distant from frozen water below by a few meters.
(b) A need to block destructive UV light while accessing light needed for photosynthesis.
While non-life dialectical models have attributes, and while other bio-metabolisms must be considered as alternatives to the BARSOOM lifestyle, the fact that one can easily build a plausible biology at the Viking sites that is consistent with all available data suggest the following to the planetary protection team:
(c) Life is quite conceivably in many locales on the Martian surface, not just in special regions.
(d) The long community delay in seeking extant life robotically was misguided, especially since the Polyelectrolyte Theory of the Gene [10] provides a universal way to concentrate it for detection.
(e) With human visits likely in the next ~3 launch windows, life detection missions are urgent.
References
[1] Benner et al. (2000). The missing organic molecules on Mars. Proc. Natl/ Acad. Sci. USA 97, 2425.
[2] Navarro‐González et al. (2010). Reanalysis of Viking results suggests perchlorate and organics at mid-latitudes on Mars. J Geo Res: Planets, 115 (E12).
[3] Millan et al. (2022) Organic molecules revealed in Mars’s Bagnold Dunes by Curiosity’s derivatization experiment. Nature Astronomy 6, 129-140.
[4] Benner (2023) “Why does the NASA culture still get Viking 1976 wrong?”. Primordial Scoop, e20231113. doi.org/10.52400/OMNN6244
[5] Rummel, J., Conley, C. (2017) Four fallacies and an oversight. Astrobiol 17, 971
[6] Carrier, et al. (2020) Mars extant life. Astrobiol. 20, 785
[7] Meadows, V. et al. (2022). Community Report from the Biosignatures Standards of Evidence Workshop. arXiv preprint arXiv:2210.14293.
[8] Harrison, Benner (2022) Does NASA’s drive for consensus make young scientists susceptible to being trampled by mastodons?” Primordial Scoop, e20220525. doi.org/10.52400/DVGO6088
[9] Benner (2023) The BARSOOM model for life on Mars. Primordial Scoop, e20231118. doi.org/10. 52400/USVX5880
[10] Benner (2017) Detecting Darwinism from molecules in the Enceladus plumes, Jupiter’s moons, and other planetary water lagoons. Astrobiol. 17, 840
20:00
Networking Break
20:20
Session - Computational Astrobiology
Silvio Sinibaldi (a) , Sandra Ortega Ugalde (b)
a European Space Agency, Independent Safety Office (Planetary Protection)
b European Space Agency, Life Support & Physical Science Instrumentation
Article IX of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the
Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies
(the “Outer Space Treaty”), requires that State parties to the treaty conduct the
exploration of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, “so as to
avoid their harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of
the Earth resulting from the introduction of extra-terrestrial matter and, where
necessary, [to] adopt appropriate measures for this purpose”.
The European Space Agency (ESA) acts on behalf of its Member States, all of which
are State parties to the Outer Space Treaty. As such, the execution of ESA’s
activities shall comply with the Member States’ obligations pursuant to Article IX of
the Outer Space Treaty.
The ESA Agenda 2025 and Terrae Novae vision, articulate ambitious space
exploration plans aiming to increase European autonomy and leadership in space.
These plans include the search for extraterrestrial life, returning samples from Mars,
the unprecedented desire for a stable European presence on the Moon’s surface
and crewed missions to Mars. The complexity of such missions calls for a
modernization of current planetary protection methods and capabilities, and
reassessments of ESA standards. This work describes the plans put forward by ESA
and extended international community to fill the gaps to enable future missions to
explore the Solar System
Christopher E. Carr
Georgia Institute of Technology, Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Co-Director, Astrobiology Program
Life must regulate when, how, and whether chemical reactions take place. In the 1960s, Fukui and Hoffmann first demonstrated how frontier orbitals, associated with the most loosely bound electrons and their associated unoccupied orbits, could be used to predict the course of chemical reactions. We have recently developed frontier orbital-derived biosignatures (FOBs). NASA defines life as a chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution. While FOBs address the chemical system component, they are therefore a necessary but not sufficient condition for life. Thus, we propose to also measure Darwinian evolution-associated biosignatures (DEBs), which include informational moieties, polymers, and a coding-and-translation system. We demonstrate a proof of principle of a FOB based on amino acid abundance distributions that provides excellent class separation between life and no life. We further provide proof-of-principle DEB measurements that we anticipate can be applied to life as we know it or don’t know it. We argue that FOBs and DEBs, in concert with other measurements and context, can be used to assess whether organic material in an environment is derived from abiotic, prebiotic or biotic sources, defining a molecular threshold of life.
Maximos C. Goumasa, Manasvi Lingama
a Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States
The ultimate goal for many is to find life elsewhere in the universe, whether it be in our own Solar System or further, but current technological, physical, and/or other limitations prevent a definitive answer. Furthermore, the subsurface oceans on the icy moons of our Solar System, specifically Europa, are manifestly of great astrobiological interest. Modeling these environments and the growth of putative organisms within them can aid in this grand endeavor of understanding and identifying other habitable and inhabited worlds. Simulating the interactions of these organisms with each other and with the available environmental nutrients and substrates, as well as the accessible energy sources and sinks, is crucial for not only determining the habitability potential of such environments but also developing a theoretical framework for later use during comparisons with direct observation and data collection. To elaborate on this theme further, ascertaining putative properties of ecosystems from a bioenergetic standpoint is valuable for the following two reasons: (1) interpretation and analysis of data from future missions, such as Europa Clipper and JUICE, and (2) theoretical predictions of what to expect in these ecosystems, thus potentially aiding in selecting the design and functionality of future missions and instruments. In this study, modeling is achieved through use of the python code package NutMEG (Nutrients, Maintenance, Energy and Growth), with the chief objective to simulate methanogens in the subsurface ocean environment of Europa, whose ocean may be more acidic relative to Earth (among other properties). The results presented show that the power supply available per cell varies with temperature and pH, and a relatively low pH and mid-range temperature is required for the necessary power supply to be available for methanogen survival. The results also show that the available maintenance power and specific combinations of ocean pH and temperature meet various habitability criteria for methanogens for theoretically high and low salt compositions of Europa’s ocean. Future work includes expanding this analysis to determine potential biomass evolution and to determine concentrations of produced biosignatures for not only Europa, but also Hycean Worlds.
References:
- M. H. Carr, M. JS. Belton, C. R. Chapman, M. E. Davies, P. Geissler, R. Greenberg, A. S. McEwen, B. R. Tufts, R. Greeley, R. Sullivan, et al., Nature, 391(6665), 363–365 (1998).
- P. M. Higgins, C. R. Glein, and C. S. Cockell, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 126(11), e06951 (2021).
- P. M. Higgins, C. S. Cockell, J. R. Soc. Interface, 17(171), 20200588 (2020).
- M. Lingam, A. Loeb, Life in the Cosmos: From Biosignatures to Technosignatures (2021)
Agnieszka Wendlanda, Robert Olszewskia, Piotr Pałkaa, Alison Bridgerb, Melinda Kahrec, Christian Körnerd, Christopher McKayc
a Warsaw University of Technology
b San Jose StateUniversity
c NASA Ames Research Center
d University of Basel
Using a high resolution surface energy balance model for Mars, we have computed the amount of greenhouse warming required to warm Mars enough h that trees can grow. We find that for a 10 kPa CO2 atmosphere (a pressure level known to support plant growth), temperatures suitable for trees to grow occur when the added, artificial, greenhouse thermal infrared gray opacity is ~0.39 optical depths. Surprisingly, the conditions that allow plant growth do not occur first in the tropics (±25°) but in the Hellas Basin region.
We have developed a surface energy balance model for Mars based on representing the surface of Mars with a Goldberg polyhedral of 4002 cells. The energy balance equation is applied to each cell. In addition to the radiation terms, the surface energy balance includes the diffusive exchange of heat between cells, CO2 condensation and evaporation, heat exchange with the subsurface, and the transport of heat by the atmospheric circulation. We calibrate the model parameters by comparing to the Viking landers temperature and pressure datasets, and by comparison to Mars GCMs. The model has high spatial resolution but is still computationally efficient, and can be used to simulate a variety of processes on Mars, both at present and in past/future epochs. Here, we use the baseline model to investigate the greenhouse effect caused by an increase in CO2 plus artificial greenhouse warming.
The atmospheric conditions existing on Mars today make the existence of life impossible. The requirements for plant growth on Mars have been considered in the context of terraforming [1] and for low-pressure greenhouses [2]. The total pressure must be above ~10 kPa and while a high percentage of CO2 is acceptable [2], O2 is needed for respiration at a level of ~ 0.1 kPa [1]. Water must be available, and the temperatures must be in the range required for growth. Here we focus on temperature as this is the fundamental environmental variable that changes during terraforming and it controls the CO2 cycle and the formation of liquid water. O2 levels in a thick warmer atmosphere remain an important separate concern.
Focusing on the temperature, it must be several tens of degrees higher, while the diurnal fluctuations should be much lower. For the growth of trees, the growing season must last at least 110 sols (Martian days) during which the minimum temperature >-6°C, average temperature >6°C, and maximum temperature <40°C [3-5].
We present results for an assumed CO2 surface pressure of 10 kPa, which is known to support plant growth [2]. We find that temperatures suitable for trees to grow occur when the added, artificial, greenhouse thermal infrared gray opacity is ~0.39 optical depths. Surprisingly, the conditions that allow plant growth do not occur first within the tropics (±25°) but in the Hellas Basin region. A further increase in the greenhouse effect expands the area suitable for plant growth in the southern hemisphere.
On Earth the highest elevation treelines are primarily found in the tropics – but modulated by the location of the thermal equator [6]. Thus, it may be expected that equatorial regions of Mars would be the location of the first tree. However, due to Mars’ relatively large orbital eccentricity (0.1) the southern hemisphere, which has summer near perihelion, has relatively warm summers. In addition, the orbital period of Mars is 1.9 Earth years. Thus, the long warm southern summer provides the first growing season suitable for trees. Specifically, we find that the low elevation of the Hellas Basin allows the creation of the first conditions favorable to tree growth.
References:
- McKay Ch. P., Toon O.B. and Kasting J.F. (1991) Nature, 352.
- Richards, J.T., et al., 2006. Astrobiology, 6(6), pp.851-866.
- Körner, Ch. 2012 Alpine Treelines, Springer, p. 229.
- Körner, Ch. and Paulsen, J. 2004 Journal of Biogeography 31, 713–732.
- Hoch, G. and Körner, Ch. 2009 Journal of Ecology, 97, 57–66.
- McKay, C.P. and Cintron, M.N. 2024 Bull. Am. Met. Soc., 105(6), E1015-E1021.
Cyryl Konstantinovski Puntosa
a Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University in Kraków; Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
Modeling the Earth conditions in connection with the past (before the time of space flights and remote sensing) is sometimes a difficult task, for which it is worth using specific geoinformatics and additionally geoarchaeological techniques. Thanks to this, one can achieve a kind of “time travel” to eras, creating a retrospection of environmental conditions in ancient times. The main goal of the study is to determine potential and actual places that were most useful for agriculture in the Early Middle Ages and second to present human pressure on the natural environment “seen” from the space.
The presentation will show an original algorithm, which is based on the assumptions of geomatic modeling of the HYDE type (History database of the Global Environment) (Goldevijk at al. 2017), (Goldevijk and Verburg 2013). The most important case study of the research was a fragment of the area in the central part of the Polish Carpathians.
Individual data will be used. The first one is the Digital Elevation Model (EU-DEM) of the Copernicus project (/www.copernicus.eu/), based on the SRTM and ASTER GDEM satellite missions. On its basis, a climate map (vegetation arranged in layers in space) and a slope map were generated. Both maps are derived layers of the DEM. Next, sources were used, where the data had to be vectorized in order to process them. For example, a map of natural landscape types for the year 1000, based on a map (Buczek 1967). Settlements and rivers around hillforts: the oldest residential-military-administrative units in Slavic Lands were determined using literature sources (Poleski 2004) and internet sources (www.atlasgrodzisk.pl) in the field of GIS (Geographic Information System).
The methods include geoinformatics (Urbański 2012), where an algorithm was used, which assumes the separation of input and output layers. Therefore, the maps had to be reduced to the same value of the raster cell (pixel: 2 km x 2 km) and rasterized. Then, using geoarchaeological knowledge, the analysis of the obtained models was also used. These methods can be easily applied in future studies (with f.ex. futurist human explorations of universe) the both on the ground and in space on other celestial objects.
Main results are very simple. The analyzes demonstrated the role of geoinformatics research in creating a scientific model regarding anthropogenic pressure on the natural environment. The best places to build human settlements were: Naszacowice, Zawada Lanckorońska, Chełm and the area east of Kraków up to Zawada. Confirmation of the geohistorical boundaries of the castellany was included. The individual component models also illustrate complex research issues Zabrzeż and Siedliska are outside the ecumene, which means they are more watchtowers than residential centers. Vegetation was correlated with settlements in the vicinity of Polish Carpathians.
The above analyses can be extended to additional maps, where it would be necessary to implement them to the used algorithm. The obtained results constitute a specific contribution to further research on the influence of humans and their pressure on the complex agro-botanical ecosystem (compare with Matuszkiewicz 2023) in times as distant as the Early Middle Ages.
References:
- K. Buczek. Ziemie polskie przed tysiącem lat. Kraków: PWN (1967).
- K. K. Goldevijk, A. Beusen, J. Doelman, E. Stehfes. Anthropogenic land use estimates for the Holocene – HYDE 3.2. Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 9, 927-953 (2017).
- K. K. Goldevijk, P. H. Verburg. Uncertainties in global-scale reconstructions of historical land use: an illustration using the HYDE data set, Landscape Ecol, 28, 861-877 (2013).
- J.M. Matuszkiewicz, J. Wolski Potencjalna roślinność naturalna Polski (wersja wektorowa), IGiPZ PAN, Warszawa (2023).
- J. Poleski. Wczesnośredniowieczne grody w dorzeczu Dunajca. Kraków: IA. UJ Księgarnia Akademicka (2004).
- J. Urbański. GIS w naukach przyrodniczych. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego. Gdańsk (2012).
- Atlas Grodzisk Wczesnośredniowiecznych z obszaru Polski: https://www.atlasgrodzisk.pl/ (online access 2024).
- Copernicus: https://www.copernicus.eu/ (online access 2024).
Day 4 - 8.12.2023
14:20
Poster Session
15:20
Public Event - Panel Discussion
Science Meets Business!
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Join leading experts from the intersection of science and business in an exciting panel exploring the dynamic collaboration driving space exploration forward. Our distinguished speakers will reveal how researchers and entrepreneurs can transform our understanding of the space and unlock groundbreaking technological opportunities. We will also discuss the ideas for building valuable partnerships meeting both business and academic objectives, as well as for better access to financing innovative research eneavours. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about our collective journey into the final frontier.
Meet the Panelists
The President of the Polish Space Professionals Association. She developed her professional career, among others, at the Polish Space Agency, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. A graduate of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin and postgraduate studies at the Kozmiński University (LiderShe), where she also lectured on postgraduate studies in “Entrepreneurship in the Space Sector”. She has participated in numerous international courses and scholarships, including at Harvard University and the Rotary Clubs of the U.S. State Department.
Michal Szwajewski is a lecturer at the Warsaw University of Technology and Leon Kozminski Academy in Warsaw. As President of the Space Entrepreneurship Institute, a nonprofit organization, he focuses on fostering the growth of the space sector in Central and Eastern Europe. With extensive publications on space economy and entrepreneurship, he provides valuable expertise and perspectives, bridging academic research and professional practice to drive innovation in the space industry.
Daniel Sagath is currently working as the International Cooperation Manager at the Slovak Space Office – Industry Branch (SARIO). He is also a member of the national delegation to the European Space Agency (ESA) (industrial policy and technology harmonization) and acts as the National Point of Contact for other organisations such International Astronautical Federation (IAF), EURISY, or Space for Climate Observation (SCO). He also worked for organizations such as the ESA, European Space Policy Insitute (ESPI), and the Netherlands Space Office (NSO). He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and European Studies, including a Ph.D in strategy and organization (from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). He has more than a decade of experience in the space sector worldwide, building expertise in space policy and business development, innovation, and science commercialization. Additionally, he is the author or co-author of more than 30 academic or professional studies or science journal papers.
16:40
Session - Astrochemistry
& Planetary Science
Łukasz Tychoniec
Leiden Observatory, Leiden University
Astrochemistry has entered its golden age with facilities like ALMA and JWST. We can now pinpoint chemical tracers to the physical components of the young protostellar systems at the Solar System scales (50 au). The physical and chemical conditions in Class 0/I protostars are fundamental in unlocking the protostellar accretion process and its impact on planet formation. Cold gas tracers like C18O, DCO+ and N2D+, associated with the freeze-out of CO are tracing quiescent envelope material. Shock tracers such as SiO and SO are seen in the outflow; additionally, ice-mantle products released with the shock are also detected. The hot inner envelope shows the richness of complex organic molecules (COMs). I will put these results in the context of results from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). ALMA provides a kinematic map of components for which JWST delivers the sub-arcsecond observations in near- and mid-infrared for the first time.
Nadia D. Bopparta,b
a Department of Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Switzerland ()
b Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Introduction: Water, a vital component of life on Earth, has the remarkable ability to carve out vast areas of terrain through the passage of time. About 3.7 to 4.1 billion years ago, water coursed through Mars, giving rise to over 800 lakes. Although Mars has lost much of its water resources over time, numerous paleolakes [e.g. 1-3] from this particular period are well preserved. The Jezero Crater and Gale Crater paleolake sites are perhaps the most well-known, given that NASA has deployed rovers there. Regardless of their planetary origin, paleolakes are highly valued for their ability to record climate dynamics, atmospheric conditions, geologic influences, and biological activity (at least on our planet). The mineral deposits within the lakebeds provide insight into the current state of Martian paleolakes and, more importantly, they always tell us a story. A story about processes that transpired in the distant past. In our case, the story is about chemical curtains during a Martian epoch characterized by the presence of flowing water. Methods: We examined the mineralogical composition of over 500 paleolakes, including open-basin and closed-basin lakes, based on the MRDR version 4 data set [4], obtained from the CRISM instrument. We applied developed algorithms, tailored to primary framework silicates and secondary minerals, to reduce the large amount of data to a single representative value for each paleolake. This allowed us to conduct a global and regional analysis of similarities and differences among these paleolakes, independent of their lake surface area. Conclusion: The algorithmic reduction of the CRISM data to a single representative value for each mineral in a lakebed allows for the analysis of similarities and differences among more than 500 paleolakes. Moreover, the analysis is not contingent on the area size of the paleolake and, to a reasonable extent, is independent of the coverage rate of the CRISM data. The insights gained from this window provide us with another piece of the puzzle for the bigger picture – a more comprehensive understanding of the climate that once surrounded the ancient lakes on Mars.
References:
- C. I. Fassett, J. W. Head III, Icarus 198, 37-56 (2008).
- T. A. Goudge, K. L. Aureli, J. W. Head, C. I. Fassett, J. F. Mustard, Icarus 260, 346-367 (2015).
- J. Zhao, L. Xiao, T. D. Glotch, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, (2020).
- Seelos, F. P., Seelos, K. D., Murchie, S. L., Novak, M. A. M., Hash, C. D., Morgan, M. F., Bishop, J. L., Icarus, 115612 (2023).
Manuel Scherfa, Helmut Lammera
a Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences
The existence of an Earth-like Habitat, that is, a rocky exoplanet within the Habitable Zone of Complex Life that hosts an N2-O2-dominated atmosphere with minor amounts of CO2, is depending on a certain set of known (and unknown) astrophysical and geophysical requirements that have to be met to allow for its evolution and environmental stability. A few of these requirements are already quantifiable to a certain extent by our current scientific knowledge while others are yet poorly constrained or even debated. One crucial factor that has to be taken into account when estimating the prevalence of Earth-like Habitats within the Galaxy is a planet’s host star. Its radiation and plasma environment may affect the stability of an Earth-like atmosphere to such an extent that it can even render its stable existence unlikely around highly active stars. A star’s metallicity and location within the galactic disk may pose further restrictions on the prevalence of Earth-like Habitats within the Milky Way. Taking some these factors into account, we will illustrate that only a certain fraction of stars within the galactic disk is in principle able to host planets with Earth-like atmospheres. Interestingly, stars with a stellar mass around 0.8 solar masses may constitute a particularly promising environment for the existence of Earth-like Habitats. M stars, on the other hand, exhibit several different problems; planets suitable for life as we know it may therefore be a rare occasion around the smallest, but most abundant, stars within the galaxy.
Reference:
- M. Scherf, H. Lammer, L. Sproß, Astrobiology 24, 1-12, e916 (2024).
17:40
Networking Break
18:00
Plenary Lecture
NASA Astrobiology
– Past, Present, and Future
by Becky McCauley Rench
The questions of astrobiology have been asked for most of human history – Are we alone in the universe? How did life arise on Earth? The NASA Astrobiology Program ensures we push the boundaries on answering these questions. We build on a rich history of research and space missions, and plan for the future where we will continue work to answer these important questions. This talk will take us through how we have arrived at present day astrobiology, and where we are going as we continue to explore.
19:00
Networking Break
19:20
Session - Prebiotic Chemistry
Zoe Todd
Departments of Chemistry and Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The origins of life on Earth have been a longstanding scientific puzzle, prompting scientists from Orgel to Sagan to grapple with the fundamental question of “how did we get here?” While a complete theory of the origin of life on Earth – with experimental support and no unresolved issues – has yet to be elucidated, certain pieces of the puzzle have seen recent progress. We need to have a cohesive model of the origins of life on Earth to better inform which exoplanets should be observational targets for upcoming telescopes and what tools will be necessary in future missions to deduce the presence or absence of life on a potentially habitable world. Fortunately, we have unprecedented access to the one planet where we know circumstances led one way or another to life’s origins: the Earth. While astronomers find and characterize exoplanets and planetary scientists explore the possibility for habitability in our Solar System, chemistry can play an invaluable role in facilitating the search for life beyond Earth. Here, I will discuss results from several recent projects along the pathway from the chemical environment readily available on planets, to understanding prebiotic chemistry reactions in the planetary context, to the emergence of the eventual first life – whatever form it may take. The necessary building blocks of life – whatever they may be – should be available in planetary environments; understanding the chemical feedstocks present on planets is a crucial first piece of the puzzle. Next, productive prebiotic chemistry reactions should be able to occur under planetary conditions and from plausible reagents in the environment. Finally, the interplay between the potentially messy chemical environments on planets must also allow for the development of complexity that could go on to form the first life. If we better understand the chemical reactions and pathways possibly leading to the origins of life on Earth, we can better inform and constrain the search for life in other planetary environments. By working towards a continuous and plausible pathway towards delineating the origins of life on Earth, we can place constraints on the astronomical, planetary, and chemical environments necessary for habitability.
Barbara Lecha, Rafał Szablaa, Robert Góraa
a Institute of Advanced Materials, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
The RNA self-replication process has been studied for four decades, with evidence showing that imidazolium-activated dinucleotides can drive the reaction efficiently, supporting the hypothesis of RNA’s essential role in abiogenesis [1-3]. In contrast, DNA primer extension occurs much more slowly, making it less relevant for prebiotic chemistry, though it may offer a new way for DNA synthesis [4]. Traditional DNA synthesis methods, such as solid-phase synthesis and PCR, have limitations, including costly enzymes, complicated procedures, or large amounts of solvents. Interestingly, DNA synthesis on an RNA template is faster than on pure DNA, potentially due to the A-helical structure of RNA [5]. This presentation reports on molecular dynamics simulations of RNA, DNA, and hybrid DNA/RNA systems, with and without magnesium ions, offering insights into the low efficiency of DNA primer extension and the impact of the RNA template. Additionally, the findings highlight the critical role of magnesium ions in non-enzymatic primer extension.
References:
- F. H. C. Crick, J. Mol. Biol., 1968, 38, 367–379.
- T. Inoue, L. E. Orgel, J. Mol. Biol., 1982, 162, 201–217.
- W. Zhang, et al., Elife, 2018, 7, e36422.
- B. I. Andrews, et al., J. Org. Chem., 2021, 86, 49–61.
- S. J. Park, K. L. Callaghan, A. V. Ellis, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2023, 21, 6702–6706.
Alex Deans-Rowea, Kavita Matangeb, Vahab Rajaeia, Pau Capera-Aragonèsa,c, Juliana DiGiacomoa, Moran Frenkel-Pinterc, Loren Dean Williamsa
a School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
b Cancer Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbory, NY 11724, USA
c Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
The Origin of Life (OoL) on Earth is a long-standing unsolved problem in the natural sciences. Central to this problem is the question of how simple, abiotic compounds on the early Earth became the complex, highly-ordered molecular assemblies found in modern cells. Recently, focus has been given to the potential for evolutionary processes to shape prebiotic chemistry and its transition to biology [1, 2]. These processes are broadly termed chemical evolution, and are not necessarily Darwinian. Despite this, similar concepts such as selective pressure, nonequilibrium chemistry, and continuous changes in the state of the system are invoked in chemical evolution. [1, 3] Unfortunately, both the complexity of the chemical mixtures involved in chemical evolution experiments and the presence of many low-abundance species have hindered HPLC/UV-Vis and NMR-based analyses of the component species in our studies, limiting understanding of these systems’ mechanics. I propose the use of a metabolomics approach for identification of species in chemical evolution experiments. Metabolomics approaches are well-suited for adaptation to study these systems due to the shared focus on complex mixtures of small, structurally diverse molecules with many species present below the detection limit of other technologies. This approach will allow for hypotheses to be developed and allow initial empirical comparisons to computationally predicted behavior, potentially shedding light on the causes of observed trends in these systems and their long-term fate. Understanding the mechanics of chemical evolution may allow for an improved understanding of how chemistry became biology at the OoL.
References:
- Matange, K., et al., ChemRxiv (2023).
- Ruiz-Mirazo, K., C. Briones, and A. de la Escosura, Open Biol. 7, 4:170050 (2017).
- Wong, M.L., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 120, 43:e2310223120 (2023).
Mikołaj Gurbaa, Barbara Lecha, Rafał Szablaa
a Institute of Advanced Materials, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
Photoinduced electron transfer plays a pivotal role in various biological processes, including the formation of DNA photodamage [1] and its subsequent repair [2]. Despite its significance, several factors influencing this phenomenon remain poorly understood. One such factor is the π-π stacking interaction between neighbouring nucleotides [3], which can induce specific geometric arrangements that may enhance electron transfer rates. To explore the impact of base stacking on photoinduced electron transfer, we conducted quantum chemical studies on various models, including individual base pairs, trinucleotides, and tetranucleotides. Stacking interactions were quantified using an in-house developed algorithm, and their correlations with adiabatic and vertical excitation energies, as well as non-adiabatic couplings, were analysed. The results reveal that certain geometric features arising from stacking interactions strongly influence electron transfer rates.
References:
- M. W. Powner, B. Gerland, J. D. Sutherland, Nature, 459, 239-242 (2009).
- D. B. Bucher, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 18, 24228-24238. (2016).
- C. L. Kufner, et al., Chem. Sci., 15, 2158-2166 (2024).