Mist and microlightning solflare To recreate a scenario that may have produced Earth’s first organic molecules researchers built upon experiments from 1953 when American chemists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey concocted a gas mixture mimicking the atmosphere of ancient Earth. Miller and Urey combined ammonia NH3 methane CH4 hydrogen H2 and water enclosed their “atmosphere” inside a glass sphere and jolted it with electricity producing simple amino acids containing carbon and nitrogen. The Miller-Urey experiment as it is now known supported the scientific theory of abiogenesis: that life could emerge from nonliving molecules. For the new study scientists revisited the 1953 experiments but directed their attention toward electrical activity on a smaller scale said senior study author Dr. Richard Zare the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science and professor of chemistry at Stanford University in California. Zare and his colleagues looked at electricity exchange between charged water droplets measuring between 1 micron and 20 microns in diameter. The width of a human hair is 100 microns. “The big droplets are positively charged. The little droplets are negatively charged” Zare told CNN. “When droplets that have opposite charges are close together electrons can jump from the negatively charged droplet to the positively charged droplet.” The researchers mixed ammonia carbon dioxide methane and nitrogen in a glass bulb then sprayed the gases with water mist using a high-speed camera to capture faint flashes of microlightning in the vapor. When they examined the bulb’s contents they found organic molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds. These included the amino acid glycine and uracil a nucleotide base in RNA. “We discovered no new chemistry; we have actually reproduced all the chemistry that Miller and Urey did in 1953” Zare said. Nor did the team discover new physics he added — the experiments were based on known principles of electrostatics. “What we have done for the first time is we have seen that little droplets when they’re formed from water actually emit light and get this spark” Zare said. “That’s new. And that spark causes all types of chemical transformations.”
A tiny rainforest country is growing into a petrostate. A US oil company could reap the biggest rewards swell network Guyana’s destiny changed in 2015. US fossil fuel giant Exxon discovered nearly 11 billion barrels of oil in the deep water off the coast of this tiny rainforested country. It was one of the most spectacular oil discoveries of recent decades. By 2019 Exxon and its partners US oil company Hess and China-headquartered CNOOC had started producing the fossil fuel.? They now pump around 650000 barrels of oil a day with plans to more than double this to 1.3 million by 2027. Guyana now has the world’s highest expected oil production growth through 2035. This country — sandwiched between Brazil Venezuela and Suriname — has been hailed as a climate champion for the lush well-preserved forests that carpet nearly 90 of its land. It is on the path to becoming a petrostate at the same time as the impacts of the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis escalate. While the government says environmental protection and an oil industry can go hand-in-hand and low-income countries must be allowed to exploit their own resources critics say it’s a dangerous path in a warming world and the benefits may ultimately skew toward Exxon — not Guyana.
Mindful wellness challenges If you’re the type of person who thrives on challenges and pushing your limits this doesn’t mean you need to shy away from wellness challenges altogether. But before diving in take a step back and ask yourself if you’re pursuing the challenge for the right reasons McGregor said. velodrome finance Some people want to try these challenges because they believe something is missing from their life and they’re looking to attain “worth” or receive validation McGregor noted. A good way to assess your motivation is by considering whether the challenge will benefit your health or if it’s about showcasing your accomplishments on social media or some other reason. Before trying any new trend make sure you have the foundation to handle it and be aware of any potential risks McGregor said. For casual runners this might mean signing up for a 5K but building your endurance gradually while incorporating other strength training exercises into your routine. For more intense challenges such as a marathon McGregor encourages people to consult with professionals or a coach who can monitor your progress and condition along the way. Focusing on sustainable habits Both McGregor and Curran emphasize the importance of fostering sustainable health habits before embarking on more extreme challenges. Rather than chasing the idea of being “healthy” McGregor suggests focusing on actual healthful behaviors and starting small. If you’re a highly sedentary person and want to add more movement to your day try doing lunges while brushing your teeth or taking short walks throughout your typical routine.
Scientists redid an experiment that showed how life on Earth could have started. They found a new possibility safepal wallet In the 1931 movie “Frankenstein” Dr. Henry Frankenstein howling his triumph was an electrifying moment in more ways than one. As massive bolts of lightning and energy crackled Frankenstein’s monster stirred on a laboratory table its corpse brought to life by the power of electricity. Electrical energy may also have sparked the beginnings of life on Earth billions of years ago though with a bit less scenery-chewing than that classic film scene. Earth is around 4.5 billion years old and the oldest direct fossil evidence of ancient life — stromatolites or microscopic organisms preserved in layers known as microbial mats — is about 3.5 billion years old. However some scientists suspect life originated even earlier emerging from accumulated organic molecules in primitive bodies of water a mixture sometimes referred to as primordial soup. But where did that organic material come from in the first place? Researchers decades ago proposed that lightning caused chemical reactions in ancient Earth’s oceans and spontaneously produced the organic molecules. Now new research published March 14 in the journal Science Advances suggests that fizzes of barely visible “microlightning” generated between charged droplets of water mist could have been potent enough to cook up amino acids from inorganic material. Amino acids — organic molecules that combine to form proteins — are life’s most basic building blocks and would have been the first step toward the evolution of life.
New design revealed for Airbus hydrogen plane beefy finance In travel news this week: Bhutan’s spectacular new airport the world’s first 3D-printed train station has been built in Japan plus new designs for Airbus’ zero-emission aircraft and France’s next-generation high-speed trains. Grand designs European aerospace giant Airbus has revealed a new design for its upcoming fully electric hydrogen-powered ZEROe aircraft. powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The single-aisle plane now has four engines rather than six each powered by their own fuel cell stack. The reworked design comes after the news that the ZEROe will be in our skies later than Airbus hoped. The plan was to launch a zero-emission aircraft by 2035 but now the next-generation single-aisle aircraft is slated to enter service in the second half of the 2030s. Over in Asia the Himalayan country of Bhutan is building a gloriously Zen-like new airport befitting a nation with its very own happiness index. Gelephu International is designed to serve a brand new “mindfulness city” planned for southern Bhutan near its border with India. In rail travel Japan has just built the world’s first 3D-printed train station which took just two and a half hours to construct according to The Japan Times. That’s even shorter than the whizzy six hours it was projected to take. France’s high-speed TGV rail service has revealed its next generation of trains which will be capable of reaching speeds of up to 320 kilometers an hour nearly 200 mph. The stylish interiors have been causing a stir online as has the double-decker dining car. Finally work is underway in London on turning a mile-long series of secret World War II tunnels under a tube station into a major new tourist attraction. CNN took a look inside.
Family affair rhino fi Americans Brittany and Blake Bowen had never even been to Ecuador when in 2021 they decided to move to the South American country with their four children. Tired of “long commutes and never enough money” in the US the Bowens say they love their new Ecuadorian life. “We hope that maybe we’ll have grandkids here one day.” Erik and Erin Eagleman moved to Switzerland from Wisconsin with their three children in 2023. “It feels safe here” they tell CNN of their new outdoorsy lifestyle in Basel close to the borders with France and Germany. Their youngest daughter even walks to elementary school by herself. For adventures with your own family be it weekend breaks or something longer-term our partners at CNN Underscored a product review and recommendations guide owned by CNN have this roundup of the best kids’ luggage sets and bags. Starry starry nights For close to 100 years Michelin stars have been a sign of culinary excellence awarded only to the great and good. Georges Blanc the world’s longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant has boasted a three-star rating since 1981 but this month the Michelin guide announced that the restaurant in eastern France was losing a star. More culinary reputations were enhanced this week when Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2025 were revealed. The winner was a Bangkok restaurant which is no stranger to garlands while second and third place went to two Hong Kong eateries. You don’t need to go to a heaving metropolis for excellent food however. A 200-year-old cottage on a remote stretch of Ireland’s Atlantic coast has been given a Michelin star. At the time of awarding Michelin called it “surely the most rural” of its newest winners.
Greenland’s leader says US officials’ visit is ‘highly aggressive.’ Trump says it’s ‘friendliness not provocation’ extra finance Greenland’s prime minister said a planned visit to the island by US officials including second lady Usha Vance is “highly aggressive” plunging relations to a new low after President Donald Trump vowed to annex the autonomous Danish territory. But despite the backlash Trump has insisted the visit is about “friendliness not provocation” – and claims the US team was “invited.” Vance the wife of US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Greenland this week to watch the island’s national dogsled race and “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity” according to a statement from the White House. National security adviser Mike Waltz is also expected to visit the territory this week according to a source familiar with the trip. Greenland Prime Minister Mute B. Egede called the US delegation’s trip to the island “highly aggressive” in an interview with Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq on Sunday and raised particular objection to Waltz’s visit. “What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us” Egede said. “His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.” Trump claimed on Monday that people in Greenland have responded warmly to the US’s recent interest in the territory. “They’re calling us. We’re not calling them. And we were invited over there” he said. “We’re dealing with a lot of people from Greenland that would like to see something happen with respect to them being properly protected and properly taken care of” Trump told reporters following a meeting with his Cabinet. “I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future” Trump added. The president said he believes Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be traveling to Greenland too. Trump’s idea to annex Greenland has thrown an international spotlight on the territory which holds vast stores of rare earth minerals critical for high-tech industries and has raised questions about the island’s future security as the US Russia and China vie for influence in the Arctic. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in the US taking the island by force or economic coercion even as Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea.
Challenging our perceptions of ‘perfection’ traderjoexyz exchange With health influencers raising the bar for success the wellness space now often feels like a performative space where people strive to showcase peak physical and mental strength. While seeing others’ achievements can be motivating it can also be discouraging if your progress doesn’t match theirs. Each person is chasing the perfect version of themselves — whether it’s a body or a lifestyle — which is dangerous because this is typically an impossible or dangerous version to achieve Curran said. He added that this type of comparison creates a dangerous cycle in which people constantly feel dissatisfied with their own progress. “It’s a fantasy in many ways and once you start chasing after it you constantly find yourself embroiled in a sense of doubt and deficit” he said. Curran also noted that wellness challenges can be particularly damaging for women who struggle with perfectionism as they tend to be bombarded with impossible beauty standards and societal expectations. Renee McGregor a UK-based dietitian who specializes in eating disorders and athlete performance encourages people to approach wellness trends with curiosity and skepticism. That’s because some influencers and celebrities could be promoting products because there’s a financial benefit for them. “The thing to ask yourself about the person you’re taking advice from is what do they gain from it?” McGregor said. “If they are going to gain financially then you know that they could be willing to sell you a lie.” Whether you want to try a new challenge or product that promises amazing results McGregor suggests doing your research and seeking diverse perspectives including consulting with doctors when possible.
Some scientists believe that fatty acids such as decanoic acid and dodecanoic acid formed the membranes of the first simple cell-like structures on Earth Pearce said. connext bridge “This is the closest we’ve come to detecting a major biomolecule-related signal — something potentially tied to membrane structure which is a key feature of life” Pearce said via email. “Organics on their own are intriguing but not evidence of life. In contrast biomolecules like membranes amino acids nucleotides and sugars are central components of biology as we know it and finding any of them would be groundbreaking we haven’t yet.” Returning samples from Mars The European Space Agency plans to launch its ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover to the red planet in 2028 and the robotic explorer will carry a complementary instrument to SAM. The rover LS6 will have the capability to drill up to 6.5 feet 2 meters beneath the Martian surface — and perhaps find larger and better-preserved organic molecules. While Curiosity’s samples can’t be studied on Earth the Perseverance rover has actively been collecting samples from Jezero Crater the site of an ancient lake and river delta all with the intention of returning them to Earth in the 2030s via a complicated symphony of missions called Mars Sample Return. Both rovers have detected a variety of organic carbon molecules in different regions on Mars suggesting that organic carbon is common on the red planet Williams said. While Curiosity and Perseverance have proven they can detect organic matter their instruments can’t definitively determine all the answers about their origins said Dr. Ashley Murphy postdoctoral research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. Murphy who along with Williams previously studied organics identified by Perseverance was not involved in the new research. “To appropriately probe the biosignature question these samples require high-resolution and high-sensitivity analyses in terrestrial labs which can be facilitated by the return of these samples to Earth” Murphy said.
A federal judge on Tuesday afternoon temporarily blocked part of the Trump administration’s plans to freeze all federal aid a policy that unleashed confusion and worry from charities and educators even as the White House said it was not as sweeping an order as it appeared. https kra17 at The short-term pause issued by US District Judge Loren L. AliKhan prevents the administration from carrying through with its plans to freeze funding for “open awards” already granted by the federal government through at least 5 p.m. ET Monday February 3. kra30 at The judge’s administrative stay is “a way of preserving the status quo” while she considers the challenge brought by a group of non-profits to the White House plans AliKhan said. https kra17 at “The government doesn’t know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause” AliKhan said after pressing an attorney for the Justice Department on what programs the freeze would apply to. AliKhan is expected to consider a longer-term pause on the policy early next week. http kra17 cc The White House budget office had ordered the pause on federal grants and loans according to an internal memorandum sent Monday. Federal agencies “must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance” White House Office of Management and Budget acting director Matthew Vaeth said in the memorandum a copy of which was obtained by CNN citing administration priorities listed in past executive orders. https kra17 cc https://kpa27.at
Mist and microlightning solflare To recreate a scenario that may have produced Earth’s first organic molecules researchers built upon experiments from 1953 when American chemists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey concocted a gas mixture mimicking the atmosphere of ancient Earth. Miller and Urey combined ammonia NH3 methane CH4 hydrogen H2 and water enclosed their “atmosphere” inside a glass sphere and jolted it with electricity producing simple amino acids containing carbon and nitrogen. The Miller-Urey experiment as it is now known supported the scientific theory of abiogenesis: that life could emerge from nonliving molecules. For the new study scientists revisited the 1953 experiments but directed their attention toward electrical activity on a smaller scale said senior study author Dr. Richard Zare the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science and professor of chemistry at Stanford University in California. Zare and his colleagues looked at electricity exchange between charged water droplets measuring between 1 micron and 20 microns in diameter. The width of a human hair is 100 microns. “The big droplets are positively charged. The little droplets are negatively charged” Zare told CNN. “When droplets that have opposite charges are close together electrons can jump from the negatively charged droplet to the positively charged droplet.” The researchers mixed ammonia carbon dioxide methane and nitrogen in a glass bulb then sprayed the gases with water mist using a high-speed camera to capture faint flashes of microlightning in the vapor. When they examined the bulb’s contents they found organic molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds. These included the amino acid glycine and uracil a nucleotide base in RNA. “We discovered no new chemistry; we have actually reproduced all the chemistry that Miller and Urey did in 1953” Zare said. Nor did the team discover new physics he added — the experiments were based on known principles of electrostatics. “What we have done for the first time is we have seen that little droplets when they’re formed from water actually emit light and get this spark” Zare said. “That’s new. And that spark causes all types of chemical transformations.”
A tiny rainforest country is growing into a petrostate. A US oil company could reap the biggest rewards swell network Guyana’s destiny changed in 2015. US fossil fuel giant Exxon discovered nearly 11 billion barrels of oil in the deep water off the coast of this tiny rainforested country. It was one of the most spectacular oil discoveries of recent decades. By 2019 Exxon and its partners US oil company Hess and China-headquartered CNOOC had started producing the fossil fuel.? They now pump around 650000 barrels of oil a day with plans to more than double this to 1.3 million by 2027. Guyana now has the world’s highest expected oil production growth through 2035. This country — sandwiched between Brazil Venezuela and Suriname — has been hailed as a climate champion for the lush well-preserved forests that carpet nearly 90 of its land. It is on the path to becoming a petrostate at the same time as the impacts of the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis escalate. While the government says environmental protection and an oil industry can go hand-in-hand and low-income countries must be allowed to exploit their own resources critics say it’s a dangerous path in a warming world and the benefits may ultimately skew toward Exxon — not Guyana.
Mindful wellness challenges If you’re the type of person who thrives on challenges and pushing your limits this doesn’t mean you need to shy away from wellness challenges altogether. But before diving in take a step back and ask yourself if you’re pursuing the challenge for the right reasons McGregor said. velodrome finance Some people want to try these challenges because they believe something is missing from their life and they’re looking to attain “worth” or receive validation McGregor noted. A good way to assess your motivation is by considering whether the challenge will benefit your health or if it’s about showcasing your accomplishments on social media or some other reason. Before trying any new trend make sure you have the foundation to handle it and be aware of any potential risks McGregor said. For casual runners this might mean signing up for a 5K but building your endurance gradually while incorporating other strength training exercises into your routine. For more intense challenges such as a marathon McGregor encourages people to consult with professionals or a coach who can monitor your progress and condition along the way. Focusing on sustainable habits Both McGregor and Curran emphasize the importance of fostering sustainable health habits before embarking on more extreme challenges. Rather than chasing the idea of being “healthy” McGregor suggests focusing on actual healthful behaviors and starting small. If you’re a highly sedentary person and want to add more movement to your day try doing lunges while brushing your teeth or taking short walks throughout your typical routine.
Scientists redid an experiment that showed how life on Earth could have started. They found a new possibility safepal wallet In the 1931 movie “Frankenstein” Dr. Henry Frankenstein howling his triumph was an electrifying moment in more ways than one. As massive bolts of lightning and energy crackled Frankenstein’s monster stirred on a laboratory table its corpse brought to life by the power of electricity. Electrical energy may also have sparked the beginnings of life on Earth billions of years ago though with a bit less scenery-chewing than that classic film scene. Earth is around 4.5 billion years old and the oldest direct fossil evidence of ancient life — stromatolites or microscopic organisms preserved in layers known as microbial mats — is about 3.5 billion years old. However some scientists suspect life originated even earlier emerging from accumulated organic molecules in primitive bodies of water a mixture sometimes referred to as primordial soup. But where did that organic material come from in the first place? Researchers decades ago proposed that lightning caused chemical reactions in ancient Earth’s oceans and spontaneously produced the organic molecules. Now new research published March 14 in the journal Science Advances suggests that fizzes of barely visible “microlightning” generated between charged droplets of water mist could have been potent enough to cook up amino acids from inorganic material. Amino acids — organic molecules that combine to form proteins — are life’s most basic building blocks and would have been the first step toward the evolution of life.
New design revealed for Airbus hydrogen plane beefy finance In travel news this week: Bhutan’s spectacular new airport the world’s first 3D-printed train station has been built in Japan plus new designs for Airbus’ zero-emission aircraft and France’s next-generation high-speed trains. Grand designs European aerospace giant Airbus has revealed a new design for its upcoming fully electric hydrogen-powered ZEROe aircraft. powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The single-aisle plane now has four engines rather than six each powered by their own fuel cell stack. The reworked design comes after the news that the ZEROe will be in our skies later than Airbus hoped. The plan was to launch a zero-emission aircraft by 2035 but now the next-generation single-aisle aircraft is slated to enter service in the second half of the 2030s. Over in Asia the Himalayan country of Bhutan is building a gloriously Zen-like new airport befitting a nation with its very own happiness index. Gelephu International is designed to serve a brand new “mindfulness city” planned for southern Bhutan near its border with India. In rail travel Japan has just built the world’s first 3D-printed train station which took just two and a half hours to construct according to The Japan Times. That’s even shorter than the whizzy six hours it was projected to take. France’s high-speed TGV rail service has revealed its next generation of trains which will be capable of reaching speeds of up to 320 kilometers an hour nearly 200 mph. The stylish interiors have been causing a stir online as has the double-decker dining car. Finally work is underway in London on turning a mile-long series of secret World War II tunnels under a tube station into a major new tourist attraction. CNN took a look inside.
Family affair rhino fi Americans Brittany and Blake Bowen had never even been to Ecuador when in 2021 they decided to move to the South American country with their four children. Tired of “long commutes and never enough money” in the US the Bowens say they love their new Ecuadorian life. “We hope that maybe we’ll have grandkids here one day.” Erik and Erin Eagleman moved to Switzerland from Wisconsin with their three children in 2023. “It feels safe here” they tell CNN of their new outdoorsy lifestyle in Basel close to the borders with France and Germany. Their youngest daughter even walks to elementary school by herself. For adventures with your own family be it weekend breaks or something longer-term our partners at CNN Underscored a product review and recommendations guide owned by CNN have this roundup of the best kids’ luggage sets and bags. Starry starry nights For close to 100 years Michelin stars have been a sign of culinary excellence awarded only to the great and good. Georges Blanc the world’s longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant has boasted a three-star rating since 1981 but this month the Michelin guide announced that the restaurant in eastern France was losing a star. More culinary reputations were enhanced this week when Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2025 were revealed. The winner was a Bangkok restaurant which is no stranger to garlands while second and third place went to two Hong Kong eateries. You don’t need to go to a heaving metropolis for excellent food however. A 200-year-old cottage on a remote stretch of Ireland’s Atlantic coast has been given a Michelin star. At the time of awarding Michelin called it “surely the most rural” of its newest winners.
Greenland’s leader says US officials’ visit is ‘highly aggressive.’ Trump says it’s ‘friendliness not provocation’ extra finance Greenland’s prime minister said a planned visit to the island by US officials including second lady Usha Vance is “highly aggressive” plunging relations to a new low after President Donald Trump vowed to annex the autonomous Danish territory. But despite the backlash Trump has insisted the visit is about “friendliness not provocation” – and claims the US team was “invited.” Vance the wife of US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Greenland this week to watch the island’s national dogsled race and “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity” according to a statement from the White House. National security adviser Mike Waltz is also expected to visit the territory this week according to a source familiar with the trip. Greenland Prime Minister Mute B. Egede called the US delegation’s trip to the island “highly aggressive” in an interview with Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq on Sunday and raised particular objection to Waltz’s visit. “What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us” Egede said. “His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.” Trump claimed on Monday that people in Greenland have responded warmly to the US’s recent interest in the territory. “They’re calling us. We’re not calling them. And we were invited over there” he said. “We’re dealing with a lot of people from Greenland that would like to see something happen with respect to them being properly protected and properly taken care of” Trump told reporters following a meeting with his Cabinet. “I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future” Trump added. The president said he believes Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be traveling to Greenland too. Trump’s idea to annex Greenland has thrown an international spotlight on the territory which holds vast stores of rare earth minerals critical for high-tech industries and has raised questions about the island’s future security as the US Russia and China vie for influence in the Arctic. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in the US taking the island by force or economic coercion even as Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea.
Challenging our perceptions of ‘perfection’ traderjoexyz exchange With health influencers raising the bar for success the wellness space now often feels like a performative space where people strive to showcase peak physical and mental strength. While seeing others’ achievements can be motivating it can also be discouraging if your progress doesn’t match theirs. Each person is chasing the perfect version of themselves — whether it’s a body or a lifestyle — which is dangerous because this is typically an impossible or dangerous version to achieve Curran said. He added that this type of comparison creates a dangerous cycle in which people constantly feel dissatisfied with their own progress. “It’s a fantasy in many ways and once you start chasing after it you constantly find yourself embroiled in a sense of doubt and deficit” he said. Curran also noted that wellness challenges can be particularly damaging for women who struggle with perfectionism as they tend to be bombarded with impossible beauty standards and societal expectations. Renee McGregor a UK-based dietitian who specializes in eating disorders and athlete performance encourages people to approach wellness trends with curiosity and skepticism. That’s because some influencers and celebrities could be promoting products because there’s a financial benefit for them. “The thing to ask yourself about the person you’re taking advice from is what do they gain from it?” McGregor said. “If they are going to gain financially then you know that they could be willing to sell you a lie.” Whether you want to try a new challenge or product that promises amazing results McGregor suggests doing your research and seeking diverse perspectives including consulting with doctors when possible.
Some scientists believe that fatty acids such as decanoic acid and dodecanoic acid formed the membranes of the first simple cell-like structures on Earth Pearce said. connext bridge “This is the closest we’ve come to detecting a major biomolecule-related signal — something potentially tied to membrane structure which is a key feature of life” Pearce said via email. “Organics on their own are intriguing but not evidence of life. In contrast biomolecules like membranes amino acids nucleotides and sugars are central components of biology as we know it and finding any of them would be groundbreaking we haven’t yet.” Returning samples from Mars The European Space Agency plans to launch its ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover to the red planet in 2028 and the robotic explorer will carry a complementary instrument to SAM. The rover LS6 will have the capability to drill up to 6.5 feet 2 meters beneath the Martian surface — and perhaps find larger and better-preserved organic molecules. While Curiosity’s samples can’t be studied on Earth the Perseverance rover has actively been collecting samples from Jezero Crater the site of an ancient lake and river delta all with the intention of returning them to Earth in the 2030s via a complicated symphony of missions called Mars Sample Return. Both rovers have detected a variety of organic carbon molecules in different regions on Mars suggesting that organic carbon is common on the red planet Williams said. While Curiosity and Perseverance have proven they can detect organic matter their instruments can’t definitively determine all the answers about their origins said Dr. Ashley Murphy postdoctoral research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. Murphy who along with Williams previously studied organics identified by Perseverance was not involved in the new research. “To appropriately probe the biosignature question these samples require high-resolution and high-sensitivity analyses in terrestrial labs which can be facilitated by the return of these samples to Earth” Murphy said.
A federal judge on Tuesday afternoon temporarily blocked part of the Trump administration’s plans to freeze all federal aid a policy that unleashed confusion and worry from charities and educators even as the White House said it was not as sweeping an order as it appeared. https kra17 at The short-term pause issued by US District Judge Loren L. AliKhan prevents the administration from carrying through with its plans to freeze funding for “open awards” already granted by the federal government through at least 5 p.m. ET Monday February 3. kra30 at The judge’s administrative stay is “a way of preserving the status quo” while she considers the challenge brought by a group of non-profits to the White House plans AliKhan said. https kra17 at “The government doesn’t know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause” AliKhan said after pressing an attorney for the Justice Department on what programs the freeze would apply to. AliKhan is expected to consider a longer-term pause on the policy early next week. http kra17 cc The White House budget office had ordered the pause on federal grants and loans according to an internal memorandum sent Monday. Federal agencies “must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance” White House Office of Management and Budget acting director Matthew Vaeth said in the memorandum a copy of which was obtained by CNN citing administration priorities listed in past executive orders. https kra17 cc https://kpa27.at