The unique and frequently beautiful morphologies that characterize many biominerals have
long been a source of fascination. While research began by looking first at individual …

Our Sun and planetary system were born about 4.5 billion years ago. How did this happen,
and what is the nature of our heritage from these early times? This review tries to address …

The second ExoMars mission will be launched in 2020 to target an ancient location
interpreted to have strong potential for past habitability and for preserving physical and …

We describe the history and features of the Ladder of Life Detection, a tool intended to guide
the design of investigations to detect microbial life within the practical constraints of robotic …

Uncovers the Key Role Microbes Play in the Transformation of Oxidizable and Reducible
MineralsMany areas of geomicrobial processes are receiving serious attention from …

Analyses by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) of 11 specimens of five taxa of
prokaryotic filamentous kerogenous cellular microfossils permineralized in a petrographic …

We have synthesized inorganic micron-sized filaments, whose microstucture consists of
silica-coated nanometer-sized carbonate crystals, arranged with strong orientational order …

Fossil evidence of the existence of life during the Archean Eon of Earth history (> 2500Ma) is
summarized. Data are outlined for 48 Archean deposits reported to contain biogenic …

Far from the thermodynamic equilibrium, many precipitation reactions create complex
product structures with fascinating features caused by their unusual origins. Unlike the …

Abstract The Paleoproterozoic (2.5–1.6 Ga) Era is a decisive time in Earth and life history.
The paleobiological record (microfossils, stromatolites, biomarkers and isotopes) illustrates …