UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA) header
UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA) profile picture

UK Centre for Astrobiology

@TheUKCA

A leading research centre @PhysAstroEd @EdinburghUni for the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe

 Edinburgh
astrobiology.ac.uk/
Joined August 2024
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  • Following82
  • Followers97
Congratulations to our 2025 Essay Competition Winner! We had many great applicants this year and wish to thank all that submitted an essay! Ruby's essay can be read here: astrobiology.ac.uk/opportuni… Keep a look out for next year's theme!
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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Signs of ancient life may have been found in Martian rock – new study theconversation.com/signs-of… via @ConversationUK
Signs of ancient life may have been found in Martian rock – new study

Signs of ancient life may have been found in Martian rock – new study

The rock is peppered with spots that could have been formed by microbes four billion years ago.

theconversation.com
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⏰ LAST CHANCE to submit your essay for this year's Harding Essay Competition! ⏰ Send entries to: [email protected] ✉️for your chance to win £500 🪙
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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⏳Less than 1 MONTH left to enter the UKCA Harding Essay Competition 2025! UK students — share your boldest ideas on science, engineering & society. 🏆A £500 Prize awaits the winner 📅Deadline: 31 July 2025 📩Send entries to: [email protected] #EssayCompetition #astrobiology
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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✨Calling all UK students! ✨ The UKCA Harding Essay Competition is awaiting your essay! Submit your take on life in the cold and icy universe to: [email protected] ⏰Deadline for essays is the 31st of July 2025 #studentvoices #essaycompetition #astrobiology
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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UK Centre for Astrobiology retweeted
Valentina Erastova (@V_Erastova) profile picture
Valentina Erastova@V_Erastova12 May 2025
After a fantastic week in Iceland with @TheUKCA @CharlesCockell @PamelaKnoll @TAstrobiologist @what_the_felton it is time to head home
Image from Valentina Erastova (@V_Erastova)
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🚨!New paper alert!🚨 From UKCA’s Planetary Paleobiology group: Troubles With Tubules: How Do Iron‐Mineral Chemical Gardens Differ From Iron‐Mineralized Sheaths of Iron Oxidizing Bacteria? 📃Access the published article here: dx.doi.org/10.1111/gbi.70021
Troubles With Tubules: How Do Iron‐Mineral Chemical Gardens Differ From Iron‐Mineralized Sheaths of...

Troubles With Tubules: How Do Iron‐Mineral Chemical Gardens Differ From Iron‐Mineralized Sheaths of...

Microscopic tubules and filaments composed of iron minerals occur in various rock types of all ages. Although typically lacking carbonaceous matter, many are reasonably interpreted as the remains of...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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Intrepid UKCA scientists head off in search of extremophiles in Iceland's most extreme locations.
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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The UKCA is delighted to announce that the Harding Essay Competition 2025 is now open! This year's theme is: Ice, Ice, Maybe? Life in the Cold Universe. visit astrobiology.ac.uk/opportuni… for more details or email [email protected]
Image from UK Centre for Astrobiology (@TheUKCA)
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🚨 Job Alert! Join Naturalis as a Postdoctoral Fellow on the exciting PROTOS project exploring the evolution & preservation of biomolecules under early Earth conditions🧬🔬 📍Leiden and Utrecht 🕒 Fulltime 📅 Apply by May 19! 🔗 naturalis.nl/en/about-us/job…
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Can methanogens fossilize? New research from the UKCA's Sean McMahon explores the preservation potential of Methanobacterium in carbonate, phosphate, and silicate solutions—offering insights into early Earth & Mars! 🔗 Read more: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/… #Astrobiology #Fossils
Experimental Mineralisation of a Filamentous Hydrogenotrophic Methanogen in Carbonate, Phosphate,...

Experimental Mineralisation of a Filamentous Hydrogenotrophic Methanogen in Carbonate, Phosphate,...

Methanogenic archaea were likely among the earliest organisms to populate the Earth, perhaps contributing to the Archaean greenhouse effect; they are also widely discussed as analogues to any...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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The UKCA’s Dr. @V_Erastova journeyed through space and time at the virtual Winter School, exploring Computational Chemistry as the ultimate tool in exploration! Watch the talk here: zenodo.org/records/14938180 Learn more about the winter school here: winterschool.cc/

Computational Chemistry - Space & Time Travellers Tool

Valentina Erastova EaSTCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Scotland Group website: www.erastova.xyz Abstract: 'Where to land the next Mars rover?', and 'I found a peptide on a rocky...

zenodo.org
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Congratulations to Dr Corentin Loron! Who has received an RSE Award Grant from @RoyalSocEd to look into "Constraining the source of Martian sedimentary organic matter". Read more about the RSE awardees here: rse.org.uk/scotlands-vibrant…
Scotland’s vibrant research sector to receive over £705.5K in the latest RSE Research Awards...

Scotland’s vibrant research sector to receive over £705.5K in the latest RSE Research Awards...

We are pleased to announce that 69 exceptional research projects have been selected at the autumn 2024 Research Awards open call.

rse.org.uk
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UKCA students explore new depths in Astrobiology! To ~literally~ deepen their knowledge, our students traveled over 1 km underground to Boulby mine... Read more about the adventure here: ph.ed.ac.uk/news/2025/studen… Read more about @iclboulby here: boulby.stfc.ac.uk/Pages/Over…
Students explore new depths in astrobiology

Students explore new depths in astrobiology

MSc Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences students visit Boulby Mine, the world's first subsurface astrobiology lab.

ph.ed.ac.uk
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🚨Job opportunity! 🚨 The Planetary Palaeobiology Group led by UKCA co-director @SeanHMcMahon is looking for a postdoc with skills and interests in microbiology and palaeontology. Advert in the reply to this tweet! Application deadline = 7th March 2025
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Here's the link: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/…

Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Microbiology and Palaeobiology

An exciting three-year postdoctoral position working at the interface of palaeontology and microbiology to answer fundamental questions about the fossil record of microbial life.

elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com
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UK Centre for Astrobiology retweeted
Materials World (@materialsworld) profile picture
Materials World@materialsworld3 Feb 2025
'Biological #mining, or #biomining, is the use of #microorganisms to extract economically or industrially useful elements from rocks. On Earth, it is used to extract #gold and #copper...' Read more about @TheUKCA @EdinburghUni #biomining in #Space at bit.ly/4277Azv
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UK Centre for Astrobiology retweeted
NASA Science (@NASAScience_) profile picture
NASA Science
@NASAScience_31 Jan 2025
#ICYMI, @NASA_Astronauts ventured outside the @Space_Station to complete maintenance and science tasks. Butch Wilmore collected samples near vents in search of microbes that may survive and reproduce on the exterior of the orbiting lab.

NASA Astronauts Swab For Microbes Outside Station

During a scheduled spacewalk, samples were collected near space station vents to help inform researchers whether microbes survive and reproduce on the exterior of the orbiting laboratory.

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"Surveys of the scientific community on the existence of extraterrestrial life" — New paper with UKCA co-director @SeanHMcMahon: nature.com/articles/s41550-0…

Surveys of the scientific community on the existence of extraterrestrial life

Nature Astronomy - During February–June 2024 we conducted four surveys among researchers regarding the likely existence of basic, complex, and intelligent extraterrestrial life. Our results...

nature.com
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UK Centre for Astrobiology retweeted
Dirk Schulze-Makuch (@extreme_microbe) profile picture
Dirk Schulze-Makuch@extreme_microbe27 Sep 2024
Please check out my latest publication in Nature Astronomy: "We may be looking for Martian life in the wrong place." Weblink to the paper: rdcu.be/dVhB5
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