Brian Hynek
On the Puna de Atacama plateau in northwestern Argentina, researchers have discovered a lagoonal system containing giant living stromatolites, layered rocks created by microorganisms.
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It’s impossible to know what Mars was like billions of years ago, but one robotic explorer’s daring exploration is giving astronomers a glimpse into the past.
The NASA Perseverance rover is celebrating its 1,000th day on the Red Planet. Percy completed an investigation of an ancient river delta that flows into the Martian surface called Jezero Crater.
By studying and sampling rocks Since landing in February 2021, the rover has helped scientists piece together Earth’s timeline. When a shallow lake fills the crater.
Currently, the probe continues its quest to find traces of past life on the Red Planet. And new discoveries on Earth could give scientists an idea of what fossils might look like if they existed on Mars.
Brian Hynek
Puna de Atacama’s giant stromatolites are the oldest fossil evidence of life on Earth, according to a new study.
A previously hidden lagoon complex in the arid plateau of Puna de Atacama in northwestern Argentina is providing valuable information. What was the early Earth’s ecosystem like? Billions of years ago.
Within the lagoon are living fossils called giant stromatolites, or layered rocks created by algae and minerals such as gypsum and halite.
The harsh environment of the salt flats is often compared to Mars. But billions of years ago, the red planet was likely covered in lakes and perhaps oceans, so Mars may once have been more like Earth.
“If we find any fossils on Mars, this is our best guess as to what they might be, because these are the oldest fossils in Earth’s rock record,” said Brian Hynek, a professor at the department. That’s why,” he said. He majored in geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has long intrigued astronomers as an oceanic world in our solar system that could potentially support life.
Ice grains and water vapor rise from cracks in the thick icy crust, hinting at the presence of a salty ocean. Now, a new analysis of data collected by NASA’s Cassini mission reveals hydrogen cyanide, a molecule that plays a key role in the processes driving the origin of life.
Additionally, the researchers found evidence that the moon has a chemical energy source powered by organic compounds.
Taking the presence of water, energy, and the building blocks of life together, Enceladus The best place to look for extraterrestrial life.
Landesand, Bavaria in Denkmalpfrege
This Bavarian sword was discovered shining brightly despite having spent thousands of years underground.
Several The most exciting art and archeology This year’s discoveries It was unconventional and unexpected.
History detectives have identified a man carrying a bundle of sticks on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1971 album, commonly known as “Led Zeppelin IV.”
Researchers have uncovered the oldest known European shoe and unearthed a still-resplendent Bronze Age sword.
And inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, a nearly 400-year-old mural emerged from behind a kitchen wall and a hidden hallway was discovered.
People who tend to wake up early may be thanks to Neanderthals, according to a new study.
Neanderthals evolved while living in the high latitudes of Europe and Asia for hundreds of thousands of years. Over time, our extinct relatives may have become better adapted to seasonal changes in sunlight compared to early modern humans who lived near the equator in Africa.
This genetic heritage may have been passed on as humans migrated across the globe and encountered Neanderthals.it’s just One of many Neanderthal genes being tracked It was extracted from ancient DNA and discovered in modern humans.
NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI
New details shine in the James Webb Space Telescope’s images of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A.
New images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope give astronomers the closest and most detailed look inside the remains of an exploded star.
This is the second time researchers have used Webb to observe Cassiopeia A, a luminous supernova remnant in our galaxy.
Newly discovered features include: A ghostly light echoeswhich looks like the offspring of a giant cosmic cloud.
Separately, a team of researchers has observed mysterious, repeating, fast radio bursts from space that have never-before-seen quirks. Frequency like heaven’s flute.
Sit back and let’s go on a journey while reading the next rare book.
— Engineers are trying to resolve a computer glitch on the 46-year-old Voyager 1 spacecraft. Voyager 1 stopped transmitting scientific data during its space exploration. The outer edge of the solar system, 15 billion miles away.
— A well-preserved giant Prehistoric sea monster skull discovered The scene on the beaches of southern England will be detailed in a documentary released by legendary naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
— Scientists A rare phenomenon that keeps Himalayan glaciers cool Even though global temperatures are rising.
Did you like what you read? Oh, but there’s more to it. Please register here Get the next issue of Wonder Theory from CNN’s space science writers in your inbox. ashley strickland and katie hunt. They find wonder in discovering planets and ancient worlds beyond our solar system.