If you want to learn about the role of water on Mars and Europa, Iceland is a good place to start.
By Simon Mitton
Mini-Sub for Tight Spaces
The water locked underneath icecaps or glaciers can tell us about our planet's past and its possibly warmer future. Similar environments on distant worlds could tell us whether life can originate in these harsh conditions. To study the icy depths, a Swedish team of researchers is designing a tiny submersible that can slip down a narrow borehole.
By Michael Schirber
Mars Research in Polar Bear Country
Hans Amundsen is a Norwegian geologist and the expedition leader of AMASE (Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition).
How Deep is the Gene Pool?
Anthony Poole, a molecular biologist at Stockholm University in Sweden discusses early life.
Earth’s Oldest Oils
Thomas Hode, cofounder of SWAN speaks about his research in astrobiology.
Host Simon Mitton interviews Axel Brandenburg, an astrobiologist at the Nordita research facility at Stockholm, Sweden.
Fiction’s Most Realistic Vision of Our Astrobiological Future?
Swashbuckling Scientists Discover Northern Vents
Visionary science writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, author of more than 100 books, died recently. Professor Mark Brake critically assess the science and culture of arguably his greatest work, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Notes on Life Underground: Journey to the center of the Earth through the eyes of Nordic science fiction writer, Ludvig Holberg.
Astrobiology in a Cold Climate: The Scandinavian Connection
Astrobiology in a Cold Climate: The Scandinavian Connection.
“That is the Pig Duck. It is a Work of Art”
“The ‘Astrobiology’ rap was written by Jon for the Astrobiology Magazine European Edition (AMEE). ”
Researchers exploring the ocean floor along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Greenland and Norway have discovered hydrothermal vents that support an extremophile ecosystem. The finds support the idea that biological communities could exist around vents on other worlds.
Cliffbot Goes Climbing
Many scientifically interesting sites on Mars lie on the steep faces of cliffs and craters, out of reach of present-day technology. A group of NASA engineers has developed a three-rover system, modeled on tether-aided human climbing, that may make these locations accessible.
The Iceland Diaries Part 1
(Feb 11, 2008): Iceland, one of the most active volcanic places in the world. In some ways, Iceland resembles what the young Earth was like, so studying modern bacteria that colonize Iceland’s rocks may provide clues about early life.
The Iceland Diaries Part 2
(Feb 14, 2008): Iceland, one of the most active volcanic places in the world. In some ways, Iceland resembles what the young Earth was like, so studying modern bacteria that colonize Iceland’s rocks may provide clues about early life.
AMASE 2008 Blog
With a unique combination of volcanoes, hot springs and permafrost, the Bockfjord Volcanic Complex on the Arctic islands of Svalbard is the only place on Earth with carbonate deposits identical to carbonates in the Martian meteorite ALH84001.