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August 24, 2026

OoL digest — August 24

This week we have 34 new papers relevant to the origins of life. Enjoy!

Please note that inclusion of these papers reflects topic, not quality, and that evaluating scientific merit is out of scope for this newsletter.

AI-detection tools (e.g. Pangram) can also be useful when first assessing new publications.


Astrobiology

Emergence of biosignatures on Earth and implications for life detection
Barge et al. — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

The Effects of M Star Age Dependent Ultraviolet Emission on Detecting and Interpreting Exoplanet Biosignatures
Davis et al. — preprint

Assessing cell survival and biosignature preservation of the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Acidianus manzaensis after exposure to Mars-like conditions
Gfellner et al. — FEMS Microbes

Concurrent Phosphite Oxidation and Adenosine Phosphorylation Under Prebiotic Evaporative Conditions
Gull et al. — Journal of Molecular Evolution

Gaia DR3 Limits on Stellar Engine Technosignatures in Nearby Stars
Huang et al. — preprint

Wavelength Requirements for Life Detection via Reflected Light Spectroscopy of Rocky Exoplanets
Krissansen-Totton et al. — Astrobiology

Atmospheric Reconnaissance of TRAPPIST-1 f with JWST NIRISS SOSS: No Evidence for the Transit Light Source Effect
Lim et al. — preprint

The VLA and High-Frequency SETI: Expanding the Search for Life
Myburgh et al. — Acta Astronautica

Potential survivable niches for microbial life on the lunar south pole
Saxena et al. — Science Advances

The Viability of Life in Helium-Dominated Exoplanet Atmospheres
Seager et al. — preprint

Abiotic Oxygen and the Limits of Earth Analogy in Exoplanet Biosignature Interpretation
Vaillancourt — preprint


Astrochemistry

Chemistry of Dark Molecular Clouds
Aikawa et al. — Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The Galactic Centre G+0.633-0.0604 Molecular Cloud: A New Gold Mine for Astrochemistry
Andrés et al. — preprint

Carbon from Interstellar Clouds to Habitable Worlds
Bergin et al. — Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics


Astrophysics

Shaping SHAPE - A spectro-polarimeter onboard Chandrayaan-3 to observe Earth as an Exoplanet
Nandi et al. — preprint

Understanding the Heliospheric Shield: Laying the Groundwork to Predict Habitable Astrospheres
Opher — Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics


Biophysics

The role of the 2’-OH group in phase separation and percolation transitions of RNA
Wadsworth et al. — Nature Communications


Chemistry

Learning to outgrow the competition: reaction-diffusion systems that adapt to time-dependent environments
Rivoire et al. — preprint


Geoscience

Metagenomics deciphers diagenetic processes of ferruginous mineralization in the deep biosphere
Vuillemin et al. — Communications Earth & Environment


Mathematical Biology

Exonuclease Ribozyme Encoded in a Circular Genome: On the Initiation of the RNA World
Liang et al. — Life

Proto-Biosignatures and Planetary Geochemical Metabolism: A Thermodynamic Screening Model of Prebiotic Geochemical Organization
Spoto — Life


Microbiology

Life resists chemistry not conditions
Kish — FEMS microbes


Palaeontology

Direct dating of 3.5 Ga biogenic carbon in a microbial mat remnant, Singhbhum Craton, India
Chaudhuri et al. — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences


Planetary Sciences

Assessing the Climate and Habitability of Tidally Locked Rocky Exoplanets
Bisesi et al. — Astrobiology

Looking for TRAPPIST-1 external planets' emission in JWST archival data
Cartigny et al. — preprint

The lost oceans of Venus
Ghail et al. — Earth and Planetary Science Letters

Tidal locking as a negative feedback on Earth-like planetary dynamos: Consequences for magnetic shielding and habitability
Hidalgo et al. — Astronomy & Astrophysics

The Tidal Venus Phenomenon: Demographics and Case Studies
Kane et al. — preprint

Direct Detection of Hydrogen Reveals a New Macroscopic Crustal Water Reservoir on Early Mars
Naver et al. — Geophysical Research Letters

The role of disruptive impacts on ocean generation and longevity in icy moons
Neveu et al. — Nature Astronomy

A Model of UV-Blue Absorbance in Bulk Liquid of Venusian Cloud Aerosols Is Consistent with Efficient Organic Absorbers at High Concentrations
Spacek et al. — preprint


Synthetic Biology

Peptide Amphiphile-based Organelles for Fueled Synthetic Cells
Bäumer et al. — preprint

Vesicle-surface-templated catalytic polymers drive differential growth in synthetic minimal cell variants
Kurisu et al. — preprint

Emergent Rhythmicity in Proteinoid-BZ Hybrid Systems
Mougkogiannis et al. — ACS Synthetic Biology

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