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February 16, 2026

OoL digest — February 16

This week we have 23 new papers relevant to the origins of life. Enjoy!


Astrobiology

Multiple formation pathways for amino acids in the early Solar System based on carbon and nitrogen isotopes in asteroid Bennu samples
Baczynski et al. — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Carbon from Interstellar Clouds to Habitable Worlds
Bergin et al. — preprint

Molecular origin of 31P-NMR chemical shifts of phosphate groups with bivalent counter ions
Christanell et al. — preprint

The Third Option: Color Phase Curves to Characterize the Atmospheres of Temperate Rocky Exoplanets
Deming et al. — preprint

Not Earth-like Yet Temperate? More Generic Climate Feedback Configurations Still Allow Temperate Climates in Habitable Zone Exo-Earth Candidates
Langbert et al. — preprint

Does the Measured Abundance Suggest a Biological Origin for the Ancient Alkanes Preserved in a Martian Mudstone?
Pavlov et al. — Astrobiology

How common are oxygenic photosynthesis and large coal deposits on exoplanets?
Taiz et al. — International Journal of Astrobiology

A Chemistry-First Centered Icy Chemical Inventory of Protostellar Sources with JWST
Turner et al. — preprint

The chemical habitability of Earth and rocky planets prescribed by core formation
Walton et al. — Nature Astronomy

Biomarkers on the Icy Jovian Moons: Can Europa Also Provide Insights into Life’s Origin?
Yaniv et al. — preprint

The Black Sea as an Extreme Habitat of Earth's Ocean: Biogeochemical Functioning, Unique Ecosystems, and Astrobiological Relevance
Yücel et al.


Astrochemistry

Organic Acid Chemistry in ISM: Detection of Formic Acid and its Prebiotic Chemistry in Hot Core G358.93$-$0.03 MM1
Manna et al. — Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Chemistry in Extreme Environments: The Mystery of Molecular Complexity in Space
Puzzarini et al. — ACS Central Science

A gas-phase "top-down" chemical link between aldehydes and alcohols
Shingledecker et al. — preprint

Machine learning exploration of binding energy distributions of H2O at astrochemically relevant dust grain surfaces
Vaishnav et al. — preprint

Atom Addition Formation of Thionylimide (HNSO) on Interstellar Dust Grains: Chemical routes requiring oxygen and nitrogen atom surface diffusion
Valle et al. — preprint


Astrophysics

Probing habitable regions with SRG/eROSITA
Gatuzz et al. — preprint


Biochemistry

Xeno amino acid alphabets form peptides with familiar secondary structure
Brown et al. — preprint

A small polymerase ribozyme that can synthesize itself and its complementary strand
Gianni et al. — Science

The kinetics of ribonucleoprotein granules
Li et al. — preprint

A synthetic cell with integrated DNA self-replication and lipid biosynthesis
Restrepo Sierra et al. — Nature Communications

RNA comes close to copying itself
Service — Science


Planetary Sciences

Slowing planetary rotation influences ocean nutrient cycling and oxygenation
Capirala et al. — Science Advances

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