This week we have 24 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.

Artificial Life

Directing Open-Ended Evolution in Artificial Life via Multi-Scale Path Divergence
Akhtyrchenko et al. — preprint

Characterizing Open-Ended Evolution Through Undecidability Mechanisms in Random Boolean Networks
López-Díaz et al. — preprint

Astrobiology

Viking Science
Clark — Astrobiology

Tidal locking as a negative feedback on Earth-like planetary dynamos: consequences for magnetic shielding and habitability
Hidalgo et al. — preprint

Racemic isoprenoids in the Murchison meteorite derive from petroleum-based aerosol pollutants
Leseigneur et al. — Earth and Planetary Science Letters

Viking at 50: Rediscovering the People and Ideas that Formed Astrobiology
McKinnon et al. — Astrobiology

An empirical determination of the Cosmic Shoreline
Meni-Gallardo et al. — preprint

Radiation-driven sodium perchlorate decomposition on Mars and Europa: formation of reactive chlorine species and effect of temperature
Merkulova et al. — Icarus

Acidophilic fungi as possible candidates for living forms in the Venus clouds
Olewicz et al. — Scientific Reports

Earth as a potential source of life for Europa’s subsurface ocean
Osmanov — International Journal of Astrobiology

Perchlorate supported anaerobic growth in Haloferax volcanii reveals a novel metabolic capability with implications for biosignature degradation
Robinson et al. — Scientific Reports

Where Not to Look: A Parametric Avoidance Model for SETI Target Selection
Torlakcik — Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Astrobiology and the People Who Study It: Stories of Science and Self
Zellner

Astrophysics

The Case for High-Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy with the Habitable Worlds Observatory
Jaffe et al. — preprint

Biochemistry

Abiotic sources of fixed nitrogen sustained early ecosystems for several hundred million years after the origin of life
Boden et al. — Science Advances

The Evolution of the First Code
Lei et al. — Genes

Biology

Reconstructing ancient genomes from gene counts: A robust likelihood framework with sampling bias correction
Csűrös — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Chemistry

Unlikely chemistry of life may have originated on the ocean floor
Callier — Science

Anoxic photo-oxidation of Mn(II)-bearing carbonates on Mars and early Earth
Guo et al. — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

From simple interactions to complex biology: a hypergraph percolation perspective
Tozzi — preprint

Microbiology

Hot life in Antarctica: a novel metabolically versatile Pyrodictiaceae genus thriving at a volcanic–cryosphere–marine interface
de Araújo Butarelli et al. — ISME Communications

Planetary Sciences

Tidal Rock Grinding as a Source of H2 on Enceladus
Oberg et al. — preprint

Setting the Stage: The Early History of the Solar System
Segura et al. — Astrobiology

Mars Organic Geochemistry-Are We Alone, and Where Did We Come From?
Steele et al. — Astrobiology