(Press-News.org) New Rochelle, October 4, 2011–The glassy, porous, and once gas-rich rock called pumice may have given rise to early life forms, according to a provocative new hypothesis on the origin of life published in Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.. The article is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/ast for the next week.
Martin Brasier, Richard Matthewman, and Sean McMahon, University of Oxford (U.K.), and David Wacey, University of Western Australia (Crawley), contend that pumice has "four remarkable properties" that would enable it to have had "a significant role in the origin of life and provided an important habitat for the earliest communities of microorganisms." They describe those four properties in detail in the article "Pumice as a Remarkable Substrate for the Origin of Life."
To validate their hypothesis, the authors call for laboratory research to test the ability of pumice rock to adsorb organic compounds from water and create catalysts and new compounds by simulating the thermal cycles, UV light, and other conditions that existed when the first organic polymers and microbes co-existed.
"The hypothesis that pumice provided a unique physical substrate in which life got its start is exciting and testable," says Sherry L. Cady, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Astrobiology and Professor in the Department of Geology at Portland State University. "Key for astrobiology is whether such rock types preserved evidence of pre-biotic reactions or ancient life forms in the rock record."
INFORMATION:
Astrobiology, led by Professor Cady and a prominent international editorial board comprised of leading scientists in the field, is the authoritative resource for the most up-to-date information and perspectives on exciting new research findings and discoveries emanating from interplanetary exploration and terrestrial field and laboratory research programs. The Journal is published 10 times a year in print and online, and is the Official Journal of The Astrobiology Society (www.ABSociety.org). Complete tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed online at www.liebertpub.com/ast
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com) is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at www.liebertpub.com
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215
Phone: (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax: (914) 740-2101
www.liebertpub.com
Pumice proposed as home to the first life forms: A new hypothesis in Astrobiology journal
2011-10-06
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
LateRooms.com - Car Enthusiasts Gear Up for Dubai International Motor Show
2011-10-06
The Middle East's largest motoring event returns to Dubai later this year, with more than 100,000 car enthusiasts and industry members expected to be in attendance.
Running from Thursday November 10th to Monday November 14th, the Dubai International Motor Show will offer visitors the chance to see the freshest models and experience the latest technology.
With dedicated zones for performance cars and tuning, as well as an extensive showcase of supercars and motorcycles, the biennial event has plenty to satisfy even the most demanding of petrolheads.
Many of the ...
Growing up in bad neighborhoods has a 'devastating' impact
2011-10-06
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Growing up in a poor neighborhood significantly reduces the chances that a child will graduate from high school, according to a study published in the current (October) issue of the American Sociological Review. And the longer a child lives in that kind of neighborhood, the more harmful the impact.
The study by sociologists Geoffrey Wodtke and David Harding of the University of Michigan and Felix Elwert of the University of Wisconsin is the first to capture the cumulative impact of growing up in America's most disadvantaged neighborhoods on a key educational ...
LateRooms.com - Experience Halloween in New York
2011-10-06
New York City is famous for its Halloween celebrations, which see costumed revellers taking to the streets of Manhattan in their thousands to mark the annual holiday.
The Big Apple takes Halloween seriously, with preparations beginning in early September and gradually becoming more intense as the weekend closest to October 31st approaches.
Countless parties and special events take place across New York in honour of Halloween, but arguably the most essential event for first-time visitors is the annual Village Halloween Parade.
This colourful procession of costumed ...
Story tips from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, October 2011
2011-10-06
To arrange for an interview with a researcher, please contact the Communications and External Relations staff member identified at the end of each tip. For more information on ORNL and its research and development activities, please refer to one of our Media Contacts. If you have a general media-related question or comment, you can send it to news@ornl.gov.
RACING -- Green checkered flag . . .
Getting to the finish line quickest with the least environmental impact is what's driving the Green Racing initiative that has made its way to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. ...
New Geological Society of America earth science research posted
2011-10-06
Boulder, CO, USA -- New research from three Geological Society of America journals is now online. Highlights for GSA BULLETIN (published online ahead of print on 19 Sept.), GEOSPHERE (with additions to two themed issues), and the October GSA TODAY science article are provided below.
Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of GSA BULLETIN and GEOSPHERE articles by contacting Christa Stratton at the address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to the appropriate ...
Avista Solutions Completes Integration With Old Republic Credit Services
2011-10-06
Avista Solutions, a leading provider of a web-based, end-to-end mortgage loan origination system, is pleased to announce its new partnership with Old Republic Credit Services (ORCS), a Chicago-based provider of customized credit products and services. At the request of its customers, Avista recently completed a seamless integration that allows users to order credit reports from ORCS without exiting their Avista Agile LOS.
"With our new partnership with ORCS, Avista Solutions once again works to fulfill the needs of our current and future customers," Avista ...
Hysterectomy is associated with increased levels of iron in the brain
2011-10-06
The human body has a love-hate relationship with iron. Just the right amount is needed for proper cell function, yet too much is associated with brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Science knows that men have more iron in their bodies and brains than women. These higher levels may be part of the explanation for why men develop these age-related neurodegenerative diseases at a younger age.
But why do women have less iron in their systems than men? One possible explanation for the gender difference is that during menstruation, iron is eliminated through ...
A coating that prevents barnacles forming colonies
2011-10-06
It is not necessary for an effective anti-fouling coating to release toxins into the environment. Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have shown that it is instead possible to mix into the coating molecules on which the adult barnacles cannot grow. The result has been published in the scientific journal Biofouling.
Fouling of hulls is a problem for all boat owners, and one of the most difficult organisms to deal with is barnacles. A research group at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology has therefore studied the biology of barnacles in detail, and focussed ...
Fabulous and Over 40? The New Range of Mary Portas Tights Now Available at MyTights.com
2011-10-06
Retail guru Mary Portas and famous hosiery brand Charnos have joined forces to create a fabulous range of tights aimed at women that that want to look stylish and fashionable in their forties, fifties and beyond. The sensational range of Mary Portas tights which includes spots, stripes, argyle patterns, lace and luxurious basics is now available at MyTights.com.
Mary Portas has collaborated with Charnos to design a new hosiery collection that takes the season's key trends and makes them wearable for grown up women. Fabulous and fashionable whatever your age, the Mary ...
Fishy behaviour
2011-10-06
A fish's personality may determine how it is captured. This association between personality difference and capture-technique could have significant evolutionary and ecological consequences for affected fish populations, as well as for the quality of fisheries.
Anglers fishing near rocky outcrops or in areas of water with submerged vegetation may be more likely to catch timid fish, while those fishing in open water may be more likely to reel in bolder fish, according to new research conducted at Queen's University Biological Station.
"Boldness -- the tendency of an ...