Academic Journal
Emergence of biosignatures on Earth and implications for life detection.
| Τίτλος: | Emergence of biosignatures on Earth and implications for life detection. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Barge LM; National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109., Eigenbrode JL; National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar System Exploration Division, Greenbelt, MD 20771., Fournier G; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02139., Theiling B; National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar System Exploration Division, Greenbelt, MD 20771. |
| Πηγή: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A] 2026 Aug 18; Vol. 123 (33), pp. e2520594123. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Aug 14. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: National Academy of Sciences Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7505876 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1091-6490 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00278424 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Washington, DC : National Academy of Sciences |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Exobiology*/methods , Organic Chemicals*/chemistry , Earth, Planet* , Origin of Life* , Evolution, Chemical*, Extraterrestrial Environment/chemistry ; Evolution, Planetary |
| Περίληψη: | Earth's organic chemical evolution (OCE) from abiotic to prebiotic to biotic provides critical insights that may have implications for how we interpret observations made by life-detection planetary missions. To search for life on other worlds, astrobiologists seek biosignatures: features that indicate the presence of extant or extinct life as we know it. However, because the age of putative extraterrestrial biospheres is unknown, biosignatures present at or shortly after life's emergence may have been diluted with prebiotic or abiotic signatures. Thus, the emergence of biosignatures and their formation context are critical considerations for mission interpretations, especially where there is no obvious pervasive biosphere. Here, we provide a structured approach for interpreting chemical states across the continuum of OCE on a planetary body. We distinguish between universal biosignatures of a world vs. specific biosignatures that are tied to environmental or temporal conditions of that world. We then consider how the evolution of a planetary body would impact the expression of these signatures over time. The detection of active prebiotic chemistry-that is, signatures that fall in the ambiguous transition between prebiotic and living systems-would be a hallmark discovery, providing insight into life's origins and justifying investment in further exploration of such worlds. Leveraging Earth as an example, we suggest that while mission observations may be more challenging to interpret than previously thought, they may also open doors to a more productive exploration of our planetary neighbors. |
| Competing Interests: | Competing interests statement:L.M.B. and J.L.E. are members of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission team; L.M.B. is a member of the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission team. L.M.B. is the co-chair of the BOD of the Scientific Society for Astrobiology, is a Co-lead of the Nexus for Exoplanet System Science Research Coordination Network; participated in the NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy Task Force 1 and 2; and was a member of the National Academies “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars: Panel on Astrobiology.” J.L.E. is a member of the Dragonfly Mission Standing Review Board; formerly a member of the Mars Exploration Program Standing Review Board; and formerly a member of the NASA HQ Mars Sample Return Independent Review Board Response Team. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: biosignatures; biosphere; evolution; origin of life; prebiotic chemistry |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Organic Chemicals) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260814 Date Completed: 20260814 Latest Revision: 20260821 |
| Update Code: | 20260821 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13486556 |
| DOI: | 10.1073/pnas.2520594123 |
| PMID: | 42599786 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1091-6490 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1073/pnas.2520594123 |