CAB Seminar on Thursday 22nd of January at 12:00 (CET) by Laura Sánchez García (CAB)

[Comisión de Seminarios]

 

 

 

---

CAB SEMINARS

Understanding taphonomy of lipid-like organics: essential for defining extraterrestrial detection strategies

 

Laura Sánchez García (CAB)

Thursday, 22nd January 2026, 12:00 (CET) (Auditorio/Zoom)

 

A fundamental point in planetary exploration is the ability to detect unambiguous signs of a putative extraterrestrial life, either present or past. However, detecting ancient life is a tremendous challenge, not only beyond the Earth, but also on our own planet, as biosignatures can easily loss their diagnostic value through alteration during diagenesis. Furthermore, without the shielding of a protective atmosphere, the effect of cosmic radiation can be lethal to the preservation of molecular evidences of extraterrestrial life. 

On Mars, the most habitable planet in the Solar System after Earth, the most plausible window for a Martian life would have been 3 to 4 billion years ago, when liquid water flowed on its surface and the climate was warmer. Detecting such ancient life therefore requires the ability to recognize its molecular traces today. Given the geological timescales involved, astrobiology exploration requires a focus on the most resilient biomarkers, among which lipids (i.e. integral components of cell membranes with capacity to survive over billions of years) are compelling candidates. Yet detecting intact putative biomarkers is highly unlikely due to the intense daily dose of radiation on the Martian surface; therefore, recognizing diagnostic degradation products requires a thorough understanding of their transformation patterns. 

In this seminar, I will present the main taphonomic processes that govern the destruction and preservation of lipid biomarkers, with the aim of improving our ability to relate any lipid-like structure detected beyond Earth to life. This knowledge can be applied to lipid-like organics detected beyond Earth (e.g. short n-alkanes on Gale Crater, or different hydrocarbons in meteorites and comets), enhancing our analysis of mission data and informing the development of the next generation of life detection instrumentation.

 

Join zoom meeting at: https://rediris.zoom.us/j/85134397594?pwd=Sms4OUdSWmdocGh3R1dwU1NJaWk2Zz09

Meeting ID: 851 3439 7594
Passcode: 125143

Previous seminars can be found at CAB YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CentrodeAstrobiologia

 

A full list of seminars in our webpage: https://cab.inta-csic.es/formacion/seminarios

---