Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Lunar impact glasses and biomolecular clocks. J. W. Delano*, N. E. B. Zellner, and T. D. Swindle
Lunar impact glasses and biomolecular clocks. J. W. Delano*, N. E. B. Zellner, and T. D. Swindle
*Associate Director, New York Center for Astrobiology (NASA Astrobiology Institute program)
2010 LEAG meeting in Washington, DC
*Associate Director, New York Center for Astrobiology (NASA Astrobiology Institute program)
2010 LEAG meeting in Washington, DC
Can these two independent sources of information about time tell us about impact events that affected Earth’s
biological evolution?
Can these two independent sources of information about time tell us about impact events that affected Earth’s
biological evolution?
300 µm300 µm
Lunar impact glassLunar impact glass
F. M. Gradstein and J. G. Ogg (2009) The geological time scale, in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.), p. 223-230. Oxford University Press.
F. M. Gradstein and J. G. Ogg (2009) The geological time scale, in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.), p. 223-230. Oxford University Press.
“The situation is pretty bleak. The
climate is changing. The mammals are
taking over, and we all have brains about the size of a walnut.”
Gary Larson Far Side cartoon
“The situation is pretty bleak. The
climate is changing. The mammals are
taking over, and we all have brains about the size of a walnut.”
Gary Larson Far Side cartoon
K/T boundary layerK/T boundary layer
S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar (2009) Discovering the Timetree of Life, in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.),
p. 3-18. Oxford University Press.
S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar (2009) Discovering the Timetree of Life, in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.),
p. 3-18. Oxford University Press.
Woese et al. (1990) Proc. National Acad. Sci. USA,
87, p. 4576-4579.
WoeseWoese et al. (1990) Proc. et al. (1990) Proc. National Acad. National Acad. SciSci. USA, . USA,
87, p. 457687, p. 4576--4579.4579.
Hyperthermophilic chemolithoautotrophic organisms (bold lines) (minimalist organisms in dark,
hot environments)
Hyperthermophilic chemolithoautotrophic organisms (bold lines) (minimalist organisms in dark,
hot environments)
Apollo 16 lmHKFM impact glasses 3730
40 Ma
(Delano et al., 2007)
Apollo 16 lmHKFM impact glasses 3730
40 Ma
(Delano et al., 2007)
lmHKFMlmHKFM
lmHKFM
Apollo 16 lmHKFM
impact glass
Apollo 16 lmHKFM
impact glass1.43 mm1.43 mm
Delano et al. (2007) MAPS, 42 (3), p. 993-1004.
J. Levine et al. (2005) 40Ar/ 39Ar dating of Apollo 12 impact spherules. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L15201.
J. Levine et al. (2005) 40Ar/ 39Ar dating of Apollo 12 impact spherules. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L15201.
Apollo 12 impact glassesApollo 12 impact glasses
Microbes onlyMicrobes only
LHB ~800 Myr~800 Myr
J. E. Blair (2009) Animals (Metazoa), in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.), p. 223-230. Oxford University Press.
J. E. Blair (2009) Animals (Metazoa), in The Timetree of Life (S. Blair Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.), p. 223-230. Oxford University Press.
300 µm300 µm
Lunar impact glassLunar impact glass
Can these two independent sources of information about time tell us about impact events that affected Earth’s
biological evolution?
Can these two independent sources of information about time tell us about impact events that affected Earth’s
biological evolution?
