The Launching Space Biology workshop took place from May 22-26 2023, in Boulder, Colorado (USA), and gathered 40 scientists and early-career researchers from around the world to learn and discuss the novel field of space biology. More information here: Home | Launching Space Biology Workshop (colorado.edu)  The workshop was Funded by the Joachim Herz Foundation (JHS),... Continue Reading →

If you are a student or early career scientist in Astrobiology, Space Microbes highly recommends you to apply for the EANA Space Factor student contest! The contest will happen virtually on the September 8, 2021. And you can apply until July 2nd at the EANA 2021 website! This contest is a great opportunity for you... Continue Reading →

We tested whether microbes could survive on the surface of Mars, on a collaboration between the Aerospace Microbiology group at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Aerobiology Lab at NASA Ames research center. The resutls of our MARSBOx mission were published today in Frontiers in Microbiology and you can read more about it here!... Continue Reading →

On Friday 12th, Space Microbes was part of the SciArt special of the Global Science Show on Twitter. I have created a short animated video to tell you more about the amazing science of Space Microbiology. I hope you like it! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yabhdm5j3js&t=10s&ab_channel=SpaceMicrobes

Colegas meus da Licenciatura de Biologia na FCUP, Porto, começaram um Podcast altamente! Chama-se Trio.logia e conta com vários Biólogos a partilharem as suas histórias e aventuras durante o percurso académico e carreira profissional. Tive o prazer de ser o 4º episódio! Podem ouvi-lo aqui: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5o3LPk7CVyIfh1bDPpjyuiFalo sobre o meu doutoramento no Centro Aeroespacial Alemão (DLR),... Continue Reading →

With the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic around the block, there has been time for staying at home and working with Adobe Illustrator. In our Aerospace Microbiology group we have a lot of projects, with different collaborators. Each project is unique and, of course, deserves it's own logo/patch! What do you think of these?

I am honored to have been recognized by the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) with the Tom Scott award! "The Tom K. Scott Student Scholarship is an award made by ASGSR in honor of Dr. Tom K. Scott and is made annually to a student attending the ASGSR meeting with excellent academic... Continue Reading →

No que pensam os alunos de 7-9° ano quando dizemos "Extraterrestre"? De 12-17 de Janeiro fui falar sobre o Espaço e Astrobiologia a várias turmas do Porto. No início de cada palestra pedi aos alunos para escreverem as primeiras palavras que lhes viessem à cabeça quando pensavam em "Extraterrestre" - isto foi o resultado! Num... Continue Reading →

"Não era fixe se os miúdos soubessem mais sobre micróbios?" Isto foi o que pensei numa tarde acinzentada quando estava num café no Porto. Logo a seguir, tive uma ideia: podia fazer um livro para colorir com desenhos divertidos! E assim foi. Os Micróbios Espaciais esperam por ti! Os Micróbios Espaciais esperam por ti! Podes fazer download... Continue Reading →

These are two molds: Aspergillus niger and Penicillium rubens. Click for more pictures! All picutres taken by Marta Cortesão #1 - Penicillium rubens colony in potato dextrose medium. - DLR, Cologne, Germany.#2 - Aspergillus niger colony of a mutant strain, grown in minimum medium. A defect in melanin biosyntesis creates brown spores instead of black... Continue Reading →