“Exploring our cosmic origins rooted in Earth’s history”

“Exploring our cosmic origins rooted in Earth’s history”

09.10.2024

In his research, David Fernández Remolar, Ida Pfeiffer Professor at our Faculty in the winter term 2024/25, is concentrating on extreme environments - from Alaska’s permafrost to hyperacidic systems like Rio Tinto or Archean materials in Australia. As a truly multidisciplinary researcher he is on a quest to unravel life’s emergence and evolution on Earth and beyond.

  • The paleobiology in Spain in the time of “snowball earth” or the Cambrian period, environmental microbiology of hyperacidic systems in Rio Tinto, Alaskas permafrost, arid deserts like the Sahara, astrobiology and the Mars: What are you looking for in these extreme environments?

David Fernández Remolar: My research explores our most distant origins, rooted in Earth's story. We unravel life's emergence and evolution, connecting our cosmic heritage to Earth's earliest days. This journey spans from complex life forms to primordial organisms that shaped our biosphere. Astrobiology expands this quest, investigating the possibility of life on other planets in our Solar System and beyond.

  • From your point of view: What is fascinating about your research area?

David Fernández Remolar during an archeological pause in the Atacama Desert en route to Salar Grande, consisting of lacustrine salt deposits analogous to those observed in Terra Sirenum on Mars. © David Fernández Remolar

David Fernández Remolar: What fascinates me is the vast scale - from recent to ancient, from Earth to the cosmos. Specifically in geobiology, as an elemental discipline to characterize biosignatures, we examine Earth's geological record, unraveling biological traces that serve as cosmic time capsules. These signatures reveal life's interactions with its environment over billions of years, offering insights into the relationships between living and non-living matter. This knowledge helps us predict and potentially recognize signs of life elsewhere in the universe.

  • The quest for life elsewhere in the universe: What insights have been gained in this research area in the last few years?

David Fernández Remolar: Life on Earth emerged very early, possibly between 4.0 to 3.5 billion years ago, which is earlier than previously thought when considering the fossil record of microbial structures. Remarkably, life has been found thriving in extreme environments, such as the Dallol geothermal area in Ethiopia, characterized by hyperacidic and high-temperature conditions.

On Mars, the InSight lander has provided evidence of recent geological activity, possibly continuing to the present day, which could potentially increase the planet's habitability for microbial life. Both the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have detected various organic compounds in rocks billions of years old from different regions on Mars, suggesting widespread organic chemistry in the planet's past.

Various organic compounds in rocks from different regions on Mars

Looking at the sedimentary and biological structures preserved in a 2.1 Ma terrace of the Rio Tinto hyperacidic Mars analog. © David Fernández Remolar

Furthermore, advanced analysis of Martian meteorites using high-resolution mass spectrometry has revealed a diverse array of organic molecules, varying in length and composition, within Martian rocks.

Lastly, extensive research has confirmed that several icy moons orbiting gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn harbor subsurface oceans. Analysis of plumes and surface materials from moons such as Enceladus and Europa has indicated the presence of organic compounds and other elements essential for life as we know it, making these worlds intriguing targets in the search for extraterrestrial life.

Subsurface oceans on several icy moons orbiting gas giants

Two upcoming missions will further explore these icy moons: ESA's JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer), which launched in April 2023 and is on its way to study Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, and NASA's Europa Clipper, scheduled for launch in October 2024, which will conduct detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter's moon Europa.

  • You are also part of the MARTE (Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment) project of the NASA, where you focused on the Rio Tinto. What do this area and the Mars have in common?

David Fernández Remolar: The MARTE (Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment) project was initiated to develop and test a lander equipped with drilling capabilities, aimed at sampling the subsurface environment of Rio Tinto in Spain. This endeavor was designed to evaluate potential strategies for similar operations on Mars. Rio Tinto was selected as a prime terrestrial analog for Mars due to its unique geochemical characteristics. This choice was reinforced by discoveries made by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter and ESA's Mars Express mission in 2004 and 2005, respectively. These missions reported significant accumulations of iron oxides and ferric sulfates in various regions of Mars, suggesting formation under extremely acidic conditions - similar to those currently observed in Rio Tinto.

 Den Mars von der Erde aus erforschen - Euro News in Zusammenarbeit mit ESA

These discoveries made Rio Tinto an ideal testing ground for Mars-focused technology and exploration strategies. The acidic environment and mineral deposits at Rio Tinto closely mimic conditions believed to have existed on ancient Mars, providing a unique opportunity to test drilling and sampling technologies in a relevant context.

Furthermore, researchers involved with the Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) conducted field studies at various locations and outcrops in Rio Tinto. These investigations were crucial for optimizing search strategies and understanding the formation processes of acidic minerals in environments similar to those explored by Spirit and Opportunity on Mars.

By studying Rio Tinto, we gained valuable insights into potential past conditions on Mars

By studying Rio Tinto as a Mars analog, scientists gained valuable insights into potential past conditions on Mars, refining their approaches for detecting possible biosignatures and understanding the planet's geological history. This work continues to inform current and future Mars exploration missions, including those with a focus on subsurface investigation and the search for evidence of past or present microbial life.

  • How exactly do you follow those big questions through Earth’s history, which techniques do you use?

Visiting New Zealand's temperate forests following the completion of sampling at diverse geothermal sites. © David Fernández Remolar

David Fernández Remolar: Our approach to unraveling Earth's history and its implications for astrobiology integrates a wide array of techniques, each providing crucial pieces to the puzzle. In the field, we characterize and sample both modern extreme environments and ancient deposits, using geological and geophysical methods to guide our work. This might involve analyzing hydrochemical conditions in active environments or using geophysical sounding for subsurface exploration.

A diverse analytical toolkit

Once samples are collected, we employ a diverse analytical toolkit in the lab. This includes advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, such as optical microscopes coupled with Raman or infrared spectrometers, which allow us to examine the physical structure and composition of our samples at various scales.

For biological investigations, we use molecular biology and microbiology techniques to extract and analyze DNA, proteins, and other biomolecules. This can involve DNA sequencing, protein analysis, and culturing samples to identify specific metabolic activities. When studying ancient materials, we turn to organic geochemistry, using techniques like chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to characterize preserved organic compounds, particularly lipids.

Throughout all these processes, maintaining rigorous contamination control is paramount to ensure the integrity of our findings. By integrating data from these various approaches – from field observations to molecular analyses – we can construct a comprehensive picture of Earth's biological and environmental history. This multifaceted understanding of Earth as an analog informs our search for potential biosignatures on other planets, particularly Mars.

  • During your stay, you are also giving a seminar on Astrobiology - from extreme Earth to extraterrestrial habitability. Which central message should your students remember?

David Fernández Remolar: The key message I want students to remember is the power of multidisciplinary thinking in solving complex scientific problems. In astrobiology, understanding life's emergence requires integrating knowledge from various fields - geology, chemistry, biology, astronomy, engineering. I want students to recognize that the most significant scientific breakthroughs often occur at the intersection of sciences and resulting from the collaboration between scientist from different disciplines. This approach not only helps unravel the pathways of life's emergence on Earth and the Universe but also provides them versatile problem-solving skills for their future scientific endeavors.

 ToF-SIMS

Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is particularly important in the context of astrobiology and the study of potential biosignatures as it can be used to analyze the chemical composition of rocks, minerals, and potentially preserved organic matter at very high spatial resolution and sensitivity. This makes it a valuable tool for studying both terrestrial analogs and extraterrestrial samples in the search for signs of past or present life.

  • Why did you decide to apply as Ida Pfeiffer Professor and join our Faculty for this winter term?

David Fernández Remolar: I chose the University of Vienna for several compelling reasons. Primarily, I'm thrilled about the chance to collaborate with the outstanding Earth Sciences researchers here. This institution's long-standing tradition of excellence in European research is particularly appealing. The prospect of contributing to and learning from this rich scientific heritage is truly exciting.

State-of-the-art labs

Additionally, the University of Vienna hosts state-of-the-art labs that are crucial for research in biosignatures. The opportunity to utilize these advanced facilities and engage in on-site discussions about results with colleagues promises to be mutually enlightening and benefiting. Moreover, the chance to introduce specialized astrobiology topics like biosignatures at a prestigious institution like this is really motivating, but also humbling. It allows me to share my research experiences in this fascinating field with the students, which I hope they will find helpful in conducting their own research in the future.

Thank you & welcome to our Faculty!

 Ida Pfeiffer Professorship @ FGGA

Ida Pfeiffer, Lithography by Adolf Dauthage

The Ida Pfeiffer Professorship of the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy supports our mission to conduct excellent research on the sustainability of Planet Earth. Since 2018, the Faculty has been inviting scientists for one semester to trigger exciting research as well as teaching and act as a catalyst in the wide range of research topics addressed at the Faculty. Image: Ida Pfeiffer, Lithography by Adolf Dauthage

About the Person

Over his career - spanning more than 25 years - David Fernández Remolar has established himself as a multidisciplinary researcher with expertise in extreme environments, geobiology, and astrobiology. His academic journey began with a focus on paleobiology of Neoproterozoic and Cambrian paleobiology in South Spain, and has since expanded to include a wide range of topics such as environmental microbiology of acidic systems, underground geobiology, Quaternary geology, climate change, and orebody formation by microbial activity, but above of them, the formation of biosignatures in extreme environments and its use in astrobiology is at the top of his research topics.

Furthermore, his research has taken David to diverse Earth systems, from arid deserts like Atacama and Sahara to geothermal areas in New Zealand, Alaska permafrost, and hyperacidic systems like Rio Tinto. He has also studied ancient Archean materials in Australia and South Africa. His approach integrates various techniques, including molecular biology, microbiology, analytical methods for biomolecules and organic compounds, mineral and geochemical analysis, and geological, geophysical, and geomorphological methods. David has also contributed to different projects, and as Co-PI or coordinator in major projects like the MARTE (Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment) project in collaboration with NASA, and the IPBSL (Iberian Pyrite Belt Subsurface Life) project funded by the European Research Council.

David Fernandez Remolar is an associate professor in planetary science at the SKL of Lunar and Planetary Sciences at the Macau University of Science and Technology. During the winter term 24/25, he holds an Ida Pfeiffer Professorship at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy of the University of Vienna.