Huge congratulations to Dr Veli Ilieva on a successful defence of her PhD thesis titled: The microbial communities of sulfate-rich hypersaline Mars-analogue environments. We are all very proud of you. Enjoy the celebrations! 🎉

Final episode (ep. 4) TONIGHT of this brilliant BBC-OU co-production. 9pm BBC2/iPlayer. 'Friends forever': The astronauts aboard the ISS face the emotional realities of isolation, while their relationships are tested when war breaks out on Earth. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Huge thanks to Dr Claire Newman (Aeolis Research) for visiting the group today and giving a super seminar on Mars atmospheric science from fifty years of surface missions. Pictured here (centre) with Dr Ben Tatton and Jessie Hogan

Inspirational future planning from our own Jessie Hogan 👇

You don't need to be an astronaut to work in space! In our new YouTube video hear from experts at the OU about jobs, careers and hobbies that would allow you to work in the space sector. Filmed for World Space Week 2025 www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoXm... #WSW2025 #WorldSpaceWeek #OpenUniversity

Once upon a time in space - episode 3! Tonight, BBC Two/iPlayer, 9pm GMT 'Politics always wins': Mir’s reign in space comes to an end with the arrival of the International Space Station. A new dawn of co-operation awaits, offering hope for a divided world. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Do space environments have value? If we find life on Mars, what are our responsibilities? Our own Dr Emma Purenen discusses these and more questions about Astrobiology Ethics in our latest video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYxO... #worldspaceweek #WSW2025 #SpaceEthics

We were delighted to welcome Prof Christoph Salzmann (UCL) to the group today, visiting the labs and giving a seminar on ‘Ice: from snowflakes to energy storage’. Pictured here (centre) with Dr Rachael Hamp and Dr Mark Fox-Powell.

Super opportunity for Early Career Researchers! 👇

Once upon a time in space - Episode 2 tonight! 9pm BBC2/iPlayer Our own Marjan Ajevski and Vic Pearson were academic consultants www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Today we sadly said 'au revoir' to our wonderful Office Manager Rosa Miller who has been at the helm for four years and one month! She leaves us to take up a new role as Strategy, Policy and Governance Manager in the OU STEM Deanery. Thank you for your care and support and we will miss you!

We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Dr Alison Halton to the AstrobiologyOU team as Laboratory Manager (microbiology).

In celebration of National Cat Day, say hello to the Cats of AstrobiologyOU! While they are tough employers/children, they power us through with cuddles and love, supporting us to be the best astrobiologists we can be! #nationalcatday #catsofastrobiology #catsofbluesky

New 4 part documentary begins TONIGHT on BBC2/iPlayer at 9pm (GMT, UK only) AstrobiologyOU’s Dr Vic Pearson and Dr Marjan Ajevski were academic consultants on the series. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Shout out to Rachael Hamp for her brilliant talk about Saturn’s moon Enceladus at today’s Bach, the Universe and Everything: icy moons. She described Enceladus as a place that, at first glance, seems hostile yet is one of the most likely places in the solar system we’ll find extraterrestrial life

📣 Come and work with us! FOUR PhD vacancies are now open in AstrobiologyOU for Oct 2026 start. Funding is via the Central England NERC Training Alliance @centa.bsky.social For details and how to apply see the project descriptions. centa.ac.uk/projects/?_s...

We’re very proud to announce that our Director, Prof Karen Olsson-Francis, has been elected President of the European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA). She is the first British President of this prestigious network. Congratulations Karen! 🎉

We are excited to have officially opened the new Icy Worlds Laboratory - a dedicated space to experimentally study ice formation using cryogenics for applications across the different icy bodies in our Solar System.

🚨 New FREE course alert 🚨 Discover how scientists safeguard space missions, prevent biological contamination, and explore the ethical dimensions of exploring other worlds. - No experience needed - Free certificate 👉 bit.ly/PlanetaryProtectionCourse #SpaceScience #PlanetaryProtection #FreeCourse

Today is National Poetry Day! Here is a poem written by one of our former PhD students Dr Anushree Srivastava about her discovery of novel microbial species You can find her blog on our website and you can listen to Anushree read her poem! #SciencePoetry #NationalPoetryDay #ScienceMeetsArt

Today we welcome our new PhD Students: Esma, Liam and Rita!!!! #PhDlife #OUFamily #Welcome

World Space Week 2025 is nearly here! Explore space careers, planetary protection & astrobiology ethics through talks & on-demand content. 👉 stem.open.ac.uk/events #WorldSpaceWeek #SpaceForAll #STEMEvents

Happy International Languages Day! In languages spoken by the team and some of our collaborators: Welsh: Astrobioleg Norwegian: astrobiologi Greek: Αστροβιολογία Hindi and Sanskrit: खगोल-जीव विज्ञान Hungarian: asztrobiológia Italian: astrobiologia #InternationalLanguages #Astrobiology 1/2

World Space Week 2025 is nearly here We’ve got talks, videos & more exploring careers, ethics & planetary protection. Join us all week to celebrate space! Event details: stem.open.ac.uk/events #WorldSpaceWeek #SpaceForEveryone

New study by Dr Nisha Ramkissoon shows Europa’s ocean chemistry is more strongly influenced by accreted volatiles—especially cometary materials—than by its rocky interior, with implications for habitability and future space missions. 👉 buff.ly/Hke1twH #Europa #Astrobiology #SpaceScience

Paper out today in Space Policy! An academic riff on Christopher Stone’s seminal environmental law paper “Should Trees have Standing?” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... first paper of my postdoc 💪🏼

It was an absolute joy to attend this morning's @openuniversity.bsky.social graduation! Congratulations to all who graduated - including our very own #GraceRichards We’re very proud of you! #OUFamily @ougradsch.bsky.social #SPS #OUSTEM 🍾🥂🍾

Great to have Prof Mark Sephton (Imperial) giving a seminar on “The Bayesian statistical approach to planetary protection.” A fascinating look at a data-driven approach to safeguarding other worlds and an inspirational review of his research career! #Astrobiology #PlanetaryProtection #SpaceScience

Ready to learn something out of this world? Celebrate National Adult Learners Week by exploring our FREE online resources! No experience needed — just curiosity! 👉 open.edu/openlearn/astrobiology #AdultLearnersWeek #Astrobiology #FreeLearning #LifelongLearning #OnlineCourses #LearnForFree

World Space Week 2025 is nearly here We’ve got talks, videos & more exploring careers, ethics & planetary protection. Join us all week to celebrate space! 4 - 10 October Full details and registration info coming soon. #WorldSpaceWeek #SpaceForEveryone

Today at #EPSCDPS2025 - Jessie is presenting her PhD work exploring how ice grain size affects salt composition in the plumes of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. This work helps us understand how different-sized grains carry different chemical signatures. #Enceladus #Astrobiology #IcyWorlds #SpaceResearch

Today at #EPSCDPS2025 - Grace, one of our Alumni, presented a poster on her PhD work simulating how Saturn’s magnetosphere affects the icy surface of Enceladus. The research helps us understand how surface chemistry might shape what we see in Enceladus’ plumes #Astrobiology #Enceladus #IcyWorlds

This week is #EPSCDPS2025. Today Rachael is presenting her discovery of a new metastable hydrate of sodium chloride formed by rapid freezing of salty water. A breakthrough in linking surface chemistry to subsurface ocean processes! #PlanetaryScience #Astrobiology #IcyWorlds

Just some of the incredible scenery seen throughout the field trip to Iceland in July! (Group selfie included for the glacier visible in the background - honest!) #fieldwork #Iceland #Sampling #icelandnature

Fieldwork in Iceland, in July (Part 3)! The team are at Geyser (again)! This time sampling at Blesi, Orignal Geyser, Konungshver and Strokkur! Late evening into night sampling of the aerosols and water. With an addition of a gorgeous sunrise at 3.15am! #fieldwork #Iceland #sampling #sunrise

Mark, Angus, Hannah and Mirandah are sampling at Geyser, Iceland! Specifically Strokkur! It erupts (roughly) every nine minutes! A mix of day and night sampling of the aerosols. With the Osaris during the day as well as the Bertin Coriolis Micro samplers over night #fieldwork #Iceland #sampling

Fieldwork in Iceland, in July (Part 1)! The sun (almost) never sets, and the data collection is great! Mark, Angus, Hannah and Mirandah's embark on their fieldwork! Flights, cramming all the equipment in the hire car, to the first field site "spring 4". #fieldwork #iceland #sampling

In July, Mark, Angus and Hannah were joined by Mirandah from @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social in Iceland to collect data to help us understand the icy worlds of the outer Solar System! Angus, explains some of what they got up to and why Iceland is the place to be! #fieldwork #Iceland

🚨 PhD Studentship 🚨 We have a PhD studentship in Analytical Tools within Contamination in Spacecraft & Satellite Industry open for applications Find out more: university.open.ac.uk/employment/n... Deadline: 1 August 17.00

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the final of the series 'What is bad science?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the tenth in the series 'Why does the Sun shine?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the ninth in the series 'Can we lead a chemical-free life?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the eighth in the series 'Are waves everywhere?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the seventh in the series 'Does the Earth move beneath your feet?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the sixth in the series 'Why does it snow in winter?' 👇

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the fifth in the series 'Why do metals corrode?' 👇

🚨 New OA Paper, led by Julia Semprich 🚨 Semprich, J., Filiberto, J., Weller, M. et al. Metamorphism of Venus as driver of crustal thickness and recycling. Nat Commun 16, 2905 (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s414... @astrobiologyou.bsky.social @neil-r-edwards.bsky.social

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the forth in the series 'Could life ever have existed on Mars?' 👇

Congratulations to Prof Geraint (Taff) Morgan on his new role as Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Southampton. We're delighted he'll continue with us and @ou-eees.bsky.social as a Visiting Professor. Good luck Taff! bit.ly/CongratsProf...

If you love science and want to learn more, our colleagues have launched a super video series about the OU's science module S111 Questions in science. Check out the third in the series 'Why does it snow in winter?' 👉