My latest research suggests that abiotic sources of fixed nitrogen sustained Earth's early ecosystems. Preprint here: www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7...

Tune into the Geomicrobiology Research in Progress Meeting on Wed. at 11:45 am to find out more.

@earthscista.bsky.social

Excited to have seen and heard (via bat detector) noctule bats around Kinessburn and Cockshaugh park in St. Andrews yesterday evening! One of the UK's largest species at the size of a blackbird! Big thanks to Dr. Sasha Newar and the NVC Group for organizing our sunset bat tour

x.com/lizardschwar...

Delighted to have played a small part in Galloway et al's research on nitrogen cycling in geothermal springs at @earthscista.bsky.social.

More here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Alongside some behind-the-scenes shots from fieldwork

#3 We also ran geochemical models made to simulate the chemical reactions which occur in serpentinizing vents and found that little phosphite can be produced, and to generate any at all requires precise temperatures, lithologies and water:rock ratios

Serpentinizing hydrothermal vents may have been where life began, but we know surprisingly little about how microbial communities interact with the phosphorus compounds they emit and/or absorb. My latest research, just published in Geobiology, addresses this question...