Danny Glavin
@meteordannyg.bsky.social
Astrobiologist and Senior Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; author of Frozen in Time: Hunting Meteorites in Antarctica for Signs of Life; enjoys spending time with family, memories of surfing in California, and the Fall season in Maryland
Exciting new results from asteroid Bennu published today in Nature including new clues about the origin of the chemical building blocks of life! www.nasa.gov/missions/osi...
Sugars, ‘Gum,’ Stardust Found in NASA's Asteroid Bennu Samples - NASA
The asteroid Bennu continues to provide new clues to scientists’ biggest questions about the formation of the early solar system and the origins of life. As
www.nasa.gov
December 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Exciting new results from asteroid Bennu published today in Nature including new clues about the origin of the chemical building blocks of life! www.nasa.gov/missions/osi...
Another major scientific discovery from asteroid Bennu samples returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission published today in Nature Geoscience. And this one is particularly sweet!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Bio-essential sugars in samples from asteroid Bennu - Nature Geoscience
Samples returned from asteroid Bennu contain bio-essential sugars such as ribose and glucose that may have formed in the parent asteroid from brines containing formaldehyde, according to a geochemical...
www.nature.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Another major scientific discovery from asteroid Bennu samples returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission published today in Nature Geoscience. And this one is particularly sweet!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A gift that keeps on giving! One step closer to understanding how the chemical building blocks of life were formed in space. Congratulations to Angel Mojarro and the entire OSIRIS-REx team for making this discovery possible! www.cnn.com/2025/11/27/s...
Scientists find evidence that an asteroid contains tryptophan | CNN
An essential amino acid that is mistakenly believed to cause drowsiness after eating turkey has been found in an asteroid for the first time, giving scientists clues to the origin of life on Earth.
www.cnn.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
A gift that keeps on giving! One step closer to understanding how the chemical building blocks of life were formed in space. Congratulations to Angel Mojarro and the entire OSIRIS-REx team for making this discovery possible! www.cnn.com/2025/11/27/s...
Check out these exciting new results from asteroid Bennu samples published in PNAS today by Angel Mojarro, a member of the Astrobiology Analytical Lab at NASA Goddard! Prebiotic organic compounds in samples of asteroid Bennu indicate heterogeneous aqueous alteration www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Prebiotic organic compounds in samples of asteroid Bennu indicate heterogeneous aqueous alteration | PNAS
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission characterized the asteroid Bennu and delivered pristine
samples of its regolith to Earth. Coordinated analyses of this pr...
www.pnas.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Check out these exciting new results from asteroid Bennu samples published in PNAS today by Angel Mojarro, a member of the Astrobiology Analytical Lab at NASA Goddard! Prebiotic organic compounds in samples of asteroid Bennu indicate heterogeneous aqueous alteration www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
For anyone studying organics in extraterrestrial samples, consider submitting an abstract to the session I am co-convening at AbSciCon. The conference will be in Madison, WI on May 17-22, 2026. Submission deadline: January 14. For more details, visit the session link: agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon...
Prebiotic Organic Chemistry in Solar System and their Role in the Emergence of Life on the early Earth
This session will focus on the organic molecules in samples from the primitive bodies, such as asteroids, meteorites, and cometary dust particles, relevant to the origin and evolution of life. Recent ...
agu.confex.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM
For anyone studying organics in extraterrestrial samples, consider submitting an abstract to the session I am co-convening at AbSciCon. The conference will be in Madison, WI on May 17-22, 2026. Submission deadline: January 14. For more details, visit the session link: agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon...
Check out Behind the Wings 'Unlocking Asteroid Secrets' which will air on PBS later this month. An excellent summary of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission including some science discoveries from the Astrobiology Analytical Lab at Goddard share.google/A9Ve47s2dE0V...
Behind The Wings | Unlocking Asteroid Secrets | Season 7 | Episode 4
Explore how NASA's OSIRIS-Rex may change our understanding of our place in the universe.
share.google
November 8, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Check out Behind the Wings 'Unlocking Asteroid Secrets' which will air on PBS later this month. An excellent summary of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission including some science discoveries from the Astrobiology Analytical Lab at Goddard share.google/A9Ve47s2dE0V...
Great study and paper led by Maria-Paz Zorzano increasing the likelihood that biosignatures could be preserved in Mars surface rocks despite exposure to ionizing radiation for tens of millions of years. Can DNA survive on Mars? | Research Communities by Springer Nature share.google/2MgxSlXyq3YA...
Can DNA survive on Mars?
Simulating over 100 million years of Martian surface radiation on ancient Earth rocks, we recovered readable DNA fragments and microbiome fingerprints—insights that sharpen how we’ll search Mars rock ...
share.google
October 25, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Great study and paper led by Maria-Paz Zorzano increasing the likelihood that biosignatures could be preserved in Mars surface rocks despite exposure to ionizing radiation for tens of millions of years. Can DNA survive on Mars? | Research Communities by Springer Nature share.google/2MgxSlXyq3YA...
Maybe life on Mars could be preserved in a frozen state in the martian permafrost. We should send a life detection mission to find out. www.space.com/astronomy/ma...
If life on Mars exists, it may be preserved in a frozen time capsule
Experiments show that biomolecules trapped in pure ice could withstand the harsh radiation of Mars for tens of millions of years.
www.space.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Maybe life on Mars could be preserved in a frozen state in the martian permafrost. We should send a life detection mission to find out. www.space.com/astronomy/ma...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
A message from JPL Director Dave Gallagher announces a JPL layoff of 500 people has been announced that is "not related to the current government shutdown". www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-wor...
JPL Workforce Update
A message from JPL Director Dave Gallagher
www.jpl.nasa.gov
October 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
A message from JPL Director Dave Gallagher announces a JPL layoff of 500 people has been announced that is "not related to the current government shutdown". www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-wor...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Don’t forget: protest tomorrow outside of NASA HQ in Washington DC! Speakers will be out from 12-1pm. See you there! #nasaneedshelp #protest #washingtondc
September 14, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Don’t forget: protest tomorrow outside of NASA HQ in Washington DC! Speakers will be out from 12-1pm. See you there! #nasaneedshelp #protest #washingtondc
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Meet Syn57, a living cell that only needs 57 codons, not the standard 64. Here's my story on how synthetic biology is tackling the mystery of our bloated genetic code. Gift link: nyti.ms/3Hf4f9v
Scientists are Learning to Rewrite the Code of Life
In a giant feat of genetic engineering, scientists have created bacteria that make proteins in a radically different way than all natural species do.
nyti.ms
July 31, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Meet Syn57, a living cell that only needs 57 codons, not the standard 64. Here's my story on how synthetic biology is tackling the mystery of our bloated genetic code. Gift link: nyti.ms/3Hf4f9v
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Sotheby's in New York will be auctioning the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.
The biggest piece of Mars on Earth is going up for auction in New York
Sotheby's in New York will be auctioning the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.
n.pr
July 13, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Sotheby's in New York will be auctioning the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.
‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels
“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says
www.science.org
July 11, 2025 at 12:37 AM
‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Today, *every* living prior leader of NASA's science directorate have released a joint letter condemning the proposed cuts to NASA science. These individuals every administration from Reagan to Biden, and all believe these cuts are insanely destructive: www.planetary.org/press-releas...
Every living NASA science chief unites in opposition to unprecedented…
The entire past leadership of NASA’s science activities have released a joint statement condemning the proposed 47% cuts proposed to the agency’s science…
www.planetary.org
July 7, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Today, *every* living prior leader of NASA's science directorate have released a joint letter condemning the proposed cuts to NASA science. These individuals every administration from Reagan to Biden, and all believe these cuts are insanely destructive: www.planetary.org/press-releas...
Happy Asteroid Day! After delivering samples from asteroid Bennu to Earth in September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed fundamental clues about the origin of the building blocks of life in our Solar System. youtu.be/KWF0BVPCHI8?...
‘Asteroid City’ Cast Asks NASA About OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission
YouTube video by NASA
youtu.be
June 30, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Happy Asteroid Day! After delivering samples from asteroid Bennu to Earth in September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed fundamental clues about the origin of the building blocks of life in our Solar System. youtu.be/KWF0BVPCHI8?...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Just posted an OpEd in our local paper, the Brentwood Press, on defending science, as encouraged by
@wclivestream.bsky.social and others
@natureatcal.bsky.social
www.thepress.net/opinion/we-s...
@wclivestream.bsky.social and others
@natureatcal.bsky.social
www.thepress.net/opinion/we-s...
We should not dismantle science across America
The Trump administration is destroying our scientific institutions, its infrastructure, and intellectual capital at an unprecedented pace. Scientists are being fired without cause from many federal ag...
www.thepress.net
June 26, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Just posted an OpEd in our local paper, the Brentwood Press, on defending science, as encouraged by
@wclivestream.bsky.social and others
@natureatcal.bsky.social
www.thepress.net/opinion/we-s...
@wclivestream.bsky.social and others
@natureatcal.bsky.social
www.thepress.net/opinion/we-s...
A fun interview for Today's Science about my path to becoming a scientist at NASA including some recent discoveries from samples returned from asteroid Bennu by OSIRIS-REx. tsof.infobase.com/articles/QXJ...
tsof.infobase.com
June 25, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A fun interview for Today's Science about my path to becoming a scientist at NASA including some recent discoveries from samples returned from asteroid Bennu by OSIRIS-REx. tsof.infobase.com/articles/QXJ...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Panel on the search for evidence of life on Mars at the Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit in Washington DC. We are getting closer to an answer. m.youtube.com/watch?v=ieZz...
Life on Mars: Past, Present, Future | H2M2 2025 Panel Discussion
YouTube video by ExploreMars.Org
m.youtube.com
June 2, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Panel on the search for evidence of life on Mars at the Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit in Washington DC. We are getting closer to an answer. m.youtube.com/watch?v=ieZz...
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Our global petition to save NASA science closes this Thursday, and we’re just shy of 15,000 signatures! Every name counts, this petition will be hand-delivered to members of Congress. Add yours today, Save NASA Science.
planet.ly/petition
planet.ly/petition
June 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Our global petition to save NASA science closes this Thursday, and we’re just shy of 15,000 signatures! Every name counts, this petition will be hand-delivered to members of Congress. Add yours today, Save NASA Science.
planet.ly/petition
planet.ly/petition
Reposted by Danny Glavin
Read the Nature Astronomy paper, where @meteordannyg.bsky.social and colleagues conclude that Bennu has a much richer complexity in organic matter than terrestrial biology and suggest that its parent body may have come from the outer Solar System here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 6, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Read the Nature Astronomy paper, where @meteordannyg.bsky.social and colleagues conclude that Bennu has a much richer complexity in organic matter than terrestrial biology and suggest that its parent body may have come from the outer Solar System here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...