Geoscience Center
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The colloquium is held during the lecture period on Wednesdays between 14:15 and 15:30. Please find the upcoming colloquium talks in the schedule.
Tapping into the World’s largest gold reserves (2025-05-22, DB)
Earth’s largest gold reserves are not kept inside Fort Knox, the United States Bullion Depository. In fact, they are hidden much deeper in the ground than one would expect. More than 99.999% of Earth’s stores of gold and other precious metals lie buried under 3,000 km of solid rock, locked away within the Earth’s metallic core and far beyond the reaches of humankind. Now, researchers from the University of Göttingen have found traces of the precious metal Ruthenium (Ru) in volcanic rocks on the islands of Hawaii that must ultimately have come from the Earth’s core. The findings were published in Nature. Compared to the Earth’s rocky mantle, the metallic core contains a slightly higher abundance of a particular Ru isotope: 100Ru. This is because part of the Ru, which was locked in the Earth’s core together with gold and other precious metals when it formed 4.5 billion years ago, came from a different source than the scarce amount of Ru that is contained in the mantle today. These differences in 100Ru are so tiny that it was impossible to detect them in the past. Now, new procedures developed by researchers at the University of Göttingen made it possible to resolve them. The unusually high 100Ru signal they found in lavas on the Earth’s surface can only mean that these rocks ultimately originated from the core-mantle boundary. Dr Nils Messling, at Göttingen University’s Department of Geochemistry, explains: “When the first results came in, we realised that we had literally struck gold! Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth’s mantle above.” Professor Matthias Willbold, at the same department, adds: “Our findings not only show that the Earth’s core is not as isolated as previously assumed. We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material – several hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes of rock – originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth’s surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii.” This means that at least some of the precarious supplies of gold and other precious metals that we rely on for their value and importance in so many sectors such as renewable energy, may have come from the Earth’s core. Messling concludes: “Whether these processes that we observe today have also been operating in the past remains to be proven. Our findings open up an entirely new perspective on the evolution of the inner dynamics of our home planet.”
Images: (L) Gold is not as rare one might think. The problem is that 99.999% of Earth’s stores of the gold and other precious metals are locked away in the Earth’s core, around 3,000 km inside the Earth and thus far beyond the reaches of humankind (© Wikipedia/Slav4|A. Palmon). (R) Graphic representation of Earth’s shell structure showing the super-heated metallic inner core in the centre, followed by the solid outer core, the rocky mantle and the thin crust towards the surface. New research from the University of Göttingen demonstrates that some precious metal-rich material from the core is leaking into the Earth’s mantle above (© Universität Göttingen, OpenAI).
Messling, N., Willbold, M., Kallas, L., Elliott, T., Fitton, J. G., Müller, T., & Geist, D. (2025). Ru and W isotope systematics in ocean island basalts reveals core leakage. Nature. 10.1038/s41586-025-09003-0
Successful participation of the Faculty of Geosciences and Geography at the EGU 2025 in Vienna (2025-05-05, DB)
The Faculty of Geosciences and Geography was prominently represented at this year’s General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) in Vienna. From April 27 to May 2, 2025, researchers from across the faculty presented their latest work in talks, posters, and interactive sessions. As one of the world’s leading conferences in the geosciences, the EGU provides an important platform for international scientific exchange. Particularly noteworthy this year was the strong presence of early-career researchers, who impressed with innovative approaches and engaging contributions. This enthusiastic participation reflects both the global reach and the high quality of research conducted within our faculty. We extend our sincere thanks to all participants for their commitment and congratulate them on a successful showing in Vienna.
Photo: Members of our faculty attending the EGU 2025 conference in Vienna (© J. Holdt).
How long before the actual volcanic eruption are there warning signals deep down inside the Earth? (2025-04-01, DB)
An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has investigated this question by analysing volcanic deposits from a volcanic eruption that occurred in the Phlegraean Fields near Naples 40,000 years ago. The team found that fresh magma rising from depths caused the volcano to erupt within around 60 years. However, according to the researchers, this “warning time” – meaning the time until rising magma triggers an eruption – depends largely on the magma temperature. The results were published in the Bulletin of Volcanology. During a massive volcanic eruption about 40,000 years ago, known as the Campanian Ignimbrite, around 300 cubic kilometres of magma were released. This makes it one of the largest and most explosive eruptions in Europe in the past 100,000 years. The processes that can trigger such a volcanic eruption are recorded in the “growth rings” of magmatic crystals. These crystals are found in the magma reservoir, an underground chamber where liquid magma collects under a volcano. Such crystals grow until shortly before an eruption. The researchers examined the crystals in the deposits from the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption using an electron microprobe, a device that bombards samples with electrons and measures their chemical composition along a profile with accuracy to a thousandth of a millimetre. This enabled the team to chemically analyse the final growth phase of the crystals shortly before an eruption. “The distribution of the element barium along measured profiles at the crystal edge suggests that 40,000 years ago, a fresh supply of magma from the depths of the Earth triggered this massive eruption,” explains Professor Gerhard Wörner at Göttingen University’s Department of Geochemistry and Isotope Geology. “This proves, on the one hand, that this final magma supply occurred just before the eruption. Furthermore, mathematical modelling of the measured chemical profiles shows that this process caused the much older magma already present in the Earth's crust to erupt within just 60 years or so.” However, the timing of the advance warning for such an eruption depends largely on the temperature of the magma, which cannot be determined with certainty. “If the temperature of the magma was higher than the assumed 900 degrees Celsius, the advance warning would be significantly shorter: at around 970 degrees Celsius, most estimates range from less than four years to just one month. If the temperature was lower, for instance around 850 degrees Celsius, the advance warning time could be between eight and 380 years,” says lead author Dr Raffaella Iovine, who conducted the study as part of her PhD research at Göttingen University and in collaboration with researchers from Naples. Earthquake activity under the Phlegraean Fields, which has increased sharply in the last four years, has fuelled fears of a renewed eruption in the Naples region. The data now published provide the first indications of how long the re-awakened magmatic activity in the subsurface could take before an eruption. “However, our results do not indicate that an eruption will actually occur in the near future,” says Wörner. “Often, underground volcanoes become restless without a subsequent eruption on the Earth's surface. On the other hand, the volcanoes in the region of the Phlegraean Fields have been repeatedly active for over 300,000 years, often only a few hundred years apart.” The Göttingen research work was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Photos: (L) View across the Gulf of Naples from the edge of the Phlegraean Fields caldera crater to Mount Vesuvius. (R) The JEOL electron microprobe at the Göttingen laboratory for correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (GoeLEM), which was used to conduct an additional part of the current analyses for the study. (© L: G. Wörner, R: A. Kronz)
Iovine, R. S., Pelullo, C., Arienzo, I., Fedele, L., Wörner, G., Kronz, A., & D’Antonio, M. (2025). Insights into magma reactivation times prior to a catastrophic highly explosive event: the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption (Campi Flegrei, Italy). Bulletin of Volcanology, 87(4), 27. 10.1007/s00445-025-01812-5
Kick-off for the CampusGeoHub Research Project (2025-03-21, DB)
On March 7, 2025, the official kick-off meeting marked the start of the CampusGeoHub research project. Over the next three years, the Geoscience Centre of the University of Göttingen will work together with the HAWK Faculty of Resource Management on a feasibility study for CO2-neutral heating on the university’s North Campus. The project focuses on innovative concepts for heating and cooling systems, with particular attention to geothermal energy and seasonal heat storage. Numerous practical partners are supporting the project, including the German Primate Center, several Max Planck Institutes, the Institute for Nanophotonics Göttingen, GWDG, Stadtwerke Göttingen, and the City of Göttingen. The goal is to develop solutions that replace fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives and contribute to climate-friendly campus development.
Collaboration between the University of Göttingen and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2025-03-06, DB)
Two researchers from the University of Göttingen, Prof. Andreas Pack and Dr. David Bajnai, visited their colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem between March 6–8 as part of a joint workshop titled Climate in Israel 85 million years ago. The trip was funded through an annual grant program supported by both universities, aiming to strengthen cross-border collaboration between them. During their visit, Prof. Pack and Dr. Bajnai met with Prof. Hagit Affek and Prof. Uri Ryb. They conducted fieldwork in the northern Negev Desert, sampling rocks from the Upper Cretaceous Mishash Formation, which consists of contemporaneously deposited chert, carbonate, and phosphorite beds. By analyzing the stable isotope composition of these three phases—particularly triple oxygen isotopes and, for carbonates, clumped isotopes—the researchers aim to reconstruct the diagenetic history of the sediments and extract a climate signal indicative of seawater temperatures in the Neo-Tethys Ocean. In addition to field sampling, the workshop participants presented their respective isotope geochemistry laboratories, with the Göttingen team showcasing theirs through photos and presentations. They also explored opportunities for further collaboration between the two laboratories—stay tuned for updates! The Göttingen team sincerely thanks Prof. Ryb and Prof. Affek for their warm hospitality during the visit. We look forward to the opportunity to return the invitation!
Photos: (L) A typical outcrop of the Mishash Formation showing alterations of chert, carbonate and the phosphorite. (R) Dr. Bajnai and Prof. Pack after a successful day of sampling rocks in the northern Negev Desert. (© D. Bajnai)
Geo4Göttingen 2025 (2024-12-11, DB)
We are excited to invite you to Geo4Göttingen 2025, a unique joint conference hosted by the University of Göttingen on 14–18 September 2025 in collaboration with four leading scientific societies: the German Geological Society (DGGV), the German Society for Geomorphology (DGGM), the German Mineralogical Society (DMG), and the Paläontologische Gesellschaft (PalGes). This group of four mirrors the composition of Göttingen´s Faculty for Geoscience and Geography but does not constrain the scope of the meeting. We are organizing the conference in close cooperation with the Umbrella Organization of Geosciences in Germany (DVGeo) and aim for the event to cover a wide range of topics, from outer space to crystal lattices and from deep time to femtoseconds. Under the theme Geo4Change - Earth, Life, Climate, Resources, Materials – this conference will highlight some of the most pressing challenges of our time and discuss interdisciplinary solutions. From the dynamic changes shaping our planet to the critical resources that sustain life, we are at a pivotal moment where science must rise to meet global environmental, societal, and technological demands. This year's event is designed to foster collaboration across geosciences, emphasizing innovative approaches to the complex problems we face—whether they relate to climate change, sustainable and innovative use of materials, or the future of Earth's ecosystems. Join us in Göttingen for inspiring discussions, cutting-edge research presentations, and the opportunity to contribute to shaping a better future through geoscience. We look forward to welcoming you to Geo4Göttingen 2025! Cordially, Jonas Kley & the Geo4Göttingen 2025 organizers Click on the image to go to the conference website:
The mystery of Uruguay’s amethyst geodes (2024-10-01, DB)
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz which has been used as a gemstone for many centuries and is a key economic resource in northern Uruguay. Geodes are hollow rock formations often with quartz crystals, such as amethyst, inside. Amethyst geodes in Uruguay have been found in cooled lava flows, which date from the original breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana around 134 million years ago. However, their formation has remained a mystery. So, a research team led by the University of Göttingen investigated using cutting-edge techniques. The researchers discovered that the amethyst geodes formed at unexpectedly low crystallisation temperatures of just 15 to 60 °C. Taken with their other results, researchers were able to propose a new model to explain their formation. The research was published in the journal Mineralium Deposita. Amethyst has been mined for over 150 years in the Los Catalanes District of Uruguay, where the research was carried out. This is an area renowned for the deep violet colour and high quality of its gems, as well as magnificent giant geodes sometimes over 5 m high. The deposits here have been recognised as one of the top 100 geological heritage sites in the world, highlighting their scientific and natural value. However, limited knowledge of how these geodes formed has made locating them challenging, relying largely on miners’ experience. To address this, researchers conducted extensive geological surveys across more than 30 active mines, analysing geode minerals, geode-hosted water, and groundwater. Using advanced techniques like nucleation-assisted microthermometry of initial one-phase fluid inclusion and triple-oxygen-isotope geochemistry, the team uncovered new insights into how these prized geodes formed. As well as finding that the amethyst geodes formed at unexpectedly low crystallisation temperatures, the researchers also showed that the mineralising fluids had the low levels of salinity and proportion of isotopes consistent with water originating from the natural weather cycle, which probably came from groundwater held in nearby rocks. “The precision and accuracy of these new techniques, allowed us to estimate with confidence the temperature and composition of the mineralizing fluids,” said Fiorella Arduin Rode, lead author and PhD researcher at Göttingen University’s Geoscience Centre. “Our findings support the idea that these amethysts crystallised at low temperatures from groundwater-like fluids.” The study proposes a model where mineral phases like amethyst crystallise within volcanic cavities in a dark rock known as basalt, influenced by regional variations in temperature in the Earth’s crust. Arduin Rode adds, "Understanding the conditions for amethyst formation — such as the temperature and composition of the mineralising fluid, as well as the silica source, the timing of the mineralisation, and its relationship with the host rocks — is crucial for unravelling the process. This could significantly improve exploration techniques and lead to sustainable mining strategies in the future.”
Photos: (L) Fiorella Arduin Rode from the University of Göttingen at the Los Catalanes mining area in northern Uruguay. Together with the Ametista do Sul region in southern Brazil, these areas are the world’s leading mining sites for gemstones extracted from volcanic lava, such as amethyst and agate geodes. (R) An amethyst geode from Los Catalanes is processed in preparation for sale. (© F. Arduin-Rode).
Arduin-Rode, F., Sosa, G., van den Kerkhof, A., Krüger, Y., Bajnai, D., Pack, A., Di Rocco, T., Oyhantçabal, P., Wemmer, K., Herwartz, D., Klipsch, S., Wiegand, B., Siegesmund, S., & Hueck, M. (2024). World-class amethyst-agate geodes from Los Catalanes, Uruguay: Genetic implications from fluid inclusions and stable isotopes. Mineralium Deposita. 10.1007/s00126-024-01310-2
Iron-Sulfur Minerals Indicate the Earliest Life on Earth (2024-05-21, DB)
Certain minerals in deep-sea hydrothermal vents could indicate bacterial activity from billions of years ago, which is crucial for understanding the origins of life. This discovery was made by the Universities of Tübingen and Göttingen, and their findings have been published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. Hydrothermal vents have existed for at least 3.77 billion years and could potentially support life on other celestial bodies in our solar system, as the extreme conditions of these systems are believed to be the birthplace of the first organic compounds and life forms. “To understand how life originated, we aim to trace the evolution of microorganisms back billions of years,” explains doctoral student Eric Runge. Researchers search for biosignatures, traces of life, in the oldest rocks on Earth, with pyrite in a distinctive framboidal form being particularly promising. “Framboidal pyrite only forms when magnetite is produced by iron-reducing bacteria,” says Prof. Dr. Andreas Kappler (University of Tübingen). Experiments show that the crystal forms of biologically and non-biologically formed pyrite differ significantly. The study of biosignatures is also relevant to the search for life on other planets. “Hydrothermal vents similar to those in our deep sea might also exist on Saturn's moon Enceladus,” says Prof. Dr. Jan-Peter Duda. Such studies provide a foundation for recognizing potential signs of extraterrestrial life.
Images: ‘Black smokers,’ hydrothermal vents in the deep sea, emit volcanically heated fluids rich in dissolved metals and sulfur. These environments are oases of microbial activity in the deep sea (MARUM).
Runge, E., Mansor, M., Chiu, T. H., Shuster, J., Fischer, S., Kappler, A., & Duda, J.-P. (2024). Hydrothermal sulfidation of biogenic magnetite produces framboid-like pyrite. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1), 252. 10.1038/s43247-024-01400-z
Study demonstrates the biological origin of 3.5 billion-year-old carbonaceous matter (2024-02-21, DB)
To learn about the first organisms on our planet, researchers must analyze the rocks of early Earth. These are only found at a few locations worldwide. The Pilbara Craton in Western Australia is one of these rare sites: here, rocks dating back approximately 3.5 billion years emerge, containing traces of the microorganisms that lived at that time. A research team led by the University of Göttingen now provides new insights into the formation and composition of this ancient biomass, offering a glimpse into the earliest ecosystems of Earth. Using high-resolution techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (NEXAFS), the researchers examined carbonaceous particles found in barite rocks. This enabled them to gain crucial information about the structure of the microscopic particles and demonstrate their biological origin. It is likely that the particles sedimented in the water body of a volcanic crater (caldera) at that time. Additionally, a portion apparently was transported and altered by hydrothermal waters in the subsurface of the volcanic system, indicating a turbulent deposition history. Furthermore, from the analysis of various carbon isotopes, the researchers concluded that different types of microorganisms already lived in the vicinity of volcanic activity, similar to today's geysers in Iceland or hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. The study not only sheds light on the Earth's past but is also interesting from a methodological perspective. Lead author Lena Weimann from the Geoscience Center at the University of Göttingen explains: "It was very exciting for us to combine various high-resolution techniques and derive connections to the origin and deposition history of organic particles. As our findings demonstrate, even extremely old material can yield original signals of the first organisms."
Photos: (L) Rock exposed at the surface of the Pilbara Craton: gray barite rock below, with stromatolites above, reddened by oxidation. (R) Lena Weimann in the lab (© J.-P. Duda & G. Hundertmark).
Weimann, L., Reinhardt, M., Duda, J.-P., Mißbach-Karmrodt, H., Drake, H., Schönig, J., Holburg, J., Andreas, L. B., Reitner, J., Whitehouse, M. J., & Thiel, V. (2024). Carbonaceous matter in ∼3.5 Ga black bedded barite from the Dresser Formation (Pilbara Craton, Western Australia) – Insights into organic cycling on the juvenile Earth. Precambrian Research, 403, 107321. 10.1016/j.precamres.2024.107321
Inauguration of the new GoeLEM Equipment Center (2024-02-21, DB)
The Faculty of Geosciences and Geography is renowned for its expertise and excellent analytical equipment, utilized by numerous researchers at the University of Göttingen and beyond. Over the past three years, the Geoscience Center at the University of Göttingen has established a modern infrastructure for an equipment center dedicated to light and electron microscopy. The facility includes an electron microprobe, a high-resolution scanning electron microscope, and additional electron and light microscopes. In addition to imaging techniques and electron diffraction, the focus of methodological application lies in the quantitative micro-area analysis, encompassing natural samples such as minerals, as well as modern materials. The equipment center provides researchers from all faculties with analytical opportunities for the high-resolution characterization of materials and their chemical properties down to the sub-nanometer range. The total costs amounted to approximately three million euros, with the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture supporting the investment with around 1.2 million euros. The installation of the latest equipment, a field emission scanning electron microscope, is now complete. Thus, the Goettingen laboratory for correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (GoeLEM) is fully operational and ready for use. Let's celebrate! For this reason, a festive colloquium took place on February 7th. Metin Tolan (President of the Georg-August University), MD Rüdiger Eichel (Head of the Department of Research, Innovation, Europe at the MWK), Prof. Dr. Christoph Dittrich (Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography), and Prof. Dr. Andreas Pack (Director of the Geological Center) gave speeches. Finally, Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller delivered the keynote speech: "GoeLEM - Visions, Perspectives, and Possibilities of Correlative Electron Optical Analysis." The local newspaper "Göttinger Tageblatt" reported on the event.International Symposium on Quartz and Glass (2024-01-22, DB)
The QUARTZ-2024 symposium will bring together geoscientists, mineralogists, petrologists, material scientists, and sedimentologists, as well as economic and mining geologists and processing engineers with a special interest in quartz and other silica types like chert and glass. The latest results from a broad spectrum of ongoing research on quartz will be presented and discussed. We emphasise the importance and the economical and ecological sustainability of quartz as a resource material for the glass production, because of its particular economic importance in Germany. A panel discussion at the symposium will focus on that theme and will combine geoscientific as well as material scientific aspects. Registration and further information:
New pieces discovered in the cradle of life puzzle (2024-01-22, MR)
An international research team led by Dr. Manuel Reinhardt (University of Göttingen/Linnæus University) unravels new key findings about the earliest life forms on Earth. In rock samples from the Barberton greenstone belt, Republic of South Africa, the researchers were able to find evidence of an unprecedented diverse biological carbon cycle established around 3.42 billion years ago. This proves that ecosystems hosted complex microbial communities already at these ancient times. Microorganisms represent the earliest life forms on our planet, indicated by morphological and geochemical traces preserved in ca. 3.5 billion year old rocks. However, evidence to reconstruct early life on Earth is scarce and often highly disputed. It is still not clear when and where life emerged and when early microbial communities diversified. By analyzing well-preserved carbonaceous matter and associated mineral phases the researchers found geochemical fingerprints of different microbiota, including phototrophs, sulfate reducers, and likely methane cycling microbes. This spectacular finding highlights that ecosystems in the Paleoarchean Era (3.6–3.2 billion years ago) already hosted complex microbial communities. The results have now been published in Precambrian Research. “Our study opens a rare window into early ecosystems on Earth. We did not expect to find traces of so many different metabolisms. It was like finding the needle in the haystack”, says Dr. Manuel Reinhardt, first author of the study. A highlight of the study is the combination of macro- and micro-scale analytical techniques to robustly identify the ancient biosignatures in the rock material. “In early life science, it is crucial to have supporting evidence from various angles to clearly identify indigenous biological traces and distinguish them from potential later contamination”, Dr. Reinhardt adds. “The discovery of organic matter particles in primary pyrite crystals and the direct micro-analysis of carbon and sulfur isotopes therein gave us the rare opportunity to distinguish individual microbial metabolisms”, explains Dr. Henrik Drake, Linnæus University, senior author of the study. “By combining these data with petrographical evidence we were able to pinpoint the roles of different microbes in the cycling of carbon in the Paleoarchean ecosystem”, Reinhardt concludes. “This study marks a significant leap forward in our understanding of the Earth's ancient microbial environments and opens new avenues for future research in the field of paleobiology.”
Photo: Drill core sample from the Barberton greenstone belt used in the study. The dark layers contain carbonaceous matter that originates from Paleoarchean microorganisms (© M. Reinhardt).
Reinhardt, M., Thiel, V., Duda, J.-P., Hofmann, A., Bajnai, D., Goetz, W., Pack, A., Reitner, J., Schanofski, M., Schönig, J., Whitehouse, M.J. and Drake, H. (2024) Aspects of the biological carbon cycle in a ca. 3.42-billion-year-old marine ecosystem. Precamb. Res., 402, 107289. 10.1016/j.precamres.2024.107289
New study including GZG researchers shed light on unique fibre structure, evolutionary history and combating invasive species (2023-12-14, DB)
Zebra and quagga mussels, which belong to the Dreissenid family, are freshwater invasive species widespread throughout western Europe and North America. They present a significant danger to native ecosystems by competing for resources. Using a fibrous anchor called a byssus, Dreissenid mussels also cause biofouling by attaching persistently to underwater surfaces and for example block the intakes of power stations and water treatment plants. A research team led by McGill University in Canada and Göttingen University in Germany discovered that a rare genetic event, occurring over 12 million years ago, played an important role in shaping one of Europe and Canada’s most damaging invasive species. Their research also sheds light on how mussel fibres could inspire the development of sustainable materials in the future. Their findings were published in PNAS. The researchers collected material from zebra and quagga mussels in Germany and Canada to investigate how these mussels stick to surfaces. Researchers at McGill used a variety of techniques to characterise some of the materials properties of the byssus thread to better understand how this biological material allows the animal to attach itself with such resilience to almost any underwater surface. Researchers in Göttingen identified and sequenced a gene that codes for a byssus thread protein that makes the distinctive silken fibres, performed the structural modelling of the protein and carried out analyses that clarified its evolution. During his involvement in the project Professor Daniel J. Jackson observed Dreissenid mussels in Germany’s Northeimer Seenplatte lakes. He explains, “It was shocking to see how abundant they are there. This shows how invasive the quagga and zebra mussels are, and how they can completely dominate certain habitats.” The researchers discovered that a previously undocumented evolutionary event contributed to Dreissenid mussels’ resilience and success as an invasive species. Jackson explains, "More than 12 million years ago, it is likely that a single bacterium transferred foreign genetic material into a single mussel endowing its descendants with the ability to make these fibres. Given their crucial role in mussel attachment in freshwater habitats, this horizontal gene transfer event supported the harmful global expansion of these mussels.” This research, marking important progress in the understanding of invasive mussels and their attachment mechanisms, could offer potential solutions to mitigate their damaging environmental and economic impact. In addition, the research advances understanding of the mechanisms of biofouling and sheds light on how mussel fibres could inspire the development of sustainable materials. The researchers found that the building blocks of the fibres were massive coiled-coil proteins, the largest ever found. These proteins, structurally similar to those found in human hair, were found to transform into silk-like beta crystallites through the simple application of stretching forces by the mussel during formation. This method of fibre fabrication is much simpler than spider silk formation, potentially offering an easier route toward biotechnological manufacture of sustainable fibres – an industry currently dominated by artificial spider silks. Professor Matthew Harrington, McGill University Department of Chemistry, explains: "Dreissenid byssus fibres, which resemble spider silk structurally, could inspire future development of tough polymer fibres, contributing to more durable and sustainable materials typically used in textiles and technical plastics.”
Photo: Dreissenid byssus morphology. Figure from the manuscript.
Simmons, M., Horbelt, N., Sverko, T., Scoppola, E., Jackson, D. J., Harrington, M. J. (2023) Invasive mussels fashion silk-like byssus via mechanical processing of massive horizontally acquired coiled coils, PNAS, 120, e23119011, 10.1073/pnas.2311901120
Cover of Geochemical Perspective Letters showcases first-author paper by student from the Geobiology Team Göttingen (2023-08-29, DB)
Congratulations to Jorinel Manuel Domingos, an MSc student and a valuable member of the Göttingen Geobiology Group. His first-author publication about pyrite growth has made it to the front cover of the prestigious journal Geochemical Perspective Letters. J.M. Domingos, E. Runge, C. Dreher, T.-H. Chiu, J. Shuster, S. Fischer, A. Kappler, J.-P. Duda, J. Xu, and M. Mansor (2023): Inferred pyrite growth via the particle attachment pathway in the presence of trace metals. Geochemical Perspective Letters, 26, 14-19, 10.7185/geochemlet.2318
Photo: Cover of Vol. 27 of Geochemical Perspective Letters. False colour image of lab-synthesised pyrite crystals with diverse sizes and morphologies. Colours reflect different inferred growth stages: from the green/cyan microframboids to yellow octahedral crystals to red pyrite “roses”. Images such as this and others provide insight into mineral growth via the particle attachment pathway, which affects how trace metal distributions and mineral morphology can be used as biosignatures and environmental proxies.
(© J. Shuster)
Jan-Peter Duda awarded visiting professorship at Northwest University (2023-05-15, DB)
We are delighted to announce that Prof. Jan-Peter Duda has been awarded a prestigious visiting professorship at Northwest University (NWU) in Xi'an, PR China, in recognition of his exceptional contributions and expertise in early life and deep-time geobiology. In addition to the visiting professorship, Jan-Peter Duda has been appointed as an overseas academic expert at the 111 Center Early Life & Environments at NWU. The news was officially conveyed by a delegation of esteemed visitors from NWU, which included Prof. Shaocong Lai (Vice President NWU) and Prof. Dongjing Fu. They recently visited Göttingen to personally inform Jan-Peter Duda about the appointment and to discuss future collaborations in research and teaching.
Photos: Pictures of Prof. J.-P. Duda receiving the honors from the delegation of NWU, Prof. Shaocong Lai and Prof. Dongjing Fu. (© J.-P. Duda)
Renas Koshnaw receives Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience (PRIME) fellowship from DAAD (2023-03-02, DB)
Renas Koshnaw joined the Göttingen Geoscience Center as a Humboldt Research Fellow in 2019, hosted by Jonas Kley and the structural geology department. Renas was born and raised in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He holds an MSc and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on the tectonic evolution of the Zagros Mountains and addresses topics ranging from lithosphere-scale geodynamics and thrust belt structure to sediment provenance, transport and deposition. One of his main interests is to constrain how the interplay of tectonic and surface processes has shaped the mountains and their foreland in the course of continental collision. Renas is one of 25 individuals who were selected for the PRIME fellowship 2022/23 out of 133 applicants. He will spend 12 months conducting research abroad at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, where he will investigate the fate of the Neotethys oceanic slab located between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. On another note, Renas recently wrote a public outreach article on the geology of the Zagros Mountains and his own research there in the new Kurdistan Chronicle magazine. You will find his contribution on page 45 of the pdf (p. 88 of the magazine). You may also want to check out other aspects of Kurdistan, its nature, culture and people in the new magazine!
Photos: A picture of Renas Koshnaw and the Zagros Mountains. (© R. Koshnaw)