Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence micro-spectroscopy: A new approach to determine the origin of life on Earth

同步加速器X射线荧光显微光谱：确定地球生命起源的新方法

• 批准号: 1053241
• 负责人: Craig Marshall
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: University of Kansas Center for Research Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-03-15 至 2016-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1053241&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Synchrotron; ray; fluorescence; micro; spectroscopy

This project addresses one of the most significant questions in science today, and that is, what was the origin and nature of the first forms of life on Earth? Currently, the evidence for the nature and origin of the first forms of life on Earth is an area of intense controversy in the scientific literature. This stems from the lack of consensus on the validity of various analytical techniques for establishing the origins and nature of ancient putative fossil microbes. One key to solving this problem is to develop innovative biogeochemical techniques. The proposed project will be the first application of synchrotron based hard X-ray micro-X-ray fluorescence (in combination with phase contrast imaging and micro-X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy), to observe if any trace biological elemental distribution and cellular structures can be preserved in ancient putative microfossils. This approach will provide an unprecedented opportunity to shed new light on ancient biogeochemical processes thereby, providing a greater understanding of the early evolution of life and its interactions with Earth?s early environments.This project will support a graduate student for obtaining a Doctorate degree, and will form an integral component of teaching early life on Earth and the primordial biosphere in freshmen to upper level undergraduate and graduate courses taught at KU. In addition, middle and high school science education students from the School of Education ?UKanTeach? program now have an option to undertake a semester of research in geobiology. The ultimate goal is to provide ?toolkits? for geosciences educators to utilize as employed middle and high school teachers. The geosciences education research is a successful vehicle demonstrating the actual real life processes and mechanisms involved in cutting-edge research. Thus, allowing teachers to share their experience with students and thereby showing how real-world scientific research is conducted to explain natural phenomena. Currently under development is a research scheme for middle and high school students that can undertake a 20-hour research project during their summer vacation here at KU in the geobiology laboratories.

该项目解决了当今科学中最重要的问题之一，也就是说，地球上第一形式的生命形式的起源和本质是什么？目前，地球上生命的第一形式的性质和起源的证据是科学文献中引起的激烈争议的领域。这源于对各种分析技术的有效性达成共识，以建立古代推定化石微生物的起源和性质。解决此问题的一个关键是开发创新的生物地球化学技术。拟议的项目将是基于同步加速器的硬X射线Micro-X射线荧光的首次应用（结合相对比成像和Micro-X射线吸收近边光谱），以观察是否可以在古代构图中保留任何痕量的生物元素分布和细胞结构。这种方法将提供一个前所未有的机会，从而为古老的生物地球化学过程提供新的启示，从而更了解生命的早期演变及其与地球早期环境的互动。该项目将支持研究生获得博士学位的学位，并将在地球上教学的早期生活和毕业生的新鲜级别和毕业生的毕业生和毕业生的毕业生和毕业生的培训，以构成新鲜阶层的综合成分。此外，教育学院的中学和高中科学教育学生？现在，计划可以选择进行地球生物学研究学期。最终目标是提供工具包？供地球科学教育者用作受雇的中学和高中老师。地球科学教育研究是一款成功的工具，证明了实际的现实生活过程和尖端研究所涉及的机制。因此，允许教师与学生分享他们的经验，从而展示如何进行现实世界的科学研究来解释自然现象。目前正在开发的是针对中学生的研究计划，可以在KU在Geobiology Laboratories的KU暑假期间进行20小时的研究项目。