Happy international Mangrove Day! 🌱🌊 Mangroves are microbial-rich “gradient ecosystems,” where redox chemistry drives carbon cycling and can preserve biosignatures—making them natural analogues for origin-of-life research.

Happy International Moon Day! 🌕🚀 July 20 marks a planetary double feature: the Apollo 11 Moon landing and Viking 1’s arrival on Mars in 1976. Both transformed what we know about planetary surfaces and habitability. What should the next Moon science priority be?

☄️ Today is the #InternationalAsteroidDay, we reflect on how impacts have shaped planetary chemistry across the Solar System. Asteroids may deliver organic molecules to planetary surfaces 🌍🪐 , opening windows for chemical evolution.

🌴 Today, on #InternationalDayOfTheTropics, we recognize the tropics as one of the most diverse environments on Earth. High energy inputs ⚡, frequent storms 🌩️, and strong sunlight ☀️ contribute to rich ecosystems 🌿🐠 and continuous change, supporting extraordinary biodiversity.

Interested in joining us? It's free! 👇️ www.oolen.org If you have queries, do not hesitate to DM or contact here www.oolen.org/contact/

🌍 Today is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Wet–dry cycles 💧🌞 concentrate molecules during evaporation and redistribute them during rehydration, driving bond formation and polymer growth. Many OoL models rely on this intermittency rather than steady conditions.

🌊 Today, on #WorldOceansDay, we acknowledge that Earth's oceans are of astrobiological interest as they are dynamic chemical environments. 🔬 From hydrothermal vents 🌋 to mineral-rich seafloors 🪨, the ocean provides energy, interfaces, and opportunities for complexity to emerge and evolve. 🌍

🌍 Today, on #WorldEnvironmentDay, we celebrate the remarkable environment of our own planet. Earth's oceans, continents, and climate have shaped the chemistry that sustains life and drives its diversity. In ecosystems 🌱🌳, complexity emerges through the interaction between life and its environment.

🌱 May 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity. We acknowledge the richness and complexity of life on Earth. 🧬 From defining what life is to understanding major evolutionary transitions, biodiversity research reveals how life emerges, adapts, and persists.

🔆 May 16 is the International Day of Light🔆 We celebrate that light is science, culture, education, and sustainable development. 🔍 Through spectroscopy, we can explore the universe by reading the fingerprints of atoms and molecules in exoplanet atmospheres🪐 and the interstellar medium🌌 .

What does it take to solve the origins of life? 🚀 📘 This outstanding publication by several OoLEN members offers an exhaustive and up-to-date review of current techniques in OoL, building a common framework to tackle the origin of life and bridge theory with experiments 🔬⚙️ Check it out! 👇

What it takes to solve the origin of life: An integrated review. Part 1–Experimental methods and data repositories

The Origin of Life Early Career Network (OoLEN) presents a comprehensive review of common techniques and methods used across diverse research on the origin(s) of life. Part one focuses on…

cell.com

📢 One more day to submit to IOoL26 !!! If you are an early career researcher working in origins of life, don't miss the opportunity to join IOoL26 in Tokyo, at the Earth-Life Science Institute, September 9th to 11th, 2026. 🏯 Submit your abstract here 👇️

🧬 April 25 is DNA Day — marking the discovery of the double helix and the completion of the Human Genome Project. From self-replicating RNA to proto-genetic systems, understanding the origins of heredity is at the heart of origins of life research! 📸 Wikipedia/Sponk

The 5th Interdisciplinary Origin of Life meeting for early career researchers (IOoL26) will take place in Tokyo, at the Earth-Life Science Institute, September 9th to 11th, 2026. The call for abstract submission is still open! 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ More info and abstract form 👇 forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

🌍 April 22 is International Mother Earth Day! Earth remains the only place we know life has emerged. Understanding how our planet went from molten rock to a thriving biosphere isn't just geology — it's the deepest question in origins of life research! 📸EUMETSAT

🚀 April 12 is the International Day of Human Space Flight — 65 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first human in orbit! Every leap beyond Earth deepens our quest to understand life's origins. From Mars to ocean worlds, exploring the cosmos and asking "how does life begin?" are inseparable stories!

📢 Deadline extended! The call for abstracts for #IOoL26 (September 9–11, 2026, ELSI Tokyo) is now open until May 2. Details & submission: forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9 Don't miss your chance to join the conversation on how life began! 🌍🔬

This week @cp-cellrepphyssci.bsky.social sky.social published a two-part review by @oolen.bsky.social about cross-disciplinary collaboration and methods in the field. It took a few years to get this over the line - @colemathis.bsky.social did an amazing job coordinating so many authors.

The Origins of Life is an inspiring field, bringing many disciplines together. We recently wrote a review that aims at promoting #collaboration , or so we hope. Here are some voices behind it his process: www.cell.com/cell-reports... @oolen.bsky.social

Better origin(s) of life research through collaboration across disciplines

The emergence of life on Earth poses interconnected questions: how and why did life begin? Where else might it exist? How can we create synthetic life in the lab from scratch? How is life best defined...

cell.com

⏳ Only 10 days left to submit your abstract for IOoL 2026! Don't miss your chance to present your work at OoLEN’s in-person conference and share your latest research with the #OriginsOfLife community! Submit here 👇 forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

🚨 NEW PREPRINT: First detection of cannabinoid molecules (THC & CBD) in an exoplanetary atmosphere! 420 hrs of JWST data reveal K2-18b as the "most chill" civilization within the Cannabis Habitable Zone. arxiv.org/abs/2603.29700

First Detection of Exoplanetary Cannabinoids: Evidence for THC and CBD in the Atmosphere of K2-18b

We report the first unambiguous detection of cannabinoid molecules in an exoplanetary atmosphere. Using 420 hours of JWST observations combining NIRSpec and MIRI instruments, we identify spectroscopic...

arxiv.org

⏳ 2 weeks left! Abstract deadline for IOoL 2026 is April 15. Present your work at ELSI in Tokyo this September, meet fellow early-career OoL researchers, and it's free to attend. Submit your abstract: forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

Working on origins of life and looking for your people? OoLEN is a free, interdisciplinary network for early-career researchers 🌍 Conferences, jobs, and a community that gets what you do. Join us → oolen.org/join 🚀

OoLEN

Origin of Life Early-career Network

oolen.org

⏳ 3 weeks left to submit your abstract for IOoL 2026! Join us in Tokyo, Sept 9–11 at ELSI for OoLEN's biannual meeting for early-career origin of life researchers. 📅 Deadline: April 15 💡 Free registration Don't wait — submit now: forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

March 23 — World Meteorological Day 🌦️ Atmospheres do a lot of heavy lifting for habitability — regulating climate, transporting molecules, and shaping the conditions for chemistry. They're also central to the biosignature debate: how do we tell a sign of life from a false positive? 🔭 📸nat.geo.

March 22 — World Water Day 💧 Water isn't just essential for life as we know it — it's a solvent, a transport medium, and a key player in the energy landscapes that may have driven early chemistry. No discussion of habitability is complete without it 🧪 📸greenpeace

Calling all early-career OoL researchers! 🧪 IOoL 2026 will take place at ELSI in Tokyo, Sept 9–11. Registration is free — submit your abstract by April 15! forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

March 21 — International Day of Forests 🌲 Forests aren't just trees — they're planetary-scale chemistry engines, cycling carbon, releasing aerosols, and shaping entire ecosystems. Understanding how life transforms its environment is key to understanding how it got started 🌎 📸foodtank

📢 IOoL 2026 is heading to Tokyo! 🇯🇵 Join us September 9–11 at ELSI for the Interdisciplinary Origin of Life Meeting for Early Career Researchers. 🗓️ Abstract deadline: April 15, 2026 🎓 Open to students, postdocs & early-career PIs 💡 Free registration! Submit yours → forms.gle/xMQBi1YgXsnXzo4A9

Curious about how life began? So are we 🔬 OoLEN is a global community for early-career origins of life researchers. We share opportunities, organize meetings, and connect people across disciplines. Whether you're in chemistry, biology, or planetary science — there's a spot for you! 🔗oolen.org/join

OoLEN

Origin of Life Early-career Network

oolen.org