In a study published in Nature Astronomy, an Israeli-US team led by researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science has now defined a new kind of life’s signature. It could offer a relatively simple way to address the age-old question: Are we alone? The new approach relies less on complicated chemistry and more on statistical patterns. The central idea is to examine molecular diversity, with the understanding that life reorganizes chemistry according to function. Sometimes that means expanding diversity and sometimes narrowing it. Instead of focusing on individual molecules, the researchers looked at statistical patterns in groups of molecules – their spread and relative abundances.

• UCF Associate Professor Samik Bhattacharya’s research on wing shapes could help develop mathematical models that improve the performance and stability of the U.S. military’s amphibious vehicles.

• The technology can also be used for search-and-rescue missions and disaster response.

• The work is supported through a grant from the DEVCOM Army Research Office.