Key Environmental Parameters Research Articles

Solar dryers for tropical food preservation: Thermophysics of crops, systems and components

Drying reduces the moisture content of harvested crops thus slowing decay processes to enable longer-term storage. Solar dryers contain the crop being dried, to enhance solar energy collection incurring lower crop losses than are associated with open-sun drying and recurrent costs than are inherent to uses of fossil-fuels for drying. The influences of key environmental, operational and design parameters for solar dryers are discussed including: (i) psychrometry of drying processes and ambient conditions, (ii) how initial crop properties are converted to final desired product attributes, (iii) feasibility of using powered components such as fans and (iv) air-heating solar collector selection.

International Collaborations In Geodesy Advance Geoscience Research

UNAVCO supports geoscience research at 113 US academic Member institutions, and another 104 Associate Member institutions include international universities, laboratories, observatories, academies of science, and a museum. This diverse membership shares UNAVCO's purpose at home and abroad, giving UNAVCO global reach in advancing geodesy.Since the mid‐1980s, modern geodesy has evolved into a cutting‐edge, multi‐faceted toolbox with remarkably diverse research and real‐world applications, including studies and observation or forecasting of solid‐Earth hazards, the dynamics of the atmosphere, climate, near‐Earth space environment, and of key environmental parameters such as water storage, soil moisture, and sea‐and lake‐level changes. UNAVCO operates facilities on behalf of the U.S. National Science Foundation to support investigators who use geodetic tools across all of these Earth and atmospheric domains.UNAVCO has built a number of large dense regional networks of GPS stations, including the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory in North America, the COCONet Caribbean network, TLALOCNet in Mexico, GNET in Greenland, and ANET in Antarctica. Going forward, UNAVCO plans to federate the Plate Boundary Observatory (USA), TLALOCNet (Mexico), and COCONet (Caribbean) GPS networks as the Network of the Americas, with upgrades to state‐of‐the‐art, multi‐sensor, multi‐GNSS observations.While UNAVCO community scientists actively engage in using space and terrestrial geodetic techniques to study geodynamics at all scales, this proliferation of continuous networks is the basis for a suite of recent contributions that focus on improved daily positioning to sense Earth's elastic response and other perturbations to loading by atmospheric and surface water, oceans, and ice. Day‐to‐day and sub‐daily variations in the GPS vertical and horizontal correlate to increasingly well‐understood short‐term mass variability, such as monsoonal flooding in Bangladesh, sub‐daily changes in tidal loading at continent scales, day‐to‐day surface water and ice storage in the western U.S., variations in the rate of GIA in Greenland across a variety of scales, and improved understanding of the inter‐annual variation in sea level rise due to changes in terrestrial water storage.

A Performance Comparison of Gigabit-Capable Backhauling Solutions for 5G Cellular Networks

A high-capacity, flexible, cost, and energy efficient backhaul network based on the convergence of optical and wireless technologies is proposed this research work. The proposed backhaul network, which is deployed on wavelength-division multiplexing passive optical network (WDM-PON), supports three backhauling solutions including pure WDM-PON, hybrid WDM-PON/free-space optics (FSO), and hybrid WDM-PON/millimeter-wave (MMW) radio frequency (RF). We firstly have developed mathematical models for performance analysis of the downlink for three comparative backhaul solutions. We then theoretically and comprehensively analyzed the system performance while considering various system parameters such as the total distance, wireless link distance, splitting ratio, amplifier gain, and the bit rate as well as key environment parameters including rain attenuation and atmospheric turbulence. We have also compared the performance of the three alternative backhaul solutions to verify the trade-off between the system performance and the system flexibility/mobility. The numerical results verify the system performance of each backhaul solution. It is demonstrated that combination of these approaches can exploit PON, FSO and RF technologies to provide a flexible and gigabit-bandwidth-capable solution for the fifth generation (5G) backhaul networks.

Initiation of Deep Convection over an Idealized Mesoscale Convergence Line

Abstract This study performs cloud-resolving simulations of cumulus convection over an idealized surface-based convergence zone to investigate the mechanisms and sensitivities of deep convection initiation forced by mesoscale ascent. The surface convergence forms in response to a localized diurnal heating anomaly over an otherwise homogeneous and unheated surface, producing a strong boundary layer updraft over the center of the heat source. This updraft gives rise to a line of cumuli that gradually deepen and, in some cases, transition into deep convection. To statistically investigate the factors controlling this transition, a new thermal-tracking algorithm is developed to follow incipient cumulus cores as they ascend through the troposphere. This tool is used to isolate the impacts of key environmental parameters (cloud-layer lapse rate, midlevel humidity, etc.) and initial core parameters near cloud base (horizontal area, vertical velocity, etc.) on the ultimate cloud-top height. In general, the initial core size determines which thermals in a given cloud field will undergo the deepest ascent, and the sensitivity of cloud depth to initial core parameters increases in environments that are more hostile to deep convection. Diurnal midlevel moistening from detraining cumuli above the convergence line produces a small but robust enhancement in cloud-top height, particularly for smaller cores.

Abundance–occupancy relationships in deep sea wood fall communities

The generally positive relationship between the number of sites a species occupies and its average abundance within those sites provides an important link between population processes occurring at different spatial scales. Although such abundance–occupancy relationships (AORs) have been documented across a very wide range of taxa and in many different environments, little is known of such patterns in Earth's largest ecosystem, the deep sea. Wood falls – derived from natural or anthropogenic inputs of wood into the oceans – constitute an important deep‐sea habitat, habouring their own unique communities ultimately entirely dependent on the wood for chemical energy. In this study we take advantage of the unique features of an experimental wood fall deployment to examine AORs for the first time in deep‐sea invertebrates. The study design combines advantages of both experimental (tractability, control of key environmental parameters) and observational (natural colonisation by taxonomically diverse communities) studies. We show that the interspecific AOR is strongly positive across the 48 species occurring over 32 wood fall communities. The precise form of the AOR is mediated by both species‐level life history (body size) and by the colonisation stage at which communities were harvested, but not by environmental energy (wood fall size). Temporal dynamics within species are also generally consistent with positive intraspecific AORs. This support for positive AORs in the deep sea is an important extension of a macroecological generality into a new environment offering considerable potential for further testing and developing mechanistic macroecological theories.

Automatic Soil Management System for Household Purposes

Objectives: The main objective of the paper is to develop an automatic system for a domestic environment that monitors and regulates agricultural factors. Method: Arduinoboard is used which is programmed to detect the moisture content and pH content in the soil and take necessary actions to balance it. The system collects the readings of soil moisture using a soil moisture sensor and pH of soil using a pH sensor and sends it to the Arduino microcontroller. The microcontroller is coded to water the plants whenever the moisture reading of the soil goes below the standard value and spray hydrated lime to make the soil neutral. Findings: Early works have used a technology intervention was needed to predict droughts. A wireless monitoring system promises to enable real-time monitoring system for drought remotely. It can recognize droughts at early stages so that necessary actions can be taken accordingly. Due to global warming, soil conditions are affected. As a consequence, a system is made that can be a modern agriculture which differs from traditional method of agriculture. The proposed system is made in way such that the end-users are provided with real-time information about the farm by monitoring various agricultural parameters in a farm. The wireless system which is used is consists of five wireless sensor modules that are distributed over a farm. The key environmental parameters that are collected are humidity, moisture content of the soil, sunlight (luminance levels), and ambient temperature. This data that is collected by each individual sensor is transmitted to the base station through a Zig Bee radio which is wireless communication. With the help of Raspberry Pithe recorded data is displayed on Google Apps which is connected to the internet. Applications/Improvement: Making a system that is completely autonomous and caters household needs.

Fine-scale monitoring of fish movements and multiple environmental parameters around a decommissioned offshore oil platform: A pilot study in the North Sea

A new underwater monitoring system was constructed using time-lapse photography and a suite of oceanographic instruments to characterise the dynamic relationships between changing environmental conditions, biological activities and the physical presence of offshore infrastructure. This article reports the results from a pilot study on fine-scale monitoring of fish movements in relation to changes in multiple environmental parameters observed at an offshore oil platform in the North Sea. Temporal changes in the number of saithe Pollachius virens were readily observed with a strong indication of diurnal rhythm of vertical movements. Key environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, currents, tidal cycle, illumination, chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen also varied spatially (i.e. different depths) and/or temporally. If the monitoring system is to be deployed systematically at multiple offshore locations for longer duration as appropriately controlled experiments, this approach may greatly help understand the influence of redundant offshore man-made structures on the marine ecosystem.

Influence of Key Environmental Conditions on Microbially Induced Cementation for Soil Stabilization

AbstractMicrobially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a sustainable biological ground improvement technique that is capable of altering and improving soil mechanical and geotechnical engineering properties. In this paper, laboratory column studies were used to examine the effects of some key environmental parameters on ureolytic MICP mediated soils, including the impact of urease concentrations, temperature, rainwater flushing, oil contamination, and freeze–thaw cycling. The results indicate that an effective crystal precipitation pattern can be obtained at low urease activity and ambient temperature, resulting in high improvement in soil unconfined compressive strength (UCS). The microstructural images of such crystals showed agglomerated large clusters filling the gaps between the soil grains, leading to effective crystals formation. The rainwater flushing was detrimental to the biocementation process. The results also indicate that traditional MICP treatment by the two-phase injection method did ...

Optimal Environmental Conditions and Anomalous Ecosystem Responses: Constraining Bottom-up Controls of Phytoplankton Biomass in the California Current System.

In Eastern Boundary Current systems, wind-driven upwelling drives nutrient-rich water to the ocean surface, making these regions among the most productive on Earth. Regulation of productivity by changing wind and/or nutrient conditions can dramatically impact ecosystem functioning, though the mechanisms are not well understood beyond broad-scale relationships. Here, we explore bottom-up controls during the California Current System (CCS) upwelling season by quantifying the dependence of phytoplankton biomass (as indicated by satellite chlorophyll estimates) on two key environmental parameters: subsurface nitrate concentration and surface wind stress. In general, moderate winds and high nitrate concentrations yield maximal biomass near shore, while offshore biomass is positively correlated with subsurface nitrate concentration. However, due to nonlinear interactions between the influences of wind and nitrate, bottom-up control of phytoplankton cannot be described by either one alone, nor by a combined metric such as nitrate flux. We quantify optimal environmental conditions for phytoplankton, defined as the wind/nitrate space that maximizes chlorophyll concentration, and present a framework for evaluating ecosystem change relative to environmental drivers. The utility of this framework is demonstrated by (i) elucidating anomalous CCS responses in 1998–1999, 2002, and 2005, and (ii) providing a basis for assessing potential biological impacts of projected climate change.

Non-conventional Yeast Species for Lowering Ethanol Content of Wines

Rising sugar content in grape must, and the concomitant increase in alcohol levels in wine, are some of the main challenges affecting the winemaking industry nowadays. Among the several alternative solutions currently under study, the use of non-conventional yeasts during fermentation holds good promise for contributing to relieve this problem. Non-Saccharomyces wine yeast species comprise a high number or species, so encompassing a wider physiological diversity than Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Indeed, the current oenological interest of these microorganisms was initially triggered by their potential positive contribution to the sensorial complexity of quality wines, through the production of aroma and other sensory-active compounds. This diversity also involves ethanol yield on sugar, one of the most invariant metabolic traits of S. cerevisiae. This review gathers recent research on non-Saccharomyces yeasts, aiming to produce wines with lower alcohol content than those from pure Saccharomyces starters. Critical aspects discussed include the selection of suitable yeast strains (considering there is a noticeable intra-species diversity for ethanol yield, as shown for other fermentation traits), identification of key environmental parameters influencing ethanol yields (including the use of controlled oxygenation conditions), and managing mixed fermentations, by either the sequential or simultaneous inoculation of S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces starter cultures. The feasibility, at the industrial level, of using non-Saccharomyces yeasts for reducing alcohol levels in wine will require an improved understanding of the metabolism of these alternative yeast species, as well as of the interactions between different yeast starters during the fermentation of grape must.

Viability and fate of Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia in tubular anaerobic digesters

In many developing countries where pathogenic diseases of animal waste origin, such as giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, are often prevalent, facilities are limited to treat livestock waste. However, household-scale anaerobic digesters are currently being promoted for bioenergy production from livestock manure. Since the effluent is often used as a fertilizer for food crops, it is critical to understand the effect of environmental conditions within household-scale digesters on the viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and Giardia lamblia cysts. In this study, key environmental parameters affecting (oo)cyst inactivation were measured in four tubular anaerobic digesters, which are a type of household-scale digester promoted for treatment of swine waste in rural Costa Rica. Interviews and participant observations were used to understand digester operation and maintenance procedures. Ambient temperatures (21–24°C), near-neutral pH, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations<250mg/L and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) between 23 and 180days were observed. Laboratory (oo)cysts inactivation studies were performed in bench-scale digesters, which were maintained under conditions similar to those observed in the field. Apparent first-order inactivation rate coefficients for Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum were 0.155±0.041 and 0.054±0.006day−1, respectively. Temperature and volatile fatty acids were the main factors contributing to Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia inactivation. A mathematical model was developed that predicts the concentration of (oo)cysts in the liquid effluent of tubular digesters like those observed in Costa Rica. A mathematical model was developed that predicts the concentration of (oo)cysts in the liquid effluent of tubular digesters like those observed in Costa Rica. Two dimensionless groups can be used to predict the performance of the digesters for inactivating pathogens; both dimensionless groups depend upon the average HRT in the digester. This is the first study to combine mathematical modeling with qualitative analysis, field and laboratory studies to predict the concentrations of (oo)cysts in tubular digester effluents.

Identification of the Uncertainties for the Calibration of the Partial Safety Factors for Load in Tidal Turbines

Tidal energy is nowadays one of the fastest growing types of marine renewable energy. In particular, Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbines (HATTs) are the most advanced designs and the most appropriate for standardization. This paper presents a review of actual design criteria focusing on the identification of the uncertainties that technology developers need to address during the design process. Key environmental parameters like turbine inflow conditions or predictions of extreme values are still grey areas due to the lack of site measurements and the uncertainty in metocean model predictions. A comparison of turbulence intensity characterization using different tools and at different points in time shows the uncertainty in the prediction of this parameter. Numerical models of HATTs are still quite uncertain, often dependent on experience of the people running them. In the reliability-based calibration of partial safety factors, the uncertainties need to be reflected on the limit state formulation. This paper analyses the different types of uncertainties present in the limit state equation. These uncertainties are assessed in terms of stochastic variables in the limit state equation. In some cases, advantage can be taken from the experience from offshore wind and oil and gas industries. Tidal turbines have a mixture of the uncertainties present in both industries with regard to partial safety factor calibration.

Influence of pH and media composition on suspension stability of silver, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles and immobilization of Daphnia magna under guideline testing conditions

In aquatic toxicity testing of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) the process of agglomeration is very important as it may alter bioavailability and toxicity. In the present study, we aimed to identify test conditions that are favorable for maintaining stable ENP suspensions. We evaluated the influence of key environmental parameters: pH (2–12) and ionic strength using M7, Soft EPA (S EPA) medium, and Very Soft EPA (VS EPA) medium; and observed the influence of these parameters on zeta potential, zeta average, and acute immobilization of Daphnia magna for three different ENPs. Despite being sterically stabilized, test suspensions of silver (Ag) ENPs formed large agglomerates in both VS EPA and M7 media; and toxicity was found to be higher in VS EPA medium due to increased dissolution. Low-agglomerate suspensions for zinc oxide (ZnO) could be obtained at pH 7 in VS EPA medium, but the increase in dissolution caused higher toxicity than in M7 medium. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) ENPs had a point of zero charge in the range of pH 7–8. At pH 7 in VS EPA, agglomerates with smaller hydrodynamic diameters (~200nm) were present compared to the high ionic strength M7 medium where hydrodynamic diameters reached micrometer range. The stable suspensions of TiO2 ENPs caused immobilization of D. magna, 48-h EC50 value of 13.7mgL−1 (95% CI, 2.4mg–79.1mgL−1); whereas no toxicity was seen in the unstable, highly agglomerated M7 medium suspensions, 48-h EC50 >100mgL−1. The current study provides a preliminary approach for methodology in testing and assessing stability and toxicity of ENPs in aquatic toxicity tests of regulatory relevance.

Insights into the mechanisms of mercury sorption onto aluminum based drinking water treatment residuals

Several studies have demonstrated the ability of drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs) to efficiently sorb metal cations from aqueous solutions. Reported results have stimulated interest on the potential use of WTRs as sorbent for metal removal from contaminated aqueous effluents as well as in metal immobilization in contaminated soils. However, knowledge on mechanisms of metal sorption by WTRs remains very limited and data on the long-term stability of formed metal–WTR complexes as a function of changing key environmental parameters are lacking. In this study, chemical selective sequential extraction (SSE), scanning electron microscopy combined with X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to gain insight into the different mechanisms of mercury (Hg) binding to aluminum based WTR (Al-WTRs). Results from sorption studies show that a significant portion of Hg becomes incorporated in the operationally defined residual fraction of Al-WTRs, and therefore, not prone to dissolution and mobility. The results of solid phase analyses suggested that Hg immobilization by Al-WTR occurs largely through its binding to oxygen donor atoms of mineral ligands driven by a combination of electrostatic forces and covalent bonding.

Service composition with quality of service management in environmental sensor networks

Environmental sensor networks consist of geographically distributed resource-constrained computers that use sensors to measure environmental parameters. They typically collect and distribute environmental data in near real-time using different types of web services. These services are consumed by users and applications that expect appropriate quality of service QoS levels. However, acceptable and stable QoS levels are difficult to maintain in environmental sensor networks due to limited computing resources and hostile deployment conditions. We developed a new approach to efficiently manage QoS levels in these networks using two separate tasks: online QoS estimation and QoS-aware service composition. This paper presents our first prototype of a web service composition system that leverages Bayesian classification techniques to perform online QoS estimation by constantly monitoring key environmental and network performance parameters. This system has been tested in a live noise pollution environmental sensor network deployed in the Flanders region in Belgium.

Geographic variation in breeding system and environment predicts melanin-based plumage ornamentation of male and female Kentish plovers.

Sexual selection determines the elaboration of morphological and behavioural traits and thus drives the evolution of phenotypes. Sexual selection on males and females can differ between populations, especially when populations exhibit different breeding systems. A substantial body of literature describes how breeding systems shape ornamentation across species, with a strong emphasis on male ornamentation and female preference. However, whether breeding system predicts ornamentation within species and whether similar mechanisms as in males also shape the phenotype of females remains unclear. Here, we investigate how different breeding systems are associated with male and female ornamentation in five geographically distinct populations of Kentish plovers Charadrius alexandrinus. We predicted that polygamous populations would exhibit more elaborate ornaments and stronger sexual dimorphism than monogamous populations. By estimating the size and intensity of male (n = 162) and female (n = 174) melanin-based plumage ornaments, i.e. breast bands and ear coverts, we show that plumage ornamentation is predicted by breeding system in both sexes. A difference in especially male ornamentation between polygamous (darker and smaller ornaments) and monogamous (lighter and larger) populations causes the greatest sexual dimorphism to be associated with polygamy. The non-social environment, however, may also influence the degree of ornamentation, for instance through availability of food. We found that, in addition to breeding system, a key environmental parameter, rainfall, predicted a seasonal change of ornamentation in a sex-specific manner. Our results emphasise that to understand the phenotype of animals, it is important to consider both natural and sexual selection acting on both males and females.

Understanding Pitting Corrosion Behaviour of X-65 Carbon Steel in CO2 Saturated Environments: The Temperature Effect

A systematic study examining the pitting corrosion behavior of X65 carbon steel (UNS K03014) in CO2-saturated 10 wt% NaCl brine is presented. This paper examines the impact of changes in a key environmental parameter (temperature) on the pitting corrosion processes of carbon steel. Pit propagation studies were conducted in static conditions at different operational temperatures. The evolution of corrosion products on carbon steel was followed over 168 h of immersion and their characteristics were related to initiation and growth of pits on the steel surface. The developed corrosion products were studied through the use of x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The extent of pitting was evaluated through the implementation of surface interferometry to study discrete pit geometry, namely, the size and depth, while the general corrosion rate was evaluated using linear polarization resistance measurements. The results indicate that pitting corrosion dominates the general thickness loss of the mat...

Development and characterisation of a state-of-the-art GOME-2 formaldehyde air-mass factor algorithm

Abstract. Space-borne observations of formaldehyde (HCHO) are frequently used to derive surface emissions of isoprene, an important biogenic volatile organic compound. The conversion of retrieved HCHO slant column concentrations from satellite line-of-sight measurements to vertical columns is determined through application of an air mass factor (AMF), accounting for instrument viewing geometry, radiative transfer, and vertical profile of the absorber in the atmosphere. This step in the trace gas retrieval is subject to large errors. This work presents the AMF algorithm in use at the University of Leicester (UoL), which introduces scene-specific variables into a per-observation full radiative transfer AMF calculation, including increasing spatial resolution of key environmental parameter databases, input variable area weighting, instrument-specific scattering weight calculation, and inclusion of an ozone vertical profile climatology. Application of these updates to HCHO slant columns from the GOME-2 instrument is shown to typically adjust the AMF by ±20 %, compared to a reference algorithm without these advanced parameterisations. On average the GOME-2 AMFs increase by 4 %, with over 70 % of locations having an AMF of 0–20 % larger than originally, largely resulting from the use of the latest GOME-2 reflectance product. Furthermore, the new UoL algorithm also incorporates a full radiative transfer error calculation for each scene to help characterise AMF uncertainties. Global median AMF errors are typically 50–60 %, and are driven by uncertainties in the HCHO profile shape and its vertical distribution relative to clouds and aerosols. If uncertainty on the a priori HCHO profile is relatively small (&lt; 10 %) then the median AMF total error decreases to about 30–40 %.

Prokaryotic Community Diversity Along an Increasing Salt Gradient in a Soda Ash Concentration Pond.

The effect of salinity on prokaryotic community diversity in Abijata-Shalla Soda Ash Concentration Pond system was investigated by using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene 454 pyrosequencing. Surface water and brine samples from five sites spanning a salinity range of 3.4 % (Lake Abijata) to 32 % (SP230F, crystallizer pond) were analyzed. Overall, 33 prokaryotic phyla were detected, and the dominant prokaryotic phyla accounted for more than 95 % of the reads consisting of Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, candidate division TM7, Deinococcus-Thermus, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Euryarchaeota. Diversity indices indicated that operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness decreases drastically with increasing salinity in the pond system. A total of 471 OTUs were found at 3.4 % salinity whereas 49 OTUs were detected in pond SP211 (25 % salinity), and only 19 OTUs in the crystallization pond at 32 % salinity (SP230F). Along the salinity gradient, archaeal community gradually replaced bacterial community. Thus, archaeal community accounted for 0.4 % in Lake Abijata while 99.0 % in pond SP230F. This study demonstrates that salinity appears to be the key environmental parameter in structuring the prokaryotic communities of haloalkaline environments. Further, it confirmed that the prokaryotic diversity in Lake Abijata is high and it harbors taxa with low or no phylogenetic similarities to existing prokaryotic taxa and thus represents novel microorganisms.

Astrobiology and the Possibility of Life on Earth and Elsewhere…

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary scientific field not only focused on the search of extraterrestrial life, but also on deciphering the key environmental parameters that have enabled the emergence of life on Earth. Understanding these physical and chemical parameters is fundamental knowledge necessary not only for discovering life or signs of life on other planets, but also for understanding our own terrestrial environment. Therefore, astrobiology pushes us to combine different perspectives such as the conditions on the primitive Earth, the physicochemical limits of life, exploration of habitable environments in the Solar System, and the search for signatures of life in exoplanets. Chemists, biologists, geologists, planetologists and astrophysicists are contributing extensively to this interdisciplinary research field. From 2011 to 2014, the European Space Agency (ESA) had the initiative to gather a Topical Team of interdisciplinary scientists focused on astrobiology to review the profound transformations in the field that have occurred since the beginning of the new century. The present paper is an interdisciplinary review of current research in astrobiology, covering the major advances and main outlooks in the field. The following subjects will be reviewed and most recent discoveries will be highlighted: the new understanding of planetary system formation including the specificity of the Earth among the diversity of planets, the origin of water on Earth and its unique combined properties among solvents for the emergence of life, the idea that the Earth could have been habitable during the Hadean Era, the inventory of endogenous and exogenous sources of organic matter and new concepts about how chemistry could evolve towards biological molecules and biological systems. In addition, many new findings show the remarkable potential life has for adaptation and survival in extreme environments. All those results from different fields of science are guiding our perspectives and strategies to look for life in other Solar System objects as well as beyond, in extrasolar worlds.