Biomorphs are silica and carbonate materials capable of assembling themselves to create symmetries, forms and structures similar to those of living organisms. The results of this CSIC study have been published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’. Calcium carbonate is the mineral most used by living organisms to build complex structures with excellent mechanical properties that they use as exoskeletons. To make them, they only need calcium from sea or river water, carbon dioxide from the…
Read MoreAuthor: Alfonso Garcia Caballero
Prometheus on the TV Programme “ConCiencia”
The project Prometheus has been featured in the tv programme ConCiencia. It can be viewed from minute 1:15 to minute 11:25 on the following link.
Read MoreSilica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry
Mattia Bizzarri, B.; Botta, L.; Perez-Valverde, M. I.; Saladino, R.; Di Mauro, E.; Garcia-Ruiz, J. M., Silica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry. Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) 2018, 24 (32), 8126-8132. Download paper. It has recently been demonstrated that mineral self‐assembled structures catalyzing prebiotic chemical reactions may form in natural waters derived from serpentinization, a geological process widespread in the early stages of Earth‐like planets. We have synthesized self‐assembled membranes by mixing…
Read MoreInternational School of Crystallization (ISC2018)
Prometheus has supported the 6th International School of Crystallization: Drugs, Foods, Agrochemicals, Minerals, New Materials (ISC2018, http://www.iscgranada.org/) under the auspices of the International Union of Crystallography through the Crystal Growth and Characterization of Materials Commission and the Teaching Commission, with the support of the International Doctoral Summer School Programme of the School of Science, Technology and Engineering of the University of Granada, the Spanish Specialized Group of Crystallography and Crystal Growth (GE3C) and the Excellence Network…
Read MoreERC workshop
Prof. Garcia-Ruiz has participated as an expert in the ERC workshop celebrated in the University of Granada on Friday 22nd of June 2018. Workshop info. Agenda.
Read MorePodcast “Crystals are everywhere”
The Crystallization Contest in the School has been featured in the programme of Radio 5 “El Laboratorio de JAL”. To listen the podcast follow the link.
Read MoreInterview in the Mexican Academy of Sciences Bulletin
Here you can read an interview to Prof. Garcia Ruiz featured in the latest Bulletin of the Mexican Academy of Sciences: Interview (pages 34-36, in Spanish).
Read MorePROMETHEUS-TRACES Meeting June 2018
Our annual ERC Advanced Project PROMETHEUS meeting has been held from the 18th to the 21st of June 2018 at the facilities of Hotel Martin Alonso Pinzon in Mazagón (Huelva), close to the extremely acidic landscapes of the mines of Rio Tinto. We have organised the meeting jointly with ERC Consolidator project ‘TRACES’ led by Dr. Mark van Zuilen, from the Institut du Physique du Globe in Paris. We shared four intense and fruitful days…
Read MoreTeaching in Kenyan Schools
Teaching in Kenyan Schools (downloadable pdf) The ERC project Prometheus aims to explore the role of mineral self-assembly in the early Earth and its plausible role in primitive life detection and origin of life. Within the project, we have to travel to remote places in search of silica-rich alkaline waters and other extreme geochemical environments. We like to explain people of the regions we visit what we are looking for and why. When possible we…
Read MoreA history about crystals and minerals
2001: El monolito de cristal
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