"Unlocking Early Earth and Mars: The Power of Little Rock Balls"
Princess Aira Buma-at, a geology graduate, explored the composition of diagenetic spheroids, small balls of rock, to uncover clues about early life on Earth during the Proterozoic eon. Her research suggests that the abundance of these spheroids increased following extreme Snowball Earth ice ages, possibly due to increased oxidative weathering. The findings also have implications for the possibility of extraterrestrial life on Mars, as nodules and concretions similar to diagenetic spheroids have been found on the planet. Buma-at, who grew up in the Philippines, aims to contribute to paleontology despite the underrepresentation of Filipinos in the field.