Publications

Published articles and chapters

2024​​​​​

• The need for large samples numbers to demonstrate that Martian environments are lifeless. V Inácio, M de Carvalho, O Jackson, S McMahon & CS Cockell. Nature Astronomy.
• Effect of Temperature on Calcium-Based Chemical Garden Growth. P Knoll, CC Loron. ChemSystemsChem 6, e202400012. 
• Preservation of Microorganisms (Chroococcidiopsis sp. 029) in Salt Minerals under Low Atmospheric Pressure: Application to Life Detection on Mars. Z Fang, P Knoll, S McMahon, L Qin and CS Cockell. Planetary Science Journal.
• Martian Impact Fracturing Pervasively Influences Habitability. CS Cockell, GS Collins, S Basu, E Grant, S McMahon. JGR: Planets 129, e2023JE008116.
• Transport of ‘Nama’‐type biota in sediment gravity and combined flows: Implications for terminal Ediacaran palaeoecology. B. O'Connell, A. Nduutepo, P. Pokolo, H. Mocke, S. McMahon, C. E. Boddy, A. G. Liu. Sedimentology.
• Taphonomic experiments fixed and conserved with Paraloid B72 resin via solvent replacement. Vixseboxse, P.V., McMahon, S., Liu, A.G. Lethaia 57.
• Entophysalis in the Rhynie chert (Lower Devonian, Scotland): implications for cyanobacterial evolution. S McMahon, C.C. Loron, L.M. Cooper, A.J. Hetherington, M. Krings. Geological Magazine.
• The concept of life on Venus informs the concept of habitability. CS Cockell, JE Hallsworth, S McMahon, SR Kane, PM Higgins
• Is astrobiology serious science? C Jeancolas, C Gillen, S McMahon, P Vickers. Nature Astronomy 8, 5–7.
• Life detection and the abiotic baseline. McMahon, S., Cockell, C.S. Astronomy and Geophysics 65, 1.23–1.27.
• Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed? Jeancolas, C., Gillen, C., McMahon, S., Ward, M., Vickers, P.J.,  International Journal of Astrobiology.

2023

• Confidence of Life Detection: The Problem of Unconceived Alternatives. Vickers, P., Cowie, C., Dick, S.J., Gillen, C., Jeancolas, C., Rothschild, L.J., McMahon, S. Astrobiology.
• The Call for a New Definition of Biosignature. Gillen, C., Jeancolas, C., McMahon, S., Vickers, P. Astrobiology.
• Is there such a thing as a biosignature? Malaterre, C., ten Kate, I.L., Baqué, M., Debaille, V., Grenfell, J.L., Javaux, E.J., Khawaja, N., Klenner, F., Lara, Y., McMahon, S., Moore, K., Noack, L., Lucas Patty, C.H., & Postberg, F. Astrobiology 23 (11), 1213-1227.
• Toward sustainable space exploration: a roadmap for harnessing the power of microorganisms. Santomartino, R., Averesch, N.J., Bhuiyan, M., Cockell, C.S., Colangelo, J., Gumulya, Y., Lehner, B., Lopez-Ayala, I., McMahon, S., Mohanty, A. and Santa Maria, S.R., Nature Communications, 14, 1391.
• Molecular fingerprints resolve affinities of Rhynie chert organic fossils. Loron, C.C., Rodriguez Dzul, E., Orr, P.J., Gromov, A.V., Fraser, N.C., McMahon, S. Nature Communications 14, 1387

2022

• Chemical gardens mimic electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra and morphology of biogenic Mn oxides. Huld, S., McMahon, S., Sjoberg, S., Huang, P. & Neubeck, A. Astrobiology.
• Petrified Chemical Gardens. Knoll, P., Bastita, B., McMahon, S., & Steinbock, O. ACS Earth and Space.
• The Effect of Grain Size on Porewater Radiolysis. deWitt, J., McMahon, S., & Parnell, J. Earth and Space Science.
• A fundamental limit to the search for the oldest fossils. McMahon, S., & Jordan, S.F. Nature Ecology and Evolution

2021

• False biosignatures on Mars: Anticipating Ambiguity. McMahon, S., & Cosmidis, J. Journal of the Geological Society.
• Late Ediacaran life on land: desiccated microbial mats and large biofilm streamers. McMahon, S., Matthews, J.J., Brasier, A., Still, J. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
• Estimating Microbial Hydrogen Consumption in Hydrogen Storage in Porous Media as a Basis for Site Selection. Thaysen, E., McMahon, S., Strobel, G., Butler, I., Ngwenya, B., Heimemann, N., Wilkinson, M., Hassanpouryouzband, A., McDermott, C., and Edlmann, K. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
• Astrobiology (Overview). McMahon, S. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Planetary Science.
• Dubiofossils from a Mars‐analogue subsurface palaeoenvironment: The limits of biogenicity criteria. McMahon, S., Ivarsson, M., Wacey, D., Saunders, M., Belivanova, V., Muirhead, D., Knoll, P., Steinbock, O. and Frost, D.A. Geobiology (available online).
• Ediacaran metazoan reveals lophotrochozoan affinity and deepens root of Cambrian Explosion. Shore, A. J., Wood, R. A., Butler, I. B., Zhuravlev, A. Yu., McMahon, S., Curtis, A., & Bowyer, F. T. Science Advances 7, eabf2933.

2020: Group founded

• When is Life a Viable Hypothesis?:The Case of Venusian Phosphine. Cockell, C. S., McMahon, S., & Biddle, J. F. Astrobiology (available online).
• Determination of the microscopic mineralogy of inclusion in an amygdaloidal pillow basalt by fs-LIMS. Tulej, M., Lukmanov, R., Grimaudo, V., Riedo, A., Koning, C., Ligterink, N. F. W., Neubeck, A., Ivarsson, M., McMahon, S. & Wurz, P. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy (available online).
• Mars-Analog Calcium Sulfate Veins Record Evidence of Ancient Subsurface Life. McMahon, S., Parnell, J. & Reekie, P. B. R. Astrobiology 20 (available online).
• 0.25 Ga salt deposits preserve signatures of habitable conditions and ancient lipids. Cockell, C. S., Wilhelm, M. B. Scott, P., Wadsworth, K., Payler, S., McMahon, S., Paling, S., & Edwards, T.  Astrobiology 20, 864–877.
• Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence? The Proper Role of Sagan’s Dictum in Astrobiology. McMahon, S. In: Smith, K.C., & Mariscal, C. (Eds.), Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology. Oxford University Press, New York.