About Me

I am a Ph.D. student at Imperial College London in the Earth Science and Engineering department. My research has an astrobiology focus. I have a geochemistry background, with experience researching the generation of hydrogen and oxygen from rock water reactions in extreme environments and the ancient Earth. I linked the products of these geochemical reactions to extremophilic life and the habitability of ancient or extraterrestrial environments (e.g. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32129-y).

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I am now a member of the Imperial College Organic Geochemistry group, continuing to link geochemistry to life. Microorganisms are very particular in the way they construct organic molecules, resulting in 'fingerprints' arising in the molecules' structure, makeup, or molecular ratio. My research focuses on how these fingerprints of life (or, biosignatures) are preserved in various environments, including on Mars. I look at biosignatures such as the isotope composition and molecular weight ratios of hydrocarbon gases. Specifically, I am interested in how these biosignatures can be obscured or mimicked by abiotic processes such as diffusion, adsorption, and desorption of hydrocarbon gases to rock surfaces. My research is helping to make better sense of ancient signs of life in the rock record and figure out how to find ancient life on Mars.

 

I am passionate about the role of the space community in tackling climate change and existential risk. In a policy report for the Space Generation Advisory Council, I outlined the role of the planetary science community in developing novel techniques and knowledge to help us limit the impacts of the climate crisis. The report is now the official policy position of the Space Generation Advisory Council and was presented to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in September last year. I also believe that the space sector is uniquely positioned to tackle global existential risks such as nuclear war, the use of bioweapons, and cosmic threats such as asteroid impacts and solar flares. 

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WORKS:

Stone, J., Edgar, J. O., Gould, J. A., & Telling, J. (2022). Tectonically-driven oxidant production in the hot biosphere. Nature communications, 13(1), 1-10.

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El-Shawa, S., Bordacchini, G., Stone J., Costella, G., Milosev, M., Lacroix, L., Fino, I., Salmeri, A., Rotola, G. (2022). Saving Our Future on Earth Through Our Presence in Space: Recommendations from the Young Generations on the Role of Space for Climate Action. International Astronautical Congress, IAC-22,E3,1,4,x68774.

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Stone, J., Edgar, J. O., Rurtherford, J., Gill-Olivas, B., Tranter, M., Gould, J. A., Xavier, C. M., & Telling, J. (2022). Flash heating boosts mechanochemical energy sources for subglacial ecosystems. Frontiers in Geochemistry, in press.

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TALKS:

Talk on Mechanochemistry: Making O2 From Rocks before the Great Oxidation Event (Nov 2022). Imperial College London, Earth Science and Engineering Research Seminars (30 mins)   

        

Talk on Tectonically-driven Oxidant Production in the Hot Biosphere (Nov 2022). Edinburgh University, Inaugural Forming and Exploring Habitable Worlds Conference (20 mins)

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Talk on Planetary Science and Ecosystems (Sep 2022). Imperial College London, Environmental Design Challenge Workshop (1 hr)

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Talk on Astrobiology and the Climate Crisis: Saving life on Earth and Beyond (Jun 2022). European Astrobiology Institute, Astrobiology and Society Conference (20 mins)

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Invited talk on Making oxygen from rocks: Tectonically driven oxidant generation (Dec 2021). Newcastle University (1 hr)

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Project proposal entitled Microbial Trace Gas Utilisation in the Utah Desert (Jan 2021). Mars Society MDRS crew meeting (15 mins)

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Talk on Mars Terraforming: The Ultimate Ecological Restoration Project (Oct 2020). Astrobiology Graduates in Europe: Space Law and Governance Conference (15 mins)