Publications by Sean McMahon

False negatives in the search for extraterrestrial life DOI
Inge Loes ten Kate, Mickael Baqué, Vinciane Debaille, John Lee Grenfell, Nozair Khawaja, Fabian Klenner, Yannick J. Lara, Sean McMahon, Christophe Malaterre, Keavin Moore et al., Nature Astronomy, 10, 5, p. 624-629 (2026)
Self-organized pattern formation in geological soft matter DOI
Julyan H.E. Cartwright, Charles S. Cockell, Lucas Goehring, Silvia Holler, Sean F. Jordan, Pamela Knoll, Electra Kotopoulou, Corentin C. Loron, Sean McMahon, Stephen W. Morris, Anna Neubeck et al., Physics Reports, 1183, p. 1-98 (2026)
Tricks of Nature From the Ancient Earth and Early Mars: Chemical Gardens Generate Biomorphs With High Preservation Potential DOI
Solomon Hirsch, Sean McMahon, Jens Najorka and Mark A. Sephton, Geobiology, 24, 2, p. 1-12 (2026)
Prototaxites fossils are structurally and chemically distinct from extinct and extant Fungi DOI
Corentin Loron, Laura Cooper, Sean McMahon, Seán F Jordan, Andrei V. Gromov, Matthew Humpage, Niall Rodgers, Laetitia Pichevin, Hendrik Vondracek, Ruaridh Alexander, Edwin Rodriguez Dzul et al., Science Advances, 12, 4, p. 1-12 (2026)
The Search for Natural Hydrogen: A Hidden Energy Giant or an Elusive Dream? DOI
Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband, Timothy Armitage, Trystan Cowen, Eike M. Thaysen, Sean McMahon, Hadi Hajibeygi, David S. Stevenson, Morten Stahl and R. Stuart Haszeldine, ACS Energy Letters, 10, p. 3887-3891 (2025)
Diversity of organic-walled microfossils in the phosphates of the ca. 1 Ga Diabaig Formation, Torridon Group, NW Scotland DOI
Edwin Rodriguez Dzul, Corentin Loron, Heda Agić, Sherri Donaldson, Pamela Knoll and Sean McMahon, Journal of Paleontology, 99, 4, p. 761-783 (2025)
Troubles With Tubules: How Do Iron-Mineral Chemical Gardens Differ From Iron-Mineralized Sheaths of Iron Oxidizing Bacteria? DOI
Melanie Podbielski, Pamela Knoll, Georgia Brown, Sigrid Huld, Anna Neubeck, Julyan H.E. Cartwright, C. Ignacio Sainz-Díaz, Carlos Pimentel and Sean McMahon, Geobiology, 23, 3, p. 1-16 (2025)
Experimental Mineralisation of a Filamentous Hydrogenotrophic Methanogen in Carbonate, Phosphate, and Silicate DOI
Sigrid Huld, Sean McMahon, Sebastian Willman and Anna Neubeck, Geobiology, 23, 2, p. 1-17 (2025)
Surveys of the scientific community on the existence of extraterrestrial life DOI
Peter Vickers, Emma Gardiner, Catherine Gillen, Byron Hyde, Cyrille Jeancolas, Samantha Mitchell Finnigan, Julie Nekola Nováková, Henning Strandin, Ufuk Tasdan, Sean McMahon et al., Nature Astronomy, 9, 1, p. 16-18 (2025)
Preservation of Microorganisms (Chroococcidiopsis sp. 029) in Salt Minerals under Low Atmospheric Pressure: Application to Life Detection on Mars DOI
Ziyao Fang, Pamela Knoll, Sean McMahon, Liping Qin and Charles S. Cockell, Planetary Science Journal, 5, 12, p. 1-17 (2024)
Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is 'high risk' research needed? DOI
Cyrille Jeancolas, Cat Gillen, Sean Mcmahon, Martin Ward and Peter John Vickers, International Journal of Astrobiology, 23, p. 1-20 (2024)
Martian Impact Fracturing Pervasively Influences Habitability DOI
C. S. Cockell, G. S. Collins, S. Basu, E. Grant and S. McMahon, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 129, 9, p. 1-14 (2024)
Taphonomic experiments fixed and conserved with Paraloid B72 resin via solvent replacement DOI
Philip B. Vixseboxse, Sean McMahon and Alexander G. Liu, Lethaia: An International Journal of Palaeontology and Stratigraphy, 57, 1, p. 1-11 (2024)
Entophysalis in the Rhynie chert (Lower Devonian, Scotland): implications for cyanobacterial evolution DOI
Sean McMahon, Corentin Loron, Laura M. Cooper, Alexander J. Hetherington and Michael Krings, Geological Magazine, 160, 10, p. 1946-1952 (2024)
Confidence of Life Detection: The Problem of Unconceived Alternatives DOI
Peter Vickers, Christopher Cowie, Steven J. Dick, Catherine Gillen, Cyrille Jeancolas, Lynn J. Rothschild and Sean McMahon, Astrobiology, 23, 11, p. 1202-1212 (2023)
Is There Such a Thing as a Biosignature? DOI
Christophe Malaterre, Inge Loes ten Kate, Mickael Baqué, Vinciane Debaille, John Lee Grenfell, Emmanuelle J. Javaux, Nozair Khawaja, Fabian Klenner, Yannick J. Lara, Sean McMahon et al., Astrobiology, 23, 11, p. 1213-1227 (2023)
The Call for a New Definition of Biosignature DOI
Catherine Gillen, Cyrille Jeancolas, Sean McMahon and Peter Vickers, Astrobiology, 23, 11, p. 1228-1237 (2023)
Toward sustainable space exploration: a roadmap for harnessing the power of microorganisms DOI
Rosa Santomartino, Nils J.H. Averesch, Marufa Bhuiyan, Charles S. Cockell, Jesse Colangelo, Yosephine Gumulya, Benjamin Lehner, Ivanna Lopez-Ayala, Sean McMahon, Anurup Mohanty, Sergio R. Santa Maria et al., Nature Communications, 14, 1, p. 1-11 (2023)
Molecular fingerprints resolve affinities of Rhynie chert organic fossils DOI
Corentin Loron, E. Rodriguez Dzul, P. J. Orr, A. V. Gromov, N. C. Fraser and S. McMahon, Nature Communications, 14, 1, p. 1-7 (2023)
Chemical gardens mimic electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra and morphology of biogenic Mn oxides DOI
Sigrid Huld, Sean McMahon, Susanne Sjoberg, Ping Huang and Anna Neubeck, Astrobiology, 23, 1, p. 24-32 (2022)
Petrified Chemical Gardens DOI
Pamela Knoll, Bruno C. Batista, Sean McMahon and Oliver Steinbock, ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 6, 11, p. 2644-2650 (2022)
The Effect of Grain Size on Porewater Radiolysis DOI
J DeWitt, S. McMahon and J Parnell, Earth and Space Science, 9, 6, p. 1-21 (2022)
False Biosignatures on Mars: Anticipating Ambiguity DOI
S. McMahon and J. Cosmidis, Journal of the Geological Society, 179, 2, p. 1-25 (2021)
Late Ediacaran life on land: desiccated microbial mats and large biofilm streamers DOI
S. McMahon, J.J. Matthews and J. Still, Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 288, 1962, p. 1-10 (2021)
Estimating Microbial Growth and Hydrogen Consumption in Hydrogen Storage in Porous Media DOI
Eike Thaysen, S. McMahon, Gion Joel Strobel, Ian Butler, Niklas Heinemann, Bryne Ngwenya, Mark Wilkinson, Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband, Christopher McDermott and Katriona Edlmann, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 151 (2021)
Astrobiology (Overview) DOI
S. McMahon, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Planetary Science, p. 1-36 (2021)
Dubiofossils from a Mars-analogue subsurface palaeoenvironment: the limits of biogenicity criteria DOI
Sean McMahon, Magnus Ivarsson, David Wacey, Martin Saunders, Veneta Belivanova, David Muirhead, Pamela Knoll, Oliver Steinbock and Daniel Frost, Geobiology, p. 1-16 (2021)
Determination of the microscopic mineralogy of inclusion in an amygdaloidal pillow basalt by fs-LIMS DOI
Marek Tulej, Rustam Lukmanov, Valentine Grimaudo, Andreas Riedo, Coenrad de Koning, Niels F W Ligterink, Anna Neubeck, Magnus Ivarsson, Sean McMahon and Peter Wurz, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 36, 1, p. 80-91 (2021)
Mars-analog calcium sulfate veins record evidence of ancient subsurface life DOI
Sean McMahon, J. Parnell and Philippe Reekie, Astrobiology, 20, 10, p. 1212-1223 (2020)
A laboratory for multi-century science DOI
Charles S. Cockell, Rosa Santomartino, Sean McMahon, Philippe Reekie, Samuel J.M.M. Alberti, Tacye Phillipson and Sara Russell, Astronomy and Geophysics, 60, 6, p. 6.26-6.28 (2019)
Earth’s earliest and deepest purported fossils may be iron-mineralized chemical gardens DOI
Sean McMahon, Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 286, 1916 (2019)
Sample Collection and Return from Mars: Optimising Sample Collection Based on the Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial Volcanic Environments DOI
Charles Cockell, Sean McMahon, Darlene S. S. Lim, John Rummel, Adam Stevens, Scott S Hughes, Shannon E. Kobs Nawotniak, Allyson L. Brady, Viggo Marteinsson, Javier Martin-Torres, María Paz Zorzano et al., Space Science Reviews (2019)
Petrological evidence supports the death mask model for the preservation of Ediacaran soft-bodied organisms in South Australia:REPLY DOI
Alexander G Liu, Sean McMahon, Jack J Matthews, John W Still, Alexander T Brasier and Diana Marosi, Geology (2019)
A new frontier for palaeobiology: Earth’s vast deep biosphere DOI
Sean McMahon and Magnus Ivarsson, BioEssays (2019)
Lifeless Martian Samples and Their Significance DOI
Charles Cockell and Sean McMahon, Nature Astronomy (2019)
Petrological evidence in support of the death mask model for Ediacaran soft-bodied preservation in South Australia DOI
Alexander G Liu, Sean McMahon, Jack J Matthews, John W Still and Alexander T Brasier, Geology (2019)
The chemistry of fossilization on Earth and Mars DOI
Sean McMahon, The Biochemist, 40, 6, p. 28-32 (2018)
Reduction spheroids preserve a uranium isotope record of the ancient deep continental biosphere DOI
Sean McMahon, Ashleigh Hood, John Parnell and Stephen Bowden, Nature Communications, 9 (2018)
Demonstrating deep biosphere activity in the geological record of lake sediments, on Earth and Mars DOI
John Parnell, Sean McMahon and A Boyce, International Journal of Astrobiology (2018)
Exogeoconservation: DOI
Jack J. Matthews and Sean McMahon, Acta astronautica, 149, p. 55-60 (2018)
The deep history of Earth's biomass DOI
Sean McMahon and John Parnell, Journal of the Geological Society, 175 (2018)
A Field Guide to Finding Fossils on Mars DOI
S. Mcmahon, T. Bosak, J. P. Grotzinger, R. E. Milliken, R. E. Summons, M. Daye, S. A. Newman, A. Fraeman, K. H. Williford and D. E. G. Briggs, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (2018)
Palaeobiology of latest Ediacaran phosphorites from the upper Khesen Formation, Khuvsgul Group, northern Mongolia DOI
Ross P Anderson, Sean McMahon, Francis A MacDonald, David S Jones and Derek E G Briggs, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology (2018)
Biofilms mediate the preservation of leaf adpression fossils by clays DOI
Emma Locatelli, Sean McMahon and Hans Bilger, Palaios, 32, p. 708-724 (2017)
Doushantuo-type microfossils from latest Ediacaran phosphorites of northern Mongolia DOI
Ross P Anderson, F A Macdonald, D S Jones, Sean McMahon and Derek E G Briggs, Geology, 45, p. 1079-1082 (2017)
DECAY OF THE SEA ANEMONE METRIDIUM (ACTINIARIA): IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CNIDARIAN POLYPS AND OTHER SOFT-BODIED DIPLOBLAST-GRADE ANIMALS DOI
Sean McMahon, L G Tarhan and Derek E G Briggs, Palaios, 32, p. 388-395 (2017)
Palaeobiology of the early Ediacaran Shuurgat Formation, Zavkhan Terrane, southwestern Mongolia DOI
Ross P Anderson, Sean McMahon, U Bold, F A Macdonald and Derek E G Briggs, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 15, p. 947-968 (2016)
The Origin and Occurrence of Subaqueous Sedimentary Cracks DOI
Sean McMahon, A v S Hood and D McIlroy, Geological Society Special Publications, 448, p. 285-309 (2016)
Experimental evidence that clay inhibits bacterial decomposers: Implications for preservation of organic fossils DOI
Sean McMahon, Ross P Anderson, Erin E Saupe and Derek E G Briggs, Geology, 44, 10, p. 867-870 (2016)
Evidence for seismogenic hydrogen gas, a potential microbial energy source on Earth and Mars DOI
Sean McMahon, John Parnell and N J Blamey, Astrobiology, 16, p. 690-702 (2016)
Mineralogical determination in situ of a highly heterogeneous material using a miniaturized laser ablation mass spectrometer with high spatial resolution DOI
Anna Neubeck, Marek Tulej, Magnus Ivarsson, Curt Broman, Andreas Riedo, Sean McMahon, Peter Wurz and Stefan Bengtson, International Journal of Astrobiology, 15, 2, p. 133-146 (2016)
The Tully Monster is a Vertebrate DOI
V E McCoy, Erin E Saupe, James C Lamsdell, L G Tarhan, Sean McMahon, S Lidgard, P Mayer, C D Whalen, C Soriano, L Finney et al., Nature, 532, 7600, p. 496-499 (2016)
Physical and chemical controls on habitats for life in the deep subsurface beneath continents and ice DOI
John Parnell and Sean McMahon, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 374, 2059, p. 1-13 (2016)
The role of experiments in investigating the taphonomy of exceptional preservation
Derek E G Briggs and Sean McMahon, Palaeontology, 59, 1, p. 1-11 (2016)
Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites DOI
N J Blamey, John Parnell, Sean McMahon, Darren Mark, Tim Tomkinson, Martin Lee, Jared Shivak, Matthew R. M. Izawa, Neil R. Banerjee and Roberta Flemming, Nature Communications, 6, 16 June 2015 (2015)
Detection of reduced carbon in a basalt analogue for martian nakhlite: DOI
John Parnell, Sean McMahon, Nigel J.F. Blamey, Ian B. Hutchinson, Liam V. Harris, Richard Ingley, Howell G.M. Edwards, Edward Lynch and Martin Feely, International Journal of Astrobiology, 13, 2, p. 124-131 (2014)
Limits on methane release and generation via hypervelocity impact of Martian analogue materials DOI
M. C. Price, N. K. Ramkissoon, S. McMahon, K. Miljković, J. Parnell, P. J. Wozniakiewicz, A. T. Kearsley, N. J.F. Blamey, M. J. Cole and M. J. Burchell, International Journal of Astrobiology, 13, 2, p. 132-140 (2014)
Weighing the deep continental biosphere DOI
Sean McMahon and John Parnell, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 87, 1, p. 113-120 (2014)
Circumstellar habitable zones for deep terrestrial biospheres DOI
Sean McMahon, Jack O'Malley-James and John Parnell, Planetary and space science, 85, p. 312-318 (2013)
Sampling methane in basalt on Earth and Mars DOI
Sean McMahon, John Parnell and Nigel J.F. Blamey, International Journal of Astrobiology, 12, 2, p. 113-122 (2013)
The habitability of vesicles in martian basalt DOI
Sean McMahon, John Parnell, Joanna Ponicka, Malcolm Hole and Adrian Boyce, Astronomy and Geophysics, 54, 1, p. 1.17-1.21 (2013)
Deep biospheres on earth, mars and beyond
Sean McMahon, Proceedings of Life in Space for Life on Earth, Elsevier, 706 (2013)
Pumice from the ∼3460Ma Apex Basalt, Western Australia: DOI
Martin D. Brasier, Richard Matthewman, Sean McMahon, Matt R. Kilburn and David Wacey, Precambrian Research, 224, p. 1-10 (2013)
Sampling methane in hydrothermal minerals on Earth and Mars DOI
Sean McMahon, John Parnell and Nigel J.F. Blamey, International Journal of Astrobiology, 11, 3, p. 163-167 (2012)
Pumice as a remarkable substrate for the origin of life DOI
Martin D. Brasier, Richard Matthewman, Sean McMahon and David Wacey, Astrobiology, 11, 7, p. 725-735 (2011)

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Publications by Sean McMahon