Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Exploring the Development of Astrobiology Scientific Research Through Bibliometric Network Analysis: A Focus on Biomining and Bioleaching

Luca Tonietti
* ,
Bernardo Barosa
,
Emiliano Pioltelli
ORCID logo ,
Donato Giovannelli
,
Giovanni Covone
,
Paola Di Donato
,
Angelina Cordone
ORCID logo ,
Laura Inno
,
Christian Magliano
,
Stefano Fiscale
,
Maria Teresa Muscari Tomajoli
ORCID logo ,
Gaetana Napolitano
ORCID logo ,
Alice Maria Piccirillo
,
Vincenzo Della Corte
,
Rosa Santomartino
ORCID logo ,
Alessandra Rotundi
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 9 May 2023 / Approved: 10 May 2023 / Online: 10 May 2023 (10:38:03 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Tonietti, L.; Barosa, B.; Pioltelli, E.; Giovannelli, D.; Covone, G.; Di Donato, P.; Cordone, A.; Inno, L.; Magliano, C.; Fiscale, S.; Muscari Tomajoli, M.T.; Napolitano, G.; Piccirillo, A.M.; Della Corte, V.; Santomartino, R.; Rotundi, A. Exploring the Development of Astrobiology Scientific Research through Bibliometric Network Analysis: A Focus on Biomining and Bioleaching. Minerals 2023, 13, 797. Tonietti, L.; Barosa, B.; Pioltelli, E.; Giovannelli, D.; Covone, G.; Di Donato, P.; Cordone, A.; Inno, L.; Magliano, C.; Fiscale, S.; Muscari Tomajoli, M.T.; Napolitano, G.; Piccirillo, A.M.; Della Corte, V.; Santomartino, R.; Rotundi, A. Exploring the Development of Astrobiology Scientific Research through Bibliometric Network Analysis: A Focus on Biomining and Bioleaching. Minerals 2023, 13, 797.

Abstract

Our understanding of the diversity of life on our planet and the possibility of finding or sustaining life elsewhere in the universe plays a central role in supporting human space settling and exploration. Astrobiology and its outcomes require a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach, in which the microbial, geological, chemical, astronomical, and physical domains of research are interlinked. An example of the applications of astrobiology and space microbiology is the use of extremophiles for in-situ resource utilization through biomining and bioleaching. To better understand the multidisciplinary research landscape in this area, we have quantitatively reviewed the global scientific literature on astrobiology with a focus on biomining and bioleaching through bibliometric network analysis, investigating patterns and trends in its development over time. The network analysis of the keywords co-occurrence highlights different connecting and overlapping clusters, illustrating the multidisciplinary character of astrobiology. Temporal analyses show a recent focus on topics related to microbiology and geomicrobiology, emphasizing the role that these fields will play in future astrobiology research. In conclusion, astrobiology, biomining, and bioleaching research are timely responding to the identification of these techniques as tools for biotechnological applications, expected to play a crucial role in long-term human space exploration.

Keywords

biomining; bioleaching; astrobiology; A. ferrooxidans; acidophiles; space biology; bibliometric network analysis

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Life Sciences

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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