Asteroids come in two main flavours. S-type (for “stony”) asteroids are made of ferromagnesian minerals, rich in iron and magnesium, such as olivine and pyroxene. They can be identified by their bright spectrum of reflected infrared light.

The joint studies found molecular fossils extracted from 635-million-year-old rocks aren't the earliest evidence of animals, but instead common algae.

A team of Australian researchers including nine from RSES set off on a landmark voyage to discover more about the Earth beneath our oceans, and what triggers underwater earthquakes.