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Advancing Analytical Frontiers in Molecular Biomarker Research Through Spatial and Mass Resolution

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Analytical developments have been crucial for the advancement of molecular biomarker research in the Earth sciences. In this chapter, we focus on two areas where recent technological developments have profoundly impacted the use and relevance of molecular organic biomarkers: (1) the increase in spatial resolution heralded by imaging techniques, which results in biomarker-based paleoenvironmental reconstruction with unprecedented temporal resolution; and (2) the accurate, simultaneous characterization of a wide range of compounds in complex matrices enabled by ultra-high- resolution mass spectrometry.

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December 2025 --The Variscan Orogeny in Europe – Understanding Supercontinent Formation

The Variscan orogen formed between 380 and 300 million years ago through several accretionary and collisional cycles, culminating with the construction of the Pangea supercontinent. This process occurred via sequential opening and closure of oceanic basins, synchronous detachment of Gondwana derived continental ribbons, and their outboard amalgamation onto the Laurussia margin. The Variscan orogen is rather unique compared with other orogenic belts on Earth: its overthickened and dominantly magmatic crust in the central belt, surprisingly minor mantle involvement in the magmatic and geodynamic processes, coherent and pulsed magmatism along the collision suture, and its complex accretionary history. Because its final product, Pangea, is the youngest and best-understood supercontinent on Earth, the Variscan orogeny offers clues for understanding the mechanisms of supercontinent formation.