The older Finnish Twin Cohort (FTC) was established in 1974. The baseline survey was in 1975, with two follow-up health surveys in 1981 and 1990. The fourth wave of assessments was done in three parts, with a questionnaire study of twins born during 1945–1957 in 2011–2012, while older twins were interviewed and screened for dementia in two time periods, between 1999 and 2007 for twins born before 1938 and between 2013 and 2017 for twins born in 1938–1944. The content of these wave 4 assessments is described and some initial results are described. In addition, we have invited twin-pairs, based on response to the cohortwide surveys, to participate in detailed in-person studies; these are described briefly together with key results. We also review other projects based on the older FTC and provide information on the biobanking of biosamples and related phenotypes.

Impact-generated hydrothermal systems are commonly proposed as good candidates for hosting primitive life on early Earth and Mars. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is rarely reported in the literature. Here we present the occurrence of putative fossil microorganisms in a hydrothermal system of the 89 Ma Dellen impact structure, Sweden. We found the putative fossilized microorganisms hosted in a fine-grained matrix of hydrothermal alteration minerals set in interlinked fractures of an impact breccia. The putative fossils appear as semi-straight to twirled filaments, with a thickness of 1–2 μm, and a length between 10 and 100 μm. They have an internal structure with segmentation, and branching of filaments occurs frequently. Their composition varies between an outer and an inner layer of a filament, where the inner layer is more iron rich. Our results indicate that hydrothermal systems in impact craters could potentially be capable of supporting microbial life. This could have played an important role for the evolution of life on early Earth and Mars.

The response of organic matter to high-temperature events is important to astrobiology, as it governs the survival of carbon during several processes that may be critical to the origin and spread of life. Impact cratering is a widespread high-temperature process. The behaviour of carbon during impact events is not well understood. But there is the potential to examine other examples of the response of organic matter to high-temperature processes in the terrestrial geological record. In this study, we report on the interaction of Tertiary igneous intrusions (dolerite sills) and carbon-rich Jurassic mudrocks on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Despite the high temperatures of the igneous intrusion, carbon has been preserved at the dolerite–shale contact and in shale enclaves where partial melting of the shale has occurred. Even though the temperatures achieved by igneous intrusion are much lower than during impact events, it is a valuable analogue, because it represents a rapid introduction of high temperatures to a carbon-rich rock.