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What is Astrobiology?
Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe
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Astrobiologists work together to answer complex questions about the origin, distribution, and
evolution of life in the universe
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The understanding of the origin of life on Earth serves as a key to push forward
astrobiology
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8 billion years ago, most likely in the deep oceans
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The
first forms of life were likely anaerobic and able to avoid radiation
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The oceans played a role in bringing the necessary molecules together, allowing life to evolve
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Extremophiles, organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, help define
the limits of life on Earth
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Some
intriguing targets include:
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Europa: A moon of Jupiter with a surface made of water ice
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Titan: Saturn's moon with a substantial atmosphere primarily composed of nitrogen
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By conducting experiments in space, astrobiologists have discovered that some
microorganisms can survive in the extreme conditions of space
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Astrobiology continues to push the boundaries of our understanding of life in the universe,
offering exciting possibilities and new insights into our origins
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Cryovolcanoes are volcanoes that erupt liquid
water rather than lava! This suggests that Titan, like Europa, has a subsurface reserve of liquid
water
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Mars is one of the most Earth-like worlds in the solar system
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5-hour day, polar ice
caps that expand and contract with the seasons, and a large array of surface features that were
sculpted by water during the planet's history
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They also
found methane, which could be produced by biological processes, even though the actual
source for Mars' methane is not yet known
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Astrobiology research has a significant impact on how agencies such as NASA and the
European Space Agency plan for current and future space missions
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One of the most famous missions was the
Cassini mission, which gave us a better understanding of Saturn and its moons such as Titan
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Communicating the discoveries and excitement of astrobiology has been understood as a
fundamental requirement since the early development of the field
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One element was a common forum, embodied in the Astrobiology Science
Conference held biennially, that today attracts over 800 scientists from over 30 fields
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What about the future of astrobiology? On NASA's website, we can read: "The first decade of
astrobiology has laid significant groundwork for the understanding of the genesis and evolution
of life in the universe
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Laboratory work, coupled with astronomical
observation, has added another significant piece of the puzzle and continues to provide clues
and refine models
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Given the timeless fascination with questions of the origins and prevalence of
life, astrobiology will endure long into the future

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