"If the moon and the earth were merged would the moon have an atmosphere and possibly support life?"
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NAI Public Lecture (and the New York Times) Kick Off 2009 Celebration of Darwin
Yesterday, the NAI sponsored the first talk in a new lecture series hosted by NASA Ames Research Center. The series is designed to celebrate several important scientific anniversaries in 2009: Darwin’s 200th birthday, the 150th anniversary of his landmark publication On the Origin of Species, the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of the telescope, the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing, the 70th anniversary of NASA Ames Research Center, and the 25th anniversary of the SETI Institute.
Last night’s talk featured James Strick, an historian of science from Franklin...
March 13, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Program Solicitation in Antarctic Research
The National Science Foundation (
Antarctica has long been a research site of interest for astrobiologists. The continent supports a range of unique organisms that can survive...March 12, 2009 / Posted by: Aaron Gronstal
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Summer Workshops for Teachers in Astrobiology
Every summer, NAI teams and others host hands-on, in-the-field, in-the-lab workshops for educators. The workshops feature cutting edge astrobiology research delivered by astrobiology scientists and education professionals, as well as inquiry- and standards-based activities ready for your classroom. Click here for a current list of offerings for Summer 2009.
March 9, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Starlight, Star Bright
NASA’s Kepler telescope was successfully launched on March 6, and is now preparing to search for Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars. Kepler is the first step in identifying potentially habitable planets beyond our solar system – but future missions may be able to determine if distant planets are actually living. Sara Seager of MIT discusses one potential set of missions that could identity Earth’s planetary twins.
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
March 8, 2009 / Written by: Henry Bortman
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Water May Have Shaped Solar System's Tallest Mountain
Using computer modeling, researchers have determined that Mars’ Olympus Mons volcano – the tallest mountain in the solar system – may have formed on a bed of clay and sediments. The researchers believe that pockets of ancient water may still be trapped beneath the mountain, potentially creating an environment suitable for life.Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
March 6, 2009 / Posted by: Aaron Gronstal
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Emerging Topics in Biogeochemical Cycles (ETBC)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently announced further support for interdisciplinary research concerning biogeochemical cycles and processes that involve the biological, atmospheric, geological, oceanographic and hydrological sciences. The goal of the program is to “advance our quantitative and/or mechanistic understanding of biogeochemical cycles”. Proposals are being accepted that integrate physical, geological, chemical, and/or hydrologic processes with biological processes over various temporal and/or spatial scales and/or various levels of biological organization.
Biogeochemical cycles play an important role in making Earth habitable for life as we know it. Understanding these cycles is essential in determining what makes...March 4, 2009 / Posted by: Aaron Gronstal
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Finding Earth’s Twin: No Easy Task
NASA’s new Kepler mission is scheduled to launch in just a couple of days. Once in orbit, the powerful telescope will provide astrobiologists with the ability to search for rocky, Earth-like planets around distant stars. Ultimately, Kepler will help us determine if these potentially life-supporting worlds are common or rare in the Universe.
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
March 1, 2009 / Written by: Henry Bortman
Astrobiology Field Work
Rollover map to explore Astrobiology field sites around the world.
