Astrobiology and Talk:Acceptable daily intake: Difference between pages
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[[Image:DNA Overview.png|thumb|right|140px|The [[DNA]] structure might not be the only [[nucleic acid]] in the [[Universe]] capable of coding for [[life]].<ref name="AstroDNA">[http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2168.html Launching the Alien Debates :: Astrobiology Magazine - Earth science - evolution distribution Origin of life Universe - life beyond :: Astrobiology is study of Earth science evolution distribution Origin of life in Universe terrestrial<! Bot generated title -->]</ref>]] |
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'''Astrobiology''' (from [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{lang|grc|ἄστρον}}, ''astron'', "constellation, star"; {{lang|grc|βίος}}, ''bios'', "life"; and {{lang|grc|-λογία}}, ''[[-logy|-logia]]'') is the [[interdisciplinary]] study of [[life]] in the [[Universe]], combining aspects of [[astronomy]], [[biology]] and [[geology]].<ref name="NASAastrobio">[http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/ NASA - Astrobiology<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It is focused primarily on the study of the [[origin of life|origin]], distribution and [[evolution]] of life. Given the influx of new information about |
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planetary systems around other [[star]]s, its mandate has expanded beyond the study of '''exobiology''' (from Greek {{lang|grc|ἔξω}}, ''exo'', "outside")<ref>[http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Words/x.html <!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.aleph.se</ref><ref>[http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/phobias.htm World Wide Words: Fears and dreads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/11647/1066/ iTWire - Scientists will look for alien life, but Where and How?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. |
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Some major astrobiological research topics include:<ref name="NASAastrobio" /><ref>[http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/about/index.cfm NASA - Astrobiology - About Astrobiology<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.astrobiology.com/ The Astrobiology Web | Your Online Guide to the Living Universe<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.space.com/news/cosmic_life_020129-1.html SPACE.com - Is There Life Beyond Earth?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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What is life? How did life arise on [[Earth]]? What do astrophysical |
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observations tell us about the present and future of life on Earth?<ref>{{cite book |title=The life and death of planet Earth |last=Ward |first=P. D. |authorlink= |coauthors=Brownlee, D. |year=2004 |publisher=Owl Books |location=New York |isbn=0805075127 |pages= }}</ref> What kind of environments can life tolerate? Are microscopic forms of life common in deep space? How can we determine if life exists on other [[planet]]s? How often can we expect to find complex life? What will life consist of on other planets? Will it be DNA/carbon based or based on something else?<ref name="AstroDNA" /> What will it look like? |
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== Overview == |
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[[Image:Chloroplasten.jpg|thumb|right|220px|It is not known whether life elsewhere in the Universe would utilize cell structures like those found on Earth. ([[Chloroplast]]s (small green objects) within plant cells shown here.) According to NASA, the color of plant pigments on extrasolar planets may be different from our own.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2007/spectrum_plants.html NASA - NASA Predicts Non-Green Plants on Other Planets<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>]] [[Image:ALH84001 structures.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The [[Mars|Martian]] [[meteorite]] [[ALH84001]] shows formations that may have been created by life.]] |
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Although astrobiology is an emerging field and still a developing subject, the question of whether [[life]] exists elsewhere in the [[Universe]] is a verifiable hypothesis and thus a valid line of [[science|scientific]] inquiry. Astrobiology is a multidisciplinary field utilizing [[physics]], [[biology]], and [[geology]] as well as [[philosophy]] to speculate about the nature of life on other worlds. |
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One commentator on the field, planetary scientist [[David Grinspoon]], calls astrobiology a field of natural philosophy, grounding speculation on the unknown in known scientific theory (Grinspoon 2003). Since we have only one example of a planet with life (the Earth), most of the work is speculative and based on current understanding of physics, biochemistry, and biology.<ref>[http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=17211 Elusive Earths | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints |last=Schulze-Makuch |first=Dirk |authorlink= |coauthors= Irwin, Louis N. |year=2004 |publisher=Springer |location=Berlin |isbn=3540307087 |pages= }}</ref> |
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Though once considered outside the mainstream of scientific inquiry, astrobiology has become a formalized field of study. [[NASA]] now hosts an [[NASA Astrobiology Institute|Astrobiology Institute]].<ref>[http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/ NASA Astrobiology Institute<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Additionally, a growing number of universities in the United States (e.g., [[University of Arizona]], [[Penn State University]], and [[University of Washington]]), Canada, Britain, and Ireland now offer graduate degree programs in astrobiology. |
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A particular focus of current astrobiology research is the search for life on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]].<ref>[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/marslife.html Evidence of Ancient Martian Life in Meteorite ALH84001?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that Mars has previously had a considerable amount of [[water]] on its surface; water is considered to be an essential precursor to the development of life, although this has not been conclusively proven.<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mars/essential.html NOVA | Mars | Life's Little Essential | PBS<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> At the present, the creation of theory to inform and support the exploratory search for life may be considered astrobiology's most concrete practical application. |
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Missions specifically designed to search for life include the [[Viking program]] and [[Beagle 2]] probes, both directed to Mars. The Viking results were inconclusive,<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Viking Biological Investigation: Preliminary Results |journal=Science|date=1976 - 10 - 01|first=HAROLD P.|last=KLEIN|coauthors=GILBERT V. LEVIN|volume=Vol. 194.|issue=no. 4260|pages=pp. 99 - 105|id= {{doi|10.1126/science.194.4260.99}}|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/194/4260/99|format=|accessdate=2008-08-15 }}</ref> and Beagle 2 failed to transmit from the surface and is assumed to have crashed.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMAPB8A9HE_Life_0.html |title=Possible evidence found for Beagle 2 location |accessdate=2008-08-18 |date=21 December 2005 |publisher=European Space Agency }}</ref> A future mission with a strong astrobiology role would have been the [[Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter]], designed to study the frozen moons of Jupiter—some of which may have liquid water—had it not been cancelled. Currently, the [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|Phoenix lander]] is probing the environment for suitability of [[microbe|microbial]] [[life on Mars]], and to research the history of water there. In 2009, NASA plans to launch the [[Mars Science Laboratory]] Rover which will continue the search for past or present life on [[Mars]] using a suite of scientific instruments. |
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=== Research outcomes === |
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[[Image:951 Gaspra.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Asteroid(s) may have transported life to [[Earth]].]] As of 2008, there is no direct evidence of extraterrestrial life.<ref>[http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/bioast07.htm Bioastronomy 2007 Conference for Molecules, Microbes and Extraterrestrial Life, July 16-20, San Juan Puerto Rico, website by UHNAI<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although examination of the [[ALH84001]] meteorites, which were recovered in [[Antarctica]] and are thought to have originated from the planet [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], have provided what some scientists suggested to be microfossils of extraterrestrial life, the interpretation is disputed.<ref>[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_meteorite_020320.html SPACE.com - Controversy Continues: Mars Meteorite Clings to Life - Or Does It?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2004, the spectral signature of [[methane]] was detected in the Martian atmosphere by both Earth-based telescopes as well as by the [[Mars Express]] probe. Methane is predicted to have a relatively short [[half-life]] in the Martian atmosphere, so the gas must be actively replenished. Since one possible source, active [[volcanism]], has thus far not been detected on Mars, this has led scientists to speculate that the source could be ([[microorganisms|microbial]]){{Fact|date=July 2008}} life—as terrestrial [[methanogens]] are known to produce methane as a [[metabolic]] by-product. |
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Missions to other planetary bodies, such as the [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|Phoenix lander]], [[Mars Science Laboratory]], [[ExoMars]], [[Beagle 2: Evolution]] to Mars, the [[Cassini probe]] to [[Saturn (planet)|Saturn's]] moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], and the "Ice Clipper" mission to [[Jupiter (planet)|Jupiter's]] moon [[Europa (moon)|Europa]], hope to further explore the possibilities of life on other [[planet]]s in our [[solar system]]. |
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Efforts to answer secondary questions, such as the abundance of potentially habitable planets in [[habitable zone]]s and chemical precursors, have had much success. Numerous [[extrasolar planet]]s have been detected using the [[Doppler spectroscopy|wobble method]] and transit method, showing that planets around other [[star]]s are more numerous than previously postulated. The first Earth-like extrasolar planet to be discovered within its star's habitable zone is [[Gliese 581 c]], which was found using [[radial velocity]].<ref name="Gliese">[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070424_hab_exoplanet.html SPACE.com - Major Discovery: New Planet Could Harbor Water and Life<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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Most of the planets so far discovered have been hot gas giants, thought to be inhospitable to any life. It is possible that some of these planets -like the gas giant Jupiter in our solar system- may have moons with solid surfaces or oceans that are more hospitable. It is not yet known whether our [[solar system]], with a warm, rocky, metal-rich inner planet such as Earth, is of an aberrant composition. Improved detection methods and increased observing time will undoubtedly discover more planetary systems, and possibly some more like ours. For example, [[NASA]]'s [[Kepler Mission]] seeks to discover Earth-sized planets around other stars by measuring minute changes in the star's [[light curve]] as the planet passes between the star and the spacecraft. Research into the environmental limits of life and the workings of extreme [[ecosystem]]s is also ongoing, enabling researchers to predict what planetary environments might be most likely to harbor life. |
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Progress in [[infrared astronomy]] and [[submillimeter astronomy]] has revealed the constituents of other [[star system]]s. Infrared searches have detected belts of dust and [[asteroid]]s around distant stars, underpinning the formation of planets. Some infrared images purportedly contain direct images of planets, though this is disputed. Infrared and submillimeter [[spectroscopy]] has identified a growing number of chemicals around stars which underpin the origin or maintenance of life. |
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====Rare Earth hypothesis==== |
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{{Main article|Rare Earth hypothesis}} |
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In the book ''Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe'', [[Peter Ward (paleontologist)|Peter Ward]], a [[geologist]] and [[paleontologist]], and Donald Brownlee, an extraterrestrial materials pioneer and astrobiologist, propose that life as we know it, is rare in the Universe.<ref>{{cite book |title=Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe |last=Ward |first=Peter |authorlink= |coauthors=Brownlee, Donald |year=2000 |publisher=Copernicus |location=New York |isbn=0387987010 |pages= }}</ref><ref>[http://tal.forum2.org/rare Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe / Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> They suggest that [[bacteria|microbial life]], however, is probably common in the Universe, because of recently discovered [[extremophile]] bacteria.<ref>[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/rare_earth_1_020715.html SPACE.com - Rare Earth Debate Part 1: The Hostile Universe<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The book argues that the chances of ''all'' the conditions that occurred to create the [[Earth]] occurring again, would be rare; thus intelligent life would be rare. One important factor focused on in the book is [[planetary habitability]] (see section below). |
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[[Peter Ward (paleontologist)|Peter Ward]], one of the authors, said the following:<ref name="AstroDNA" /> |
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{{quotation|How do we define life as we do know it? Life on Earth has [[DNA]], a specific genetic code. It also uses only 20, and the same 20, amino acids. Life is always cellular according to some people, but I think not. I personally define a virus as alive. As for other life, what could it be? Could there be non-DNA life? If such life does exist, what does chemistry permit? Certainly chemistry permits certain types of life on our planet and others not. But once we move out in the solar system, especially in the vast realm of cold, chemistry changes. There could be different information systems, different solvents, different membranes. And as we go from hotter to colder, when we go to Venus, out to Mars, to Europa, and to Titan, we really should expect radically different chemistries.}} |
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== Methodology== |
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=== Narrowing the task === |
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{{main|Planetary habitability}} |
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When looking for life on other planets, some simplifying assumptions are useful to reduce the size of the task of astrobiologists. One is to assume that the vast majority of life forms in our galaxy are based on [[Carbon-based life|carbon chemistries]], as are all life forms on Earth.<ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/C003763/index.php?page=interview07 Astrobiology: The Living Universe - An Interview with Dr. Farid Salama<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> While it is possible that [[Alternative biochemistry|non-carbon-based life]] exists, carbon is well known for the unusually wide variety of [[molecule]]s that can be formed around it. However, it should be noted that astrobiology concerns itself with an interpretation of existing scientific data; that is, given more detailed and reliable data from other parts of the Universe (perhaps obtainable only by physical space exploration), the roots of astrobiology itself —[[biology]], [[physics]], [[chemistry]]— may have their theoretical bases challenged. Much speculation is entertained in the field to give context, but astrobiology concerns itself primarily with hypotheses that fit firmly into existing theories. |
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[[Image:Habitable zone-en.svg|thumb|right|275px|This [[planetary habitability]] chart shows where life might exist on extrasolar planets based on our own [[Solar System]] and life on [[Earth]].]] |
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The presence of liquid water is also a useful assumption, as it is a common molecule and provides an excellent environment for the formation of complicated carbon-based molecules that could eventually lead to the emergence of life.<ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/research/astrobiology-spsc-04/ Astrobiology | Macmillan Space Sciences<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some researchers posit environments of [[ammonia]], or more likely water-ammonia mixtures.<ref>[http://www.astrobio.net/news/article2057.html The Ammonia-Oxidizing Gene :: Astrobiology Magazine - Earth science - evolution distribution Origin of life Universe - life beyond :: Astrobiology is study of Earth science evolution distribution Origin of life in Universe terrestrial<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> These environments are considered suitable for carbon or noncarbon life, while opening more temperature ranges (and thus worlds) for life. |
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A third assumption is to focus on [[sun]]-like [[star]]s. This comes from the idea of [[planetary habitability]].<ref>[http://www.solstation.com/habitable.htm Stars and Habitable Planets<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Very big stars have relatively short lifetimes, meaning that life would not likely have time to evolve on [[planet]]s orbiting them. Very small stars provide so little heat and warmth that only planets in very close orbits around them would not be frozen solid, and in such close orbits these planets would be tidally "locked" to the star.<ref>[http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=223364&source=r_space M Dwarfs: The Search for Life is On - Space - RedOrbit<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Without a thick [[atmosphere]], one side of the planet would be perpetually baked and the other perpetually frozen. In 2005, the question was brought back to the attention of the [[scientific community]], as the long lifetimes of [[red dwarf]]s could allow some biology on planets with thick atmospheres. This is significant, as red dwarfs are extremely common. (See [[Habitability of red dwarf systems]]). |
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About 10% of the stars in our galaxy are sun-like, and there are about a thousand such stars within 100 light-years of our [[Sun]]. These stars would be useful primary targets for interstellar listening. Since Earth is the only planet known to harbour [[life]], there is no way to know if any of the simplifying assumptions are correct. |
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=== Divisions of astrobiology === |
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==== Astronomy ==== |
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{{Main article|Astronomy}} |
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[[Image:OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Artist's impression of the [[extrasolar planet]] [[OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb]] (with surface temperature of −220°C) orbiting its star 20,000 [[light-years]] (117.5 quadrillion miles) from [[Earth]]; this planet was discovered with gravitational microlensing.]] |
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[[Image:Keplerpacecraft.019e.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The planned [[NASA]] [[Kepler mission]] for the search of [[extrasolar planets]]]] |
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Most astronomy-related astrobiological research falls into the category of [[extrasolar planet]] (exoplanet) detection, the hypothesis being that if life arose on Earth, then it could also arise on other planets with similar characteristics. To that end, a number of instruments designed to detect Earth-like exoplanets are under development, most notably [[NASA]]'s [[Terrestrial Planet Finder]] (TPF) and [[European Space Agency|ESA's]] [[Darwin (ESA)|Darwin]] programs.<ref>[http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31165 ESA Science & Technology: Summary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Additionally, NASA plans to launch the [[Kepler mission]] in 2008, and the [[French Space Agency]] has already launched the [[COROT]] space mission.<ref>[http://kepler.nasa.gov/ Kepler Mission<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://smsc.cnes.fr/COROT/ Corot<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> There are also several less ambitious ground-based efforts underway. (See [[exoplanet]]). |
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The goal of these missions is not only to detect Earth-sized planets, but also to directly detect light from the planet so that it may be studied [[spectroscopy|spectroscopically]]. By examining planetary spectra, it would be possible to determine the basic composition of an extrasolar planet's atmosphere and/or surface; given this knowledge, it may be possible to assess the likelihood of life being found on that planet. A NASA research group, the Virtual Planet Laboratory<ref>[http://vpl.ipac.caltech.edu VPL<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (VPL), is using computer modelling to generate a wide variety of virtual planets to see what they would look like if viewed by TPF or Darwin. It is hoped that once these missions come online, their spectra can be cross-checked with these virtual planetary spectra for features that might indicate the presence of life. The [[photometry (astronomy)|photometry]] temporal variability of extrasolar planets may also provide clues to their surface and atmospheric properties. One mission was planned to [[Jupiter]]'s moon, [[Europa (moon)|Europa]], before recent cuts by [[NASA]]; this mission would have searched for life in the ocean of this moon. |
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An estimate for the number of planets with ''intelligent'' extraterrestrial life can be gleaned from the [[Drake equation]], essentially an equation expressing the probability of intelligent life as the product of factors such as the fraction of planets that might be habitable and the fraction of planets on which life might arise:<ref>[http://www.setileague.org/general/drake.htm What Is The Drake Equation?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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:<math>N = R^{*} ~ \times ~ f_{p} ~ \times ~ n_{e} ~ \times ~ f_{l} ~ \times ~ f_{i} ~ \times ~ f_{c} ~ \times ~ L</math> |
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However, whilst the rationale behind the equation is sound, it is unlikely that the equation will be constrained to reasonable error limits any time soon. The first term, Number of Stars, is generally constrained within a few orders of magnitude. The second and third terms, Stars with Planets and Planets with Habitable Conditions, are being evaluated for the sun's neighbourhood. Another associated topic is the [[Fermi paradox]], which suggests that if intelligent life is common in the [[Universe]], then there should be obvious signs of it. This is the purpose of projects like [[SETI]], which tries to detect signs of radio transmissions from intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations. |
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Another active research area in astrobiology is [[solar system]] formation. It has been suggested that the peculiarities of our solar system (for example, the contestable<ref>[http://www.europlanet-eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&I Europlanet<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.europlanet-eu.org Europlanet - Home<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> presence of [[Jupiter (planet)|Jupiter]] as a protective shield or the planetary collision which created the [[moon]]) may have greatly increased the probability of intelligent life arising on our planet.<ref>[http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=3910 The Role Of Astrobiology in Solar System Exploration | SpaceRef - Space News as it Happens<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1222 Coming Soon: "Good" Jupiters :: Astrobiology Magazine - Earth science - evolution distribution Origin of life Universe - life beyond :: Astrobiology is study of Earth science evolution distribution Origin of life in Universe terrestrial<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> No firm conclusions have been reached so far. |
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==== Biology ==== |
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{{Main article|Biology}} |
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[[Image:Nur04506.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Hydrothermal vent]]s are able to support [[extremophile|extremophilic bacteria]] on [[Earth]] and may also support life in other parts of the Universe.]] |
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[[Extremophiles]] (organisms able to survive in extreme environments) are a core research element for astrobiologists. Such organisms include [[Biota (ecology)|biota]] able to survive kilometers below the ocean's surface near [[hydrothermal vent]]s and [[microbe]]s that thrive in highly acidic environments.<ref>[http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/050207_extremophiles.html Wild Things: The Most Extreme Creatures | LiveScience<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Characterization of these organisms—their environments and their evolutionary pathways—is considered a crucial component to understanding how life might evolve elsewhere in the Universe. Recently, a number of astrobiologists have teamed up with marine biologists and geologists to search for extremophiles and other organisms living around hydrothermal vents on the floors of our own oceans. Scientists hope to use their findings to help them create hypotheses on whether life could potentially exist on certain moons in our own solar system, such as [[Europa (moon)|Europa]].<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12530238&dopt=Abstract Extremophiles and the search for extraterrestrial ...[Astrobiology. 2002] - PubMed Result<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.space.com/news/060207_europa_budget.html"</ref><ref>[http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast05mar98_1.htm Clues to possible life on Europa<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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The [[Abiogenesis|origin of life]], as distinct from the evolution of life, is another ongoing field of research. [[Oparin]] and [[Haldane]] postulated that the conditions on the early Earth were conducive to the formation of organic compounds from inorganic precursors and thus to the formation of many of the chemicals common to all forms of life we see today. The study of this process, known as [[prebiotic chemistry]], has made some progress, but it is still unclear whether or not life could have formed in such a manner on Earth. The alternative theory of [[panspermia]] is that the first elements of life may have formed on another planet with even more favourable conditions (or even in interstellar space, asteroids, etc.) and then have been carried over to Earth by a variety of means. |
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==== Geology ==== |
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{{Main article|Geology}} |
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The [[fossil record]] provides the oldest known evidence for [[life on Earth]].<ref>[http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/fossils/succession.html Fossils, Rocks, and Time: Fossil Succession<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> By examining this evidence, geologists are able to understand better the types of organisms that arose on the early Earth. Some regions on Earth, such as the [[Pilbara]] in [[Western Australia]] and the [[McMurdo Dry Valleys]]<ref>[http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/earlymars2004/pdf/8023.pdf 8023.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> of Antarctica, are also considered to be geological analogs to regions of Mars and as such might be able to provide clues to possible [[Life on Mars|Martian life]]. |
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== Life in the Solar System == |
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{{See also|Life on Mars|Life on Europa|Life on Titan}} |
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[[Image:PIA01130 Interior of Europa.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Europa (moon)|Europa]], due to the ocean that exists under its icy surface, might host some form of [[bacteria|microbial life]].]] |
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The three most likely candidates for life in the solar system (besides Earth) are the planet [[Mars]], the Jovian moon [[Europa (moon)|Europa]], and Saturn's moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]].<ref>[http://people.msoe.edu/~tritt/sf/europa.life.html Possibility of Life on Europa<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/explore_europa/update_12142005.html" Explore Europa Campaign Update What We Do | The Planetary Society<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.planetary.org</ref><ref>[http://www.space.com/news/europa_story_991109.html SPACE.com - Move Over Mars - Europa Needs Equal Billing<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/070228_tw_mars_massspec.html SPACE.com - New Instrument Designed to Sift for Life on Mars<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name="Titan1">[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050913_titan_life.html SPACE.com - Scientists Reconsider Habitability of Saturn's Moon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This speculation is primarily based on the fact that (in the cases of Mars and Europa) the [[List of planetary bodies|planetary bodies]] may have liquid water, a molecule essential for life as we know it for its use as a [[solvent]] in cells.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Water on Mars is found in its polar ice caps, and newly carved gullies recently observed on [[Mars]] suggest that liquid water may exist, at least transiently, on the planet's surface,<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/mgs-20061206.html NASA - NASA Images Suggest Water Still Flows in Brief Spurts on Mars<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMGKA808BE_0.html ESA - Mars Express - Water ice in crater at Martian north pole<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and possibly in subsurface environments such as hydrothermal springs as well. At the Martian low temperatures and low pressure, such liquid water is likely to be highly saline.<ref>Landis, G. A., "Martian Water: Are there Extant Halobacteria on Mars?" ''[http://www.liebertonline.com/toc/ast/1/2 Astrobiology], Vol. 1,'' No. 2, 161-164 (2001).</ref> As for Europa, liquid water likely exists beneath the moon's icy outer crust.<ref>[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/europa_ocean_000824.html SPACE.com - Galileo Uncovers Compelling Evidence of Ocean On Jupiter's Moon Europa<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This water may be warmed to a liquid state by volcanic vents on the ocean floor (an especially intriguing theory considering the various types of extremophiles that live near Earth's volcanic vents), but the primary source of heat is probably [[tidal heating]].<ref>"http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2929"</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/gmis9817.htm Great Moments in Science - Life on Europa, Part 1<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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Another [[List of planetary bodies|planetary body]] that could potentially sustain extraterrestrial life is [[Saturn|Saturn's]] largest moon, [[Titan (moon)|Titan]].<ref name="Titan1" /> Titan has been described as having conditions similar to those of early Earth; according to bbc.co.uk, "The atmosphere on Titan could be identical to that of the early Earth when life began".<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/life/looking/titan.shtml BBC - Science & Nature - Space - Life on Titan<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On Titan, scientists have discovered the first liquid lakes outside of Earth, but they are made of [[ethane]] and [[methane]], not water.<ref>[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060728_titan_lake.html SPACE.com - Lakes Found on Saturn's Moon Titan<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On [[March 20]], [[2008]], it was reported that Titan may have an underground ocean of [[water]] and [[ammonia]] after Cassini data was studied.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080320-titan-ocean_2.html Saturn Moon Titan May Have Underground Ocean<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Additionally, Saturn's moon [[Enceladus (moon)|Enceladus]] may have an ocean below its icy surface.<ref>{{cite news |
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|title=Saturn moon 'may have an ocean' |
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|date=2006-03-10 |
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|work=[[BBC News]] |
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|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4790126.stm |
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|accessdate=2008-08-05 |
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}}</ref> |
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==Political influence== |
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{{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} |
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In the [[United States]], President [[George W. Bush]]'s Fiscal Year 2007 NASA Budget cut funding for astrobiological research by 50 percent.<ref>[http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_culberson_060316.html SPACE.com - Lawmaker Campaigns Against NASA Budget Cuts<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the 2007 plan, $89 million will be cut from astrobiological research, partly because of a $2.3 billion error in the Space Shuttle Budget.<ref name="BudgetCutTheScientist">[http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/23183/ The Scientist : Astrobiology under assault<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In a letter to the astrobiological community in the [[United States]], [[SETI]] chief executive Thomas Pierson and former NAI director Baruch Blumberg said the following: "Action is needed immediately to prevent the slowing down, or even cessation, of astrobiological research".<ref name="BudgetCutTheScientist" /> Hiroshi Ohmoto, the director of the Astrobiology Research Center in Penn State, said the following in response to the budget cuts to astrobiology:<ref name="BudgetCutTheScientist" /> |
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{{quotation|Astrobiology is the reason we go into space, to answer fundamental questions about the origins of life and how it evolved, and whether there are other places where organisms are living. It is the whole justification for future space missions.}} |
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== Criticisms == |
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Because astrobiology relies mostly on scientific extrapolations over solid, factual evidence, the authenticity of astrobiology as a science can be questioned. While other branches of science remain heavily hypothetical, there is a greater degree of mathematical, pragmatic and/or observational evidence supporting the theories. Neither clear observational evidence nor any definite formal framework exists for astrobiology, save for an asteroid segment which is believed to have fossilized Martian microbes. |
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Although some have thought a formal degree program in astrobiology unlikely, <ref>[http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/astrobio/astrobio_detail.cfm?ID=477 NAI: Ask an Astrobiologist<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> the [[University of Glamorgan]], UK, started just such a degree in 2006.<ref>[http://case.glam.ac.uk/CASE/Degrees/AstroBio.html CASE Undergraduate Degrees<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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Characterization of non-Earth life is extraordinarily unsettled; hypotheses and predictions as to its existence and origin vary wildly; true astrobiological experiments (with modest exceptions such as the study of the [[ALH84001]] meteorite and searches for indications of life in [[Earthshine]]) simply cannot occur at present. Finally, astrobiology has been criticized for being [[Evolving the Alien|unimaginative]] in the tacit assumption that Earth-like life presents the most likely template for life elsewhere. For example, Michael Crow, the president of Arizona State University, said the following:<ref>[http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/21107/ The Scientist : Putting the 'astro' in astrobiology<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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{{quotation|For the last 3,000 years of our science, we really haven't gotten around to the notion that there might be something going on somewhere other than in this small, rural village called Earth, in this isolated corner of our own galaxy or the Universe itself.}} |
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The reference to the [[Universe]] itself is because our Universe may be part of a larger [[Multiverse]] where other types of life could exist. |
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[[Biologist]] [[Jack Cohen]] and [[mathematician]] [[Ian Stewart (mathematician)|Ian Stewart]], amongst others, consider xenobiology separate from astrobiology for this reason. Cohen and Stewart stipulate that astrobiology is the search for Earth-like life outside of our solar system and say that xenobiologists are concerned with the possibilities open to us once we consider that life need not be carbon-based or oxygen-breathing, so long as it has the defining [[characteristics of life]]. (See [[carbon chauvinism]]). |
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As with all space exploration, there is the classic argument that there is still a lot more scientists have to learn about [[Earth]]. Critics of astrobiology may prefer that public funding remain dedicated towards searching for unknown species in our own terrestrial [[biosphere]]. They feel that Earth is the most plausible and practical region to search for and study life. |
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====Astrobiologists==== |
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{{Col-begin}} |
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{{Col-break}} |
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*[[Steven J. Dick]] |
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*[[Frank Drake]] |
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*[[Eric Chaisson]] |
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*[[Thomas Gold]] |
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*[[David Grinspoon]] |
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*[[James Kasting]] |
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*[[Stanley Miller]] |
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*[[Joshua Lederberg]] |
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{{Col-break}} |
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*[[Percival Lowell]] |
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*[[Christopher McKay (planetary scientist)|Christopher McKay]] |
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*[[Carl Sagan]] |
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*[[Mary Higby Schweitzer]] |
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*[[Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor]] |
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*[[Melissa Trainer]] |
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*[[Wolf Vishniac]] |
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{{Col-end}} |
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[[Allen Alvares]] |
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==Publications== |
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*The [http://www.journals.cambridge.org/jid_IJA ''International Journal of Astrobiology''], published by [[Cambridge University Press]], is the forum for practitioners in this interdisciplinary field. |
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*[http://www.liebertpub.com/publication.aspx?pub_id=99 ''Astrobiology''], published by [[Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.]], is a peer-reviewed journal that explores the origins of life, evolution, distribution, and destiny in the universe. |
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*{{cite book |title=The Living Universe: NASA and the Development of Astrobiology |last=Dick |first=Steven J. |authorlink= |coauthors=James Strick |year=2005 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |location=Piscataway, NJ |isbn=0813537339 |pages= }} |
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*{{cite book |title=Lonely planets. The natural philosophy of alien life |last=Grinspoon |first=David |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2003 |publisher=ECCO |location=New York |isbn=0060185406 |pages= }} |
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*{{cite book |title=Science, Society, and the Search for Life in the Universe |last=Jakosky |first=Bruce M. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2006 |publisher=University of Arizona Press |location=Tucson |isbn=0816526133 |pages= }} |
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*{{cite book |title=Astrobiology. A Multidisciplinary Approach |last=Lunine |first=Jonathan I. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2005 |publisher=Pearson Addison-Wesley |location=San Francisco |isbn=0805380426 |pages= }} |
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*{{cite book |title=An introduction to astrobiology |last=Gilmour |first=Iain |authorlink= |coauthors=Mark A. Sephton |year=2004 |publisher=Cambridge Univ. Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-83736-7 |pages= }} |
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== See also == |
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{{Col-begin}} |
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{{Col-2}} |
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* [[Astrosciences]] |
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* [[Alternative biochemistry]] |
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* [[Artificial life]] |
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* [[Aurelia and Blue Moon]] |
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* [[Extraterrestrial life]] |
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* [[Gravitational biology]] |
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* [[Life on Mars]] |
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* [[List of publications in biology#astrobiology|Publications in astrobiology]] |
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* [[NASA Astrobiology Institute]] |
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{{Col-2}} |
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* [[Origin of life]] |
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* [[Panspermia]] |
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* [[Planetary habitability]] |
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* [[Planetary Science]] |
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* [[Purple Earth Hypothesis]] |
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* [[SETI]] |
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* [[Shadow biosphere]] |
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* [[Spore (2008 video game)|Spore (computer game)]] |
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* [[Terraforming]] |
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* [[Xenolinguistics]] |
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{{Col-end}} |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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http://www.europlanet-eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&I |
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== External links == |
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{{WVD}} |
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* [http://space.newscientist.com/channel/astronomy/astrobiology?DCMP=Matt_Sparkes&nsref=astrobiology-instant-expert Astrobiology Instant Expert on New Scientist] |
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* [http://www.astrobiology.co.uk/ Astrobiology@home] |
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* [http://www.astrobiology.com/ The Astrobiology Web] |
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* [http://www.astrobio.net/ Astrobiology Magazine] |
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* [http://nai.nasa.gov/ NASA Astrobiology Institute] |
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* [http://www.astrobiologia.pl/eana/ European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA)] |
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* [http://pokey.arc.nasa.gov/~astrochm/LifeImplications.html Possible Connections Between Interstellar Chemistry and the Origin of Life on the Earth] |
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* [http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/news_stories/news_detail.cfm?ID=207 Scientists Find Clues That Life Began in Deep Space - NASA Astrobiology Institute] |
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* [http://www.solstation.com/habitable.htm Stars and Habitable Planets] |
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* [http://pilbara.mq.edu.au/ NASA-Macquarie University Pilbara Education Project] |
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* [http://biocab.org/Exobiology.html Conditions for Life Everywhere] |
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* [http://www.nemoramjet.com/snduterus.html Snaiad, a world-building project with creatures designed with evolutionary biology in mind.] |
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*[http://streamiss.spaceflight.esa.int/?pg=production&PID=alcn Astrobiology Lecture Course Network (a.y. 2005-2006)] |
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{{Astrobiology}} |
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{{biology-footer}} |
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{{Astronomy subfields}} |
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[[Category:Astrobiology| ]] |
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[[easy way to learn about subject, listen to Oort kupier astrobiology 2008 which was commissioned by NASA! |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3lhm6oy5I]] |
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Revision as of 14:45, 10 October 2008
 | Medicine Start‑class Mid‑importance | |||||||||
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