astrobiology
Seeking cosmic organisms
Astrobiology is the scientific study of life in the universe—its origins, evolution, distribution, and future.
The field combines biology, chemistry, astronomy, and geology to investigate questions like how life began on Earth, whether it exists elsewhere, and what conditions make planets habitable.
Astrobiologists study extremophiles to understand what life might survive on Mars.
Region allowing liquid water
- Goldilocks zoneLife-permitting stellar region
- biosignaturesDetectable signs of life
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- exoplanetPlanet outside our system
water · atmosphere · temperature · radiation · magnetic field · tidally locked · red dwarf · subsurface
Life from inanimate matter
- prebioticNutrient for gut bacteria
- primordialExisting from the start
- hydrothermal ventsSubmarine volcanic water jets
- biosynthesisLiving production of molecules
emergence · genesis · panspermia · building blocks · amino acids · nucleotides · self-replication
Microscopic living entities
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- thermophilesOrganisms requiring high temperatures
- archaeaThird domain of life
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
tardigrades · biofilms · anaerobic · silicon-based · extraterrestrial life · microbial
Quest for cosmic signals
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- radio signalBroadcast electromagnetic wave
- AreciboPuerto Rican radio observatory
Drake equation · Fermi paradox · James Webb · Kepler · remote sensing · infrared · mass spectrometry · chirality
Hereditary code molecule
- RNAGene expression molecule
- proteinsAmino acid polymers
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
- enzymesReaction-speeding proteins
metabolism · carbon-based · organic molecules · chirality · nucleic acids · lipids · carbohydrates · ATP
Robotic fourth-planet explorer
- PerseveranceSustained effort despite difficulty
- CuriosityMars surface laboratory
- VikingMedieval Nordic raider
- space probeRobotic interplanetary research vessel
planetary exploration · contamination · sterile · in situ · lander · orbiter · flyby · interplanetary
habitable zone
Region allowing liquid water
- Goldilocks zoneLife-permitting stellar region
- biosignaturesDetectable signs of life
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
exoplanet · water · atmosphere · temperature · radiation · magnetic field · tidally locked · red dwarf · subsurface · Europa
abiogenesis
Life from inanimate matter
- prebioticNutrient for gut bacteria
- primordialExisting from the start
- hydrothermal ventsSubmarine volcanic water jets
biosynthesis · emergence · genesis · panspermia · building blocks · amino acids · nucleotides · self-replication
microorganisms
Microscopic living entities
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- thermophilesOrganisms requiring high temperatures
- archaeaThird domain of life
bacteria · tardigrades · biofilms · anaerobic · silicon-based · extraterrestrial life · microbial
SETI
Quest for cosmic signals
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- radio signalBroadcast electromagnetic wave
Arecibo · Drake equation · Fermi paradox · James Webb · Kepler · remote sensing · infrared · mass spectrometry · chirality
DNA
Hereditary code molecule
- RNAGene expression molecule
- proteinsAmino acid polymers
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
enzymes · metabolism · carbon-based · organic molecules · chirality · nucleic acids · lipids · carbohydrates · ATP · biosynthesis
Mars rover
Robotic fourth-planet explorer
- PerseveranceSustained effort despite difficulty
- CuriosityMars surface laboratory
- VikingMedieval Nordic raider
space probe · planetary exploration · contamination · sterile · in situ · lander · orbiter · flyby · interplanetary · regolith
- biologycells, DNA, cell, gene, bacteriology
- scienceschemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, ecology
- academic fieldsmathematics, chemistry, physics, history, philosophy
- space explorationrockets, Saturn V, satellites, mission, Falcon Heavy
- space scienceplanetary science, cosmology, planets, stars, space exploration
- Extraterrestrialsalien, aliens, extraterrestrial, ET, UFO
astrobiologygeophysics
Physics of planetary structure
astrophysics · cosmology · mineralogy · inorganic chemistry · astrochemistry