exobiologists
Extraterrestrial life researchers
Exobiologists are scientists who study the possibility of life beyond Earth.
The field, also called astrobiology, examines conditions that might support extraterrestrial life, analyzes environments on other planets and moons, and considers how life might arise and evolve elsewhere in the universe: Exobiologists were thrilled by the discovery of water on Mars.
Detectable signs of life
- habitabilitySuitability for dwelling
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- extraterrestrialBeing from outer space
- alienNon-native being
microbial · organisms · SETI · Drake equation · Fermi paradox · panspermia · biomarkers · technosignatures
Vehicle for outer space
- roverDrifter or space explorer
- probeThorough examination or tool
- missionPurpose-driven task
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
orbit · interstellar · planetary · Mars · Europa · Enceladus · Titan · meteorite
Study of light-matter interaction
- signalMessage-conveying cue
- anomalyDeparture from the expected
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
phenomenon · radio signals · false positives · artifact · breakthrough · confirmation · remote sensing · interferometry
Microscopic living entities
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- biochemistryScience of living chemistry
- metabolismCellular nutrient conversion
adaptation · cells · DNA · RNA · enzymes · proteins · amino acids · phylogenetics
Systematic testing of ideas
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- analysisMethodical study of parts
- dataFacts for analysis
samples · laboratory · instruments · publication · journals · conferences · collaboration · fieldwork
biosignatures
Detectable signs of life
- habitabilitySuitability for dwelling
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- extraterrestrialBeing from outer space
alien · microbial · organisms · SETI · Drake equation · Fermi paradox · panspermia · biomarkers · technosignatures · abiogenesis
spacecraft
Vehicle for outer space
satellite · orbit · interstellar · planetary · Mars · Europa · Enceladus · Titan · meteorite · comet
spectroscopy
Study of light-matter interaction
- signalMessage-conveying cue
- anomalyDeparture from the expected
- observationAttentive watching or remark
evidence · phenomenon · radio signals · false positives · artifact · breakthrough · confirmation · remote sensing · interferometry · oxygen
microorganisms
Microscopic living entities
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- biochemistryScience of living chemistry
metabolism · adaptation · cells · DNA · RNA · enzymes · proteins · amino acids · phylogenetics · taxonomy
experimentation
Systematic testing of ideas
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- analysisMethodical study of parts
data · samples · laboratory · instruments · publication · journals · conferences · collaboration · fieldwork · findings
exobiologistsecologists
Experts on organism-environment relationships
marine biologists · botanists · microbiologists · wildlife biologists · zoologists
exobiologiststaxonomists
Scientists classifying organisms