by Edna DeVore - Deputy CEO
The SETI Institutes Edna DeVore reports from the second annual NASA Astrobiology Science Conference held at NASAs Ames Research Center, April 7 to 11, 2002.
Tuesday, April 9:
More than 750 scientists fill the darkened meeting room while images of the largest and smallest structures in the universe appear before them. They are gathered together for the Second NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, a major scientific meeting open to participants worldwide. The conference is organized by an international scientific committee with major support from NASA Ames Research Center. Physicists, geologists, chemists, biologists, and astronomers are sharing research, crossing the traditional boundaries of their disciplines to seek answers to three questions:
This is the burgeoning field of astrobiology and today its all happening in the historic Hangar 1 at NASA Ames Research Center, the California home of NASAs Astrobiology Institute. Senior scientists, Nobel Prize winners, graduate students, and educators are attending sessions and debating poster papers that ask questions such as "Is the Universe a Bio-Friendly Place?" They begin with the physical conditions for life as we know it, as well as life in extreme environments, and debate what may be inferred from our Earth-bound experiences. Can we detect life elsewhere if it indeed exists? Is there life on Mars? On Europa? On distant planets or moons in the habitable zones surrounding other stars? These questions and the scientific debate will drive the design of robotic explorers in our own solar system, and huge space-based observatories that will seek the signature of life in more distant solar systems. Its all about the application of the study of life (biology) with the explorers vision of looking beyond Earth (astronomy)hence, astrobiology.
Yesterday, Europa floated on the giant screen next to Dr. Christopher Chyba, the Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute. Chyba described our current understanding of Europa, using photographs and evidence from the Voyager and Galileo missions to Jupiter. Like other solar system bodies, Europa is about 4.5 billion years old, but recent analysis of the crater density on its icy surface reveals that Europa is very geologically activethe surface is only about 50 million years old. The pull and tug of Jupiters gravity and magnetic fields keep Europas subsurface ocean liquid, and drive the surface recycling system. The hunt for life as we know it guides us toward places where there is liquid water, and Europa is certainly one of those. Chyba closed with a vivid photograph of giant, terrestrial tubeworms that live on hydrogen sulfide near Earths seafloor volcanic vents. He asked us to imagine seafloor life on Europa; something that until a few years ago we simply did not imagine existed here on Earth.
Today Im looking forward to the debate about the ancient fossils found in Australian rock. Dr. Bill Schopf of UCLA speaks first, defending his discovery of microfossils in samples from Australia. Dr. Martin Brasier of University of Oxford, UK, follows with an oral presentation that questions Schopfs evidence and conclusions. At first glance, this may seem a touch obscure, but its at the heart of good science. Its all about the careful collection of observations and evidence followed by the interpretation and defense in the public forum of the scientific community. This argument carries on the debate that has already been published in the prestigious journal, Nature, this spring. Now, these scientists will present for their colleagues. Like the argument that swirled and continues to eddy around photographs of minute structures in the Martian meteorite, ALH840001, the evidence for these Australian microfossils is strongly debated. Its the very stuff of scientific discovery and progress, and points to the challenges of identifying and understanding life here on Earth and beyond.
And what was I looking forward to on Wednesday, April 10? Dr. Jill Tarter, the Oliver Chair for the Study of SETI at the Institute will present "SETI: Pulling Signals Out of Cosmic Noise." There are more than a dozen privately funded SETI projects worldwide, including the worlds largest distributed computing project currently running. As one legitimate scientific method of attempting to answer the "Are we alone?" question posed by NAI, searching for evidence of technological civilizations offers a different, appealing and popular approach. Tarter will share the current state and future of SETI projects and future telescopes. As a private endeavor, SETI thrives and I expect will be well received by the astrobiologists.
NASAs Astrobiology Institute (NAI) represents a partnership between NASA and 14 major national and three international research institutions to promote interdisciplinary research and train a new generation of researchers in the new discipline of astrobiology. This consortium is a "virtual institute" with each organization driving a research program within their own institution with the support of NAI. Each US participant competed for membership and funding. In the fall of 2002, NAI will request proposals from existing and new organizations to expand the membership of NAI. Internationally, NAI partners include the Australian Astrobiology Centre at Macquarie University in New South Wales, United Kingdom Astrobiology Forum in Britain, and Centro de Astrobiologia in Spain. For more information on Astrobiology, visit http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov