Astrobiology
is the study of the origins, evolution, distribution and future of life in the
universe. In April 2008, the global community of scholars engaged in
astrobiology will meet at "AbSciCon
2008" in Silicon Valley at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The
meeting will combine plenary events with focused topical sessions that broadly
relate to three major scientific themes:
- The Astrophysical and Planetary Context for Life
- The Origin and Evolution of Life
- The Search for Life in our Solar System and
Beyond
This will
be the fifth AbSciCon conference over the past decade. More than 600
scientists, engineers, students and educators have contributed abstracts for
oral talks and posters. Their research ranges from issues of planetary
protection, space exploration, instrument development, to the realm of extreme
life on Earth, what we might find on Mars, and whether SETI will succeed. It's
an exciting time to be search for life in the universe, and this meeting will bring
together prominent scientists who lead this quest.
Astrobiologists
are interested in fundamental questions: How does life begin and evolve? Is
there life beyond Earth and how can we detect it? What is the future of life on
Earth and in the universe? Astrobiology attracts scientists and engineers from
astronomy, astrophysics, planetary geology, physics, chemistry, ecology,
microbiology, evolutionary biology, etc. Many disciplines are required to probe
for answers, and astrobiology has evolved as a new discipline in science over
the past decade.
NASA's
Astrobiology Institute is comprised of 16 different universities and research
organizations that collaborate to explore this field. Beyond the USA, astrobiology programs have developed in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and elsewhere. An excellent directory of
astrobiology programs and publications is available on NASA's website.
The SETI
Institute is hosting the upcoming AbSciCon 2008, and we look forward to an
exciting meeting this spring. Registration is now
open for AbSciCon 2008. For further information, please visit the AbSciCon
2008 website: http://abscicon.seti.org/.
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