Astrobiology

Abstract

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary research area aiming at the understanding of the origin and evolution of life on Earth to enable the search for life on other planets and moons in our solar system and beyond. Different complementary approaches are necessary to identify the physical and chemical limits of life as we know it and to obtain a better understanding of habitability in general. Radiation, ionising radiation as well as extraterrestrial solar UV radiation, is an important factor in space. Laboratory studies allow the in-depth investigation of biological phenomena in a standardized and reproducible environment. Field studies are necessary for the analysis of natural communities adapted to their environment and the interactions of the community members. Space experiments enable the investigations of the response of organisms and communities to the space environment and to the combined simulated planetary conditions, e.g. Mars of the icy moons. In this lecture examples for the different areas of astrobiological research will be given.