Space biology: Understanding the life in the Universe

Kurzfassung

Astrobiology tackles the question on the origins and distribution of life in the universe in a multidisciplinary scientific approach. It involves scientists from a wide variety of disciplines, such as astronomy, planetary research, organic chemistry, paleontology and the various subdisciplines of biology including microbial ecology and molecular biology. Pieces of information provided by each discipline have contributed to the conception of the phenomenon of life within the process of cosmic evolution. New techniques that have been developed within the various disciplines are now accessible. Besides space technology and various remote sensing techniques, they include among others radioastronomical molecular spectroscopy, isotope fractionation analysis, nucleic acid and protein sequencing technology, immunofluorescence approach for the detection of hitherto uncultured microorganisms, and sensitive assays in organic chemistry and radiation biochemistry. Their application has already led to several conceptional breakthroughs, especially in the field of early biological evolution and in the detection of extrasolar planetary systems. The final goal of astrobiology is building the foundations for the construction and testing of meaningful axioms to support a theory of life. The discovery of a second genesis of life, either directly from planetary missions within our Solar System, e.g., on our neighbor planet Mars or Jupiter’s moon Europa, or indirectly by radioastromony, would provide clues necessary to reach a universal definition of life.