Exobiology

Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute
Astrobiology.com
NASA
The Worlds of David Darling
Astrobiology at Arizona State University

Scientists:  Life on Mars Likely -Evidence is building to suggest biological processes might be operating on the red planet, and life on Mars, many scientists believe, is now more a likelihood than merely a possibility....Read more from Wired News.  5/4/05

Biologically Enhanced Energy and Carbon Cycling on Titan?-With the Cassini-Huygens Mission in orbit around Saturn, the large moon Titan, with its reducing atmosphere, rich organic chemistry, and heterogeneous surface, moves into the astrobiological spotlight....Read more. 5/1/05

Terraforming Mars-Artificial greenhouse gases that are bad news on Earth could provide the means to make Mars a more comfortable place for humans to live.  FirstScience.com 2/07/05

Earth Microbes on the Moon-this is a story from NASA on the 50-100 organisms known as Streptococcus mitis which survived launch, space vacuum, 3 years of radiation exposure, deep-freeze at an average temperature of only 20 degrees above absolute zero, and no nutrient, water or energy source.   In November, 1969, the Surveyor 3 spacecraft's microorganisms were recovered from inside its camera that was brought back to Earth under sterile conditions by the Apollo 12 crew.   2/7/05

Astrobiology Roadmap-Here is a description from this NASA website.  "This Roadmap outlines how to achieve a better fundamental understanding both of our own world and also of potential habitable worlds and life beyond Earth. This is an agenda for inspiring the next generation of planetary explorers and stewards to sustain the NASA vision and mission."  It lists advancement in these seven areas as its key objectives:  Habitable Planets, Life in our Solar System, Origins of Life, Earth's Early Biosphere and Its Environment, Evolution Environment and Limits of Life, Life's Future on Earth and Beyond, Signatures of Life.  2/7/05