Introduction to Astrobiology: Life in the Universe
- Dev
- Sep 10, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 3, 2021
Have you ever wondered about life elsewhere in the universe? Has this question of "Are we alone?" ever crossed your mind? Does the universe fascinate you? If yes, then this article is for you!
In this article, we are going to talk about Astrobiology - a new and emerging field in astronomy!
CONTENTS
a) Astrobiology: Introduction
b) Research in Astrobiology
c) How can you become an astrobiologist?
1) ASTROBIOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION
The universe we live in is a vast (and strange) one. There are billions (maybe trillions) of stars, planets, asteroids and much more! There could be many universes as well, who knows?
Since childhood, many of us have heard/read/watched articles and videos of UFO sightings and aliens, right? There are several research centres across the Earth where scientists are involved in research on this topic. But what is the study of life in the universe called?
This subject is called Astrobiology. It is the study of life across the universe and the emergence of life on Earth. The scientists involved in this subject are called Astrobiologists. Sounds cool! Right?
2) RESEARCH IN ASTROBIOLOGY
Research subjects in astrobiology involve a variety of topics. Research on the evolution of life on Earth has been one of the most prominent research areas in astrobiology. The research on astrobiology revolves around three basic questions: How does life begin and evolve? Does life exist anywhere else in the Universe? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?
The above picture of the 2020 Mars Rover, also called the Perseverance Rover which landed on the Martian surface on 18 February 2021. This mission is NASA's first astrobiology mission. There are many more planned missions in astrobiology.
For more information about research in astrobiology, click here.
3) HOW CAN YOU BECOME AN ASTROBIOLOGIST?
Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary subject that involves astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics and mathematics. Anyone could become an astrobiologist, given that the person is involved in studying the above-mentioned subjects in college or university.
Can't wait to study astrobiology but still in school? No worries! I have other ways for you! You can satisfy your curiosity about astrobiology through online courses or reading books.
Online education websites such as Coursera, edX, Udemy and many others offer courses on astrobiology and astronomy.
List of a few online courses on astrobiology:-
1) Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life - by Prof. Charles Cockell
2) Astrobiology: Exploring Other Worlds - by Prof. Chris Impey
3) Super-Earths and Life - by Prof. Dimitar Sasselov
If you have trouble accessing these courses, you can read various books on astrobiology as well. You can find them on the internet.
You can also listen to or watch podcasts or webinars on astrobiology like #AskAnAstrobiologist.
For more information on the same, you can visit NASA's Astrobiology website.
Thank you for reading this far! I hope now you have a basic idea of what astrobiology is and how you could be part of something exciting!
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