Chris McKay: Searching for Life on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus (Titan, too)

Google Tech Talks May 22, 2007 ABSTRACT Presented by Dr. Chris McKay, NASA Ames Research Center One of the main goals of astrobiology is the search for another type of life in our solar system. The planet Mars, Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter, and Enceladus one of the moons of Saturn, are the most likely targets for this search. With only one example of life on Earth it is not too surprising that we lack a precise definition of life or a clear strategy for how to search for it on other worlds. Studies of the limits of life and life in extreme environment may help us develop a search strategy for life on other worlds. Fossils are not enough. We will want to determine if life on elsewhere was a separate genesis from life on Earth. For this determination we need to access intact alien life; possibly frozen in the deep old permafrost of Mars or the icy surfaces of Europa and Enceladus. This Space Exploration series talk was hosted by Boris Debic.