Jane Gilhooly
University
of Maryland
Share my passion for astrobiology.
Ever since the dawn of time humankind has pondered the mysteries of the Universe. Today, as a society we are captivated by the possibilities of life among billions upon billions of undiscovered worlds. We now live during a technologically significant era, a time where our gaze extends far into our own galaxy, as well as deep into the Cosmos. Astronomers are discovering new worlds on a regular basis, with ever increasing capability to discover earth-like planets every year. This prospect sparks the imagination! You hardly need to think long of the possibilities, after all, that is what science fiction authors have been doing for centuries.
From this spark the science of astrobiology has been born. What is astrobiology? It is a multi-disciplinary science dedicated to understanding the origins of life and the possibilities of finding life elsewhere. By "multi-disciplinary" I mean encompassing scientists of several specialties all making unique contributions to the same quest. For example, biologists ask themselves, How did life arise on our planet, and how is it that life here makes use of specific chemical reactions and molecules? What constraints might lead to life elsewhere than Earth? Could we recognize such life? Similarly, geochemists and geologists are looking at how life has been impacted by global processes over Earth's history. Astronomers are in the unique position of deciphering all these possibilities to make our best estimates as to where else we might find life in our galaxy, how we can detect it, and what stages our galaxy and solar system went through to lead to all the right ingredients for life in the one place we know for sure it exists- here on Earth.
Have I caught your attention? Would you like to learn more? Click here! I want to learn more about astrobiology!
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Trivia Question: How many cats do Jane and her husband have?
4:
Daisy, Wizard, Krackle and GC. Can you find pictures of all of them on this web
site?