NASA’s Astrobiology Program investigates life in the universe on many levels: how it began, how it evolved here on Earth, and where it might exist elsewhere.
Even as we search for the existence of life on other plantes, we continue to learn about life on our own planet. For example, it was just 50 years ago that researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discovered life at the deepest parts of the ocean. This discovery revolutionized our understanding of how and where life could exist on Earth and even on other planets.
Given that discovery and the five decades of research since, it’s not surprising that NASA is turning to oceanographers and biologists to better understand conditions under which we might find life in other parts of the universe.
NASA’s Astrobiology Program solicited grant proposals from throughout the country. Of the four flagship research projects selected, two are being led by researchers here on Cape Cod: one from WHOI and one from MBL. We talk with Chris German, senior scientist in geology & geophysics at Woods Hole Oceanographic and Emil Ruff, microbial ecologist at the Ecosystems Center at Marine Biological Laboratory about their work.
