1 00:00:14,150 --> 00:00:10,549 good morning good afternoon to everyone 2 00:00:17,269 --> 00:00:14,160 wherever you may be i'm andy burnett um 3 00:00:20,070 --> 00:00:17,279 i am one of the organizers for this 4 00:00:21,750 --> 00:00:20,080 overall road mapping event and i have a 5 00:00:23,750 --> 00:00:21,760 couple of colleagues with me 6 00:00:26,310 --> 00:00:23,760 stavros i suppose actually just pointing 7 00:00:29,429 --> 00:00:26,320 from my end doesn't really help and uh 8 00:00:31,669 --> 00:00:29,439 to my left my colleague tim morley um 9 00:00:34,389 --> 00:00:31,679 and hopefully we'll be meeting many of 10 00:00:38,630 --> 00:00:34,399 you when we come to the face-to-face 11 00:00:40,709 --> 00:00:38,640 uh workshop on this now in the intro um 12 00:00:43,750 --> 00:00:40,719 for the technical overview mike did 13 00:00:46,229 --> 00:00:43,760 mention that we're recording everything 14 00:00:49,430 --> 00:00:46,239 but just in case anyone joined just 15 00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:49,440 after he he'd said that um for full 16 00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:50,960 disclosure all we're doing is we're 17 00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:53,280 recording these sessions and we'll put 18 00:00:56,869 --> 00:00:55,360 them up there's a youtube 19 00:00:59,189 --> 00:00:56,879 channel and 20 00:01:01,270 --> 00:00:59,199 so everything that we say in the chat 21 00:01:03,750 --> 00:01:01,280 window or that uh that anyone talks 22 00:01:07,030 --> 00:01:03,760 about participants and presenters will 23 00:01:07,830 --> 00:01:07,040 be available on the uh on the internet 24 00:01:10,230 --> 00:01:07,840 now 25 00:01:13,270 --> 00:01:10,240 this is the first of a series of 26 00:01:14,630 --> 00:01:13,280 webinars which are designed to build up 27 00:01:17,190 --> 00:01:14,640 um 28 00:01:19,990 --> 00:01:17,200 our collective understanding on the 29 00:01:23,350 --> 00:01:20,000 topics which will then apply in the road 30 00:01:24,789 --> 00:01:23,360 mapping workshop um and our hope is that 31 00:01:26,870 --> 00:01:24,799 workshop will involve people 32 00:01:28,390 --> 00:01:26,880 participating both physically and 33 00:01:29,749 --> 00:01:28,400 virtually so 34 00:01:32,630 --> 00:01:29,759 i think it's important to recognize that 35 00:01:33,830 --> 00:01:32,640 this is a an ongoing process but these 36 00:01:36,390 --> 00:01:33,840 uh first 37 00:01:38,069 --> 00:01:36,400 webinars are very important parts of the 38 00:01:41,670 --> 00:01:38,079 input for that 39 00:01:43,510 --> 00:01:41,680 so we have um assembled a panel to give 40 00:01:46,069 --> 00:01:43,520 us provocative thoughts we have the 41 00:01:48,950 --> 00:01:46,079 opportunity to do q a during this 42 00:01:52,109 --> 00:01:48,960 webinar and there is if you are not 43 00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:52,119 aware of it already there is a website 44 00:01:56,310 --> 00:01:54,240 astrobiologyfuture.org we encourage 45 00:01:58,789 --> 00:01:56,320 everyone to register there we will be 46 00:02:00,630 --> 00:01:58,799 holding discussions on that following 47 00:02:01,510 --> 00:02:00,640 each of the webinars 48 00:02:03,830 --> 00:02:01,520 and 49 00:02:06,149 --> 00:02:03,840 we'll then be taking the input from that 50 00:02:09,910 --> 00:02:06,159 and that forms part of the input for the 51 00:02:11,589 --> 00:02:09,920 roadmapping workshop um now i see i've 52 00:02:12,390 --> 00:02:11,599 got sean 53 00:02:14,790 --> 00:02:12,400 in 54 00:02:16,790 --> 00:02:14,800 the group here i don't have michael sean 55 00:02:20,309 --> 00:02:16,800 at this point let me just ask is there 56 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:20,319 anything that you want to add and i'm 57 00:02:23,990 --> 00:02:22,720 hoping that you have the ability 58 00:02:27,350 --> 00:02:24,000 to talk because i see you're in the 59 00:02:28,630 --> 00:02:27,360 participants list 60 00:02:32,150 --> 00:02:28,640 so 61 00:02:35,350 --> 00:02:32,160 if i have just silence of the oh hang on 62 00:02:38,309 --> 00:02:35,360 hello excuse my ignorance hey 63 00:02:41,750 --> 00:02:38,319 um is there anything that you want to 64 00:02:43,190 --> 00:02:41,760 add by way of intro for the participants 65 00:02:44,869 --> 00:02:43,200 on this 66 00:02:46,630 --> 00:02:44,879 uh i would i think i would just 67 00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:46,640 echo thanks to everyone that's going to 68 00:02:50,309 --> 00:02:48,640 participate because we we really value 69 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:50,319 this activity and think it's important 70 00:02:53,030 --> 00:02:51,360 to 71 00:02:54,790 --> 00:02:53,040 get as much community involvement as 72 00:02:56,710 --> 00:02:54,800 possible and setting a future course for 73 00:03:00,229 --> 00:02:56,720 the field and for all of these different 74 00:03:04,229 --> 00:03:01,270 brilliant 75 00:03:06,869 --> 00:03:04,239 all right thanks very much um 76 00:03:09,030 --> 00:03:06,879 let me start then by just asking the 77 00:03:11,350 --> 00:03:09,040 panelists to introduce themselves 78 00:03:13,990 --> 00:03:11,360 briefly and i'll start on my left 79 00:03:18,070 --> 00:03:16,550 hi so i'm victoria meadows i'm the 80 00:03:19,589 --> 00:03:18,080 principal investigator for the nasa 81 00:03:21,589 --> 00:03:19,599 astrobiology institute's virtual 82 00:03:23,190 --> 00:03:21,599 planetary laboratory i'm also the 83 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:23,200 director for the astrobiology graduate 84 00:03:27,110 --> 00:03:25,360 program here at university of washington 85 00:03:28,869 --> 00:03:27,120 and i was trained as a planetary 86 00:03:30,229 --> 00:03:28,879 astronomer and i'm very interested in 87 00:03:32,630 --> 00:03:30,239 questions of extrasolar planet 88 00:03:34,070 --> 00:03:32,640 habitability 89 00:03:35,670 --> 00:03:34,080 cool 90 00:03:40,869 --> 00:03:35,680 tori 91 00:03:42,949 --> 00:03:40,879 i am a chemist by background and and 92 00:03:45,030 --> 00:03:42,959 then have training in oceanography 93 00:03:46,710 --> 00:03:45,040 i work now mostly in microsoft 94 00:03:48,550 --> 00:03:46,720 ecosystems but always with an eye toward 95 00:03:50,550 --> 00:03:48,560 better understanding 96 00:03:54,470 --> 00:03:50,560 what habitability is and how organisms 97 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,149 excellent chris 98 00:04:02,550 --> 00:04:00,630 i'm chris house i'm a professor of 99 00:04:03,990 --> 00:04:02,560 geosciences at penn state i'm also the 100 00:04:05,270 --> 00:04:04,000 director for the penn state astrobiology 101 00:04:07,589 --> 00:04:05,280 research center 102 00:04:09,830 --> 00:04:07,599 my background is degrees is in 103 00:04:12,949 --> 00:04:09,840 biochemistry and in geology 104 00:04:15,509 --> 00:04:12,959 and my interest 105 00:04:17,270 --> 00:04:15,519 uh microbial life in unusual places its 106 00:04:20,710 --> 00:04:17,280 metabolism and the signatures that it 107 00:04:24,230 --> 00:04:21,749 thank you 108 00:04:25,189 --> 00:04:24,240 and kelsey 109 00:04:28,629 --> 00:04:25,199 hi 110 00:04:31,270 --> 00:04:28,639 university in st louis and i just 111 00:04:33,590 --> 00:04:31,280 completed my phd studying the itunes 112 00:04:35,510 --> 00:04:33,600 wounds of jupiter and saturn and i'm 113 00:04:37,030 --> 00:04:35,520 going to be starting a postdoc 114 00:04:38,390 --> 00:04:37,040 looking at earth's moons a little bit 115 00:04:40,469 --> 00:04:38,400 closer to home 116 00:04:42,870 --> 00:04:40,479 and what i do is currently do is 117 00:04:47,110 --> 00:04:42,880 consider geology and geophysics 118 00:04:51,030 --> 00:04:49,590 excellent okay thank you very much 119 00:04:54,150 --> 00:04:51,040 um now 120 00:04:56,710 --> 00:04:54,160 mike at this point i'm just going to ask 121 00:05:00,710 --> 00:04:56,720 we had a slide pack 122 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,670 it's amazing isn't it power of the mind 123 00:05:09,110 --> 00:05:07,270 and uh to change slides and use the 124 00:05:11,590 --> 00:05:09,120 arrow icons at the bottom of that share 125 00:05:13,510 --> 00:05:11,600 pod gotcha thank you 126 00:05:16,310 --> 00:05:13,520 and just to remind folks we we do have a 127 00:05:18,310 --> 00:05:16,320 few open mics if you can press pound uh 128 00:05:19,909 --> 00:05:18,320 sorry star six that will mute your 129 00:05:21,909 --> 00:05:19,919 microphone and then we won't hear as 130 00:05:25,670 --> 00:05:21,919 much of the background static some of 131 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:25,680 you might be hearing now thanks 132 00:05:28,390 --> 00:05:27,360 fantastic thank you 133 00:05:29,830 --> 00:05:28,400 um 134 00:05:31,590 --> 00:05:29,840 okay 135 00:05:32,950 --> 00:05:31,600 when i first saw this slide which was 136 00:05:35,110 --> 00:05:32,960 put together i call it what i have to 137 00:05:37,350 --> 00:05:35,120 admit every time i um 138 00:05:39,270 --> 00:05:37,360 when i see the telescopes it just 139 00:05:41,909 --> 00:05:39,280 distracts me from whatever it says next 140 00:05:43,670 --> 00:05:41,919 to it so just focusing on the words for 141 00:05:46,070 --> 00:05:43,680 a moment 142 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:46,080 done opens welcoming the agenda for 143 00:05:51,510 --> 00:05:48,880 today is fairly straightforward uh as 144 00:05:54,469 --> 00:05:51,520 i've already outlined so what i wanted 145 00:05:57,590 --> 00:05:54,479 to do i'm going to skip over 146 00:05:59,830 --> 00:05:57,600 this slide i wanted to move to what 147 00:06:01,029 --> 00:05:59,840 we've actually asked the panelists to 148 00:06:03,430 --> 00:06:01,039 talk about 149 00:06:05,749 --> 00:06:03,440 and the format we'd like to use is 150 00:06:09,270 --> 00:06:05,759 really just to invite whoever wants to 151 00:06:10,950 --> 00:06:09,280 go first on this michael hello 152 00:06:13,510 --> 00:06:10,960 um 153 00:06:16,870 --> 00:06:13,520 to to kick us off with our first 154 00:06:19,510 --> 00:06:16,880 question um with regards to astrobiology 155 00:06:21,990 --> 00:06:19,520 for the non-scientists so we're not 156 00:06:23,990 --> 00:06:22,000 looking for rather stilted responses 157 00:06:26,309 --> 00:06:24,000 from everyone we want to get the 158 00:06:28,790 --> 00:06:26,319 thoughts whoever wants to go first how 159 00:06:30,790 --> 00:06:28,800 do you go about tackling this and my 160 00:06:33,270 --> 00:06:30,800 colleague stavros is going to monitor 161 00:06:34,550 --> 00:06:33,280 our chat window as well and so every so 162 00:06:37,510 --> 00:06:34,560 often we might 163 00:06:44,629 --> 00:06:37,520 poke people with another question 164 00:06:49,110 --> 00:06:47,430 all right i guess i'll jump in 165 00:06:51,189 --> 00:06:49,120 starting with the first one uh how would 166 00:06:52,390 --> 00:06:51,199 i describe astrobiology for solar system 167 00:06:54,150 --> 00:06:52,400 exploration 168 00:06:56,150 --> 00:06:54,160 to a non-scientist i guess i would say 169 00:06:58,070 --> 00:06:56,160 that um you know there are there are 170 00:07:00,710 --> 00:06:58,080 both theoretical and 171 00:07:03,749 --> 00:07:00,720 practical concrete aspects to what we do 172 00:07:05,670 --> 00:07:03,759 in astrobiology uh and and when it comes 173 00:07:07,589 --> 00:07:05,680 time to actually go looking when it 174 00:07:09,189 --> 00:07:07,599 comes time to mount a search you have to 175 00:07:11,589 --> 00:07:09,199 settle on some 176 00:07:13,350 --> 00:07:11,599 uh concrete specifics that you use to 177 00:07:15,589 --> 00:07:13,360 parameterize whatever tools you're 178 00:07:18,070 --> 00:07:15,599 you're observing with uh or decide where 179 00:07:19,270 --> 00:07:18,080 to where to observe to begin with and 180 00:07:21,430 --> 00:07:19,280 there's a certain amount that can be 181 00:07:23,029 --> 00:07:21,440 done here at home by examining 182 00:07:25,029 --> 00:07:23,039 ecosystems that we have right here 183 00:07:26,629 --> 00:07:25,039 understanding life and its more general 184 00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:26,639 aspects 185 00:07:29,589 --> 00:07:28,000 that can take you some distance along 186 00:07:31,990 --> 00:07:29,599 the way to deciding what those concrete 187 00:07:33,270 --> 00:07:32,000 specifics should be and so in my mind at 188 00:07:35,990 --> 00:07:33,280 least 189 00:07:36,950 --> 00:07:36,000 this particular part of the discussion 190 00:07:40,710 --> 00:07:36,960 um 191 00:07:42,070 --> 00:07:40,720 relates to uh to how do you 192 00:07:44,309 --> 00:07:42,080 you know how do you study and understand 193 00:07:50,070 --> 00:07:44,319 systems here on earth in order to better 194 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:55,670 other thoughts 195 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,189 i can't share something 196 00:08:03,670 --> 00:08:01,990 okay uh yeah so i also kind of thought 197 00:08:05,270 --> 00:08:03,680 we might have similar answers to this 198 00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:05,280 question but um 199 00:08:09,830 --> 00:08:07,680 i guess i just wanted to emphasize that 200 00:08:11,909 --> 00:08:09,840 at least for me um the interdisciplinary 201 00:08:14,710 --> 00:08:11,919 nature how we can't answer these 202 00:08:17,749 --> 00:08:14,720 questions about life without having all 203 00:08:18,629 --> 00:08:17,759 these uh different fields come together 204 00:08:20,950 --> 00:08:18,639 um 205 00:08:22,390 --> 00:08:20,960 and so you know besides just being a big 206 00:08:25,510 --> 00:08:22,400 umbrella term 207 00:08:27,350 --> 00:08:25,520 for all this research that can relate to 208 00:08:28,469 --> 00:08:27,360 life in the universe which is a very big 209 00:08:30,390 --> 00:08:28,479 topic 210 00:08:31,990 --> 00:08:30,400 i like the fact that it's really like we 211 00:08:33,829 --> 00:08:32,000 have to come together to be able to do 212 00:08:37,589 --> 00:08:33,839 this we couldn't do it in our individual 213 00:08:42,070 --> 00:08:39,670 chris 214 00:08:44,149 --> 00:08:42,080 yeah i mean i agree with both tori and 215 00:08:46,389 --> 00:08:44,159 kelsey i want to just 216 00:08:48,710 --> 00:08:46,399 i guess add that that this is one of the 217 00:08:51,110 --> 00:08:48,720 central questions in astrobiology is to 218 00:08:52,790 --> 00:08:51,120 ultimately take the knowledge and 219 00:08:54,550 --> 00:08:52,800 go out and search 220 00:08:56,949 --> 00:08:54,560 um and so we need 221 00:08:59,030 --> 00:08:56,959 both time-tested approaches and some 222 00:09:00,710 --> 00:08:59,040 out-of-the-box approaches in order to 223 00:09:02,389 --> 00:09:00,720 get time-tested approaches you have to 224 00:09:03,910 --> 00:09:02,399 use those approaches here on earth and 225 00:09:06,150 --> 00:09:03,920 in different environments past and 226 00:09:07,990 --> 00:09:06,160 present and to get out of the box sort 227 00:09:09,829 --> 00:09:08,000 of approaches you also need to spend 228 00:09:11,750 --> 00:09:09,839 some effort and some time and 229 00:09:14,230 --> 00:09:11,760 looking at ecosystems and environments 230 00:09:18,550 --> 00:09:14,240 and unusual environments as well as 231 00:09:22,630 --> 00:09:20,230 victoria do you want around nothing on 232 00:09:24,630 --> 00:09:22,640 that um yeah yeah so i agree i mean one 233 00:09:26,790 --> 00:09:24,640 of the major components of this theme is 234 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:26,800 is sort of taking what we can learn from 235 00:09:29,750 --> 00:09:28,560 earth life and environments to try and 236 00:09:31,110 --> 00:09:29,760 understand potentially habitable 237 00:09:32,949 --> 00:09:31,120 environments you know that might exist 238 00:09:35,509 --> 00:09:32,959 on solar system planets and satellites 239 00:09:36,949 --> 00:09:35,519 and extrasolar planets um but also i 240 00:09:39,590 --> 00:09:36,959 believe part of this theme is also 241 00:09:41,509 --> 00:09:39,600 looking at biosignatures and and part of 242 00:09:43,269 --> 00:09:41,519 that is is looking at sort of the effect 243 00:09:44,790 --> 00:09:43,279 that life has on its environment on this 244 00:09:46,630 --> 00:09:44,800 planet here where we have you know the 245 00:09:48,470 --> 00:09:46,640 only example of a known 246 00:09:50,470 --> 00:09:48,480 inhabited planet at the moment and 247 00:09:51,990 --> 00:09:50,480 determining how those effects might be 248 00:09:53,990 --> 00:09:52,000 different for different environments 249 00:09:56,550 --> 00:09:54,000 sort of for for more non-earth-like or 250 00:09:58,310 --> 00:09:56,560 non-earth type environments um so for 251 00:09:59,829 --> 00:09:58,320 example i sort of think of you know 252 00:10:02,150 --> 00:09:59,839 based on what i can learn about earth 253 00:10:04,310 --> 00:10:02,160 buyer signatures what might i be looking 254 00:10:05,670 --> 00:10:04,320 for on extrasolar planets that have say 255 00:10:10,710 --> 00:10:05,680 a different composition or a different 256 00:10:15,670 --> 00:10:13,990 for for the non-scientists 257 00:10:18,710 --> 00:10:15,680 what is it that's fundamentally 258 00:10:20,150 --> 00:10:18,720 different about astrobiology from 259 00:10:21,509 --> 00:10:20,160 biology 260 00:10:24,550 --> 00:10:21,519 is it 261 00:10:29,910 --> 00:10:24,560 difficult 262 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,150 um 263 00:10:37,269 --> 00:10:35,269 yeah sure i was just going to say 264 00:10:39,030 --> 00:10:37,279 astrobiology may not be biology at all i 265 00:10:41,269 --> 00:10:39,040 mean astrobiology is kind of a blanket 266 00:10:42,230 --> 00:10:41,279 term for a very interdisciplinary uh 267 00:10:43,910 --> 00:10:42,240 study 268 00:10:45,430 --> 00:10:43,920 and at its core of course we have this 269 00:10:47,509 --> 00:10:45,440 search for life in the universe but you 270 00:10:49,509 --> 00:10:47,519 can still be an astrobiologist and and 271 00:10:51,430 --> 00:10:49,519 sort of study interiors of planets or or 272 00:10:53,030 --> 00:10:51,440 whatever uh as long as you're feeding 273 00:10:54,630 --> 00:10:53,040 into this theme of trying to understand 274 00:10:56,790 --> 00:10:54,640 the distribution and type of habit of 275 00:10:58,310 --> 00:10:56,800 worlds that might be out there so the 276 00:10:59,990 --> 00:10:58,320 difference between i think astrobiology 277 00:11:02,310 --> 00:11:00,000 and biology is you know biology is a 278 00:11:04,389 --> 00:11:02,320 specific discipline that looks at life 279 00:11:06,389 --> 00:11:04,399 whereas astrobiology brings together 280 00:11:08,550 --> 00:11:06,399 many disciplines to answer the question 281 00:11:10,069 --> 00:11:08,560 of where life is in the universe and 282 00:11:12,389 --> 00:11:10,079 where we might find it and what it might 283 00:11:15,990 --> 00:11:12,399 be like 284 00:11:19,829 --> 00:11:17,590 yeah i would add something to that that 285 00:11:21,590 --> 00:11:19,839 that for me goes to 286 00:11:23,750 --> 00:11:21,600 each of the next two questions and that 287 00:11:25,990 --> 00:11:23,760 is i think that biology has followed a 288 00:11:27,750 --> 00:11:26,000 path that is appropriately very specific 289 00:11:30,150 --> 00:11:27,760 i mean the revolution that's happening 290 00:11:31,910 --> 00:11:30,160 in biology over the last decade or so 291 00:11:33,509 --> 00:11:31,920 is enabled by tools that are incredibly 292 00:11:35,110 --> 00:11:33,519 specific to our kind of life and our 293 00:11:37,030 --> 00:11:35,120 kind of biochemistry and i think one of 294 00:11:39,670 --> 00:11:37,040 the real critical needs 295 00:11:41,110 --> 00:11:39,680 uh in astrobiology for for defining what 296 00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:41,120 are appropriate biosignatures for 297 00:11:44,470 --> 00:11:42,640 understanding what habitability really 298 00:11:46,310 --> 00:11:44,480 means is that we need to take a more 299 00:11:48,150 --> 00:11:46,320 general perspective and understand life 300 00:11:49,430 --> 00:11:48,160 in its fundamental aspects and and in 301 00:11:50,949 --> 00:11:49,440 some way 302 00:11:52,150 --> 00:11:50,959 you know in some forms 303 00:11:53,910 --> 00:11:52,160 um 304 00:11:55,750 --> 00:11:53,920 that runs a little bit different to the 305 00:11:58,710 --> 00:11:55,760 way that biology is unfolding a lot of 306 00:12:00,150 --> 00:11:58,720 the tools that we use are similar 307 00:12:01,910 --> 00:12:00,160 but i think the perspective that we have 308 00:12:03,910 --> 00:12:01,920 to take on the life itself is different 309 00:12:05,590 --> 00:12:03,920 rather than an incredibly specific 310 00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:05,600 perspective i think we need to be 311 00:12:09,430 --> 00:12:08,320 generalists and so in some ways 312 00:12:11,590 --> 00:12:09,440 you know the biology part in 313 00:12:13,030 --> 00:12:11,600 astrobiology is as much chemistry as it 314 00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:13,040 is uh 315 00:12:16,629 --> 00:12:15,120 biology and and for me that becomes 316 00:12:20,710 --> 00:12:16,639 important in considering these next two 317 00:12:24,870 --> 00:12:22,790 chris earlier on i saw you flick 318 00:12:27,269 --> 00:12:24,880 yourself off mute was there something 319 00:12:29,350 --> 00:12:27,279 you wanted to add on there 320 00:12:30,949 --> 00:12:29,360 well i was just uh i i think victoria 321 00:12:33,430 --> 00:12:30,959 had said basically what i was going to 322 00:12:34,870 --> 00:12:33,440 say is that the critical 323 00:12:36,550 --> 00:12:34,880 one of the critical differences between 324 00:12:38,389 --> 00:12:36,560 astrobiology and biology is certainly 325 00:12:40,150 --> 00:12:38,399 not just hardcore biology it is 326 00:12:41,990 --> 00:12:40,160 fundamentally different fields 327 00:12:44,069 --> 00:12:42,000 and victoria covered that 328 00:12:46,949 --> 00:12:44,079 and i also agree with tori that it's 329 00:12:51,110 --> 00:12:46,959 very much chemistry and geochemistry and 330 00:12:52,550 --> 00:12:51,120 geology because we're talking about 331 00:12:54,949 --> 00:12:52,560 uh um 332 00:12:57,509 --> 00:12:54,959 looking for the chemistry of life 333 00:12:58,629 --> 00:12:57,519 byproducts of life in the atmosphere 334 00:13:05,750 --> 00:12:58,639 metaboli 335 00:13:07,269 --> 00:13:05,760 not necessarily what biologists do 336 00:13:12,230 --> 00:13:07,279 when they're they're very specific 337 00:13:17,509 --> 00:13:14,870 michael can you can you hear us and do 338 00:13:19,590 --> 00:13:17,519 you have a mic 339 00:13:20,470 --> 00:13:19,600 yeah i do 340 00:13:22,870 --> 00:13:20,480 okay 341 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:22,880 um so thankful uh 342 00:13:28,150 --> 00:13:25,760 yeah we can so for our participants 343 00:13:29,910 --> 00:13:28,160 because michael um joined just at the 344 00:13:32,829 --> 00:13:29,920 start of this actually would you like to 345 00:13:37,190 --> 00:13:35,110 yourself michael new i'm the 346 00:13:38,470 --> 00:13:37,200 astrobiology discipline scientist nasa 347 00:13:40,710 --> 00:13:38,480 headquarters 348 00:13:43,590 --> 00:13:40,720 uh which means i helped run the 349 00:13:45,670 --> 00:13:43,600 astrobiology program 350 00:13:47,350 --> 00:13:45,680 part that running the astrology program 351 00:13:50,870 --> 00:13:47,360 means uh putting this kind of thing 352 00:13:56,790 --> 00:13:50,880 together and trying to develop a broadly 353 00:13:59,750 --> 00:13:57,829 and 354 00:14:02,310 --> 00:13:59,760 you were responsible along with your 355 00:14:04,069 --> 00:14:02,320 colleagues for starting to pull together 356 00:14:06,150 --> 00:14:04,079 some of these questions 357 00:14:08,470 --> 00:14:06,160 is there anything that you want to add 358 00:14:10,790 --> 00:14:08,480 in terms of um 359 00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:10,800 describing what you do 360 00:14:13,670 --> 00:14:12,320 to the non-scientists because i imagine 361 00:14:16,870 --> 00:14:13,680 you must have to do this on a fairly 362 00:14:20,710 --> 00:14:16,880 regular basis 363 00:14:22,550 --> 00:14:20,720 well the usual description i give is 364 00:14:24,150 --> 00:14:22,560 we're looking for evidence of life in 365 00:14:25,509 --> 00:14:24,160 the soul in this solar system or other 366 00:14:26,310 --> 00:14:25,519 solar systems 367 00:14:28,150 --> 00:14:26,320 and 368 00:14:30,550 --> 00:14:28,160 the only example of life we have is 369 00:14:32,389 --> 00:14:30,560 earth and so we try to use what we know 370 00:14:34,470 --> 00:14:32,399 about the origin the evolution the 371 00:14:37,269 --> 00:14:34,480 distribution of life on earth 372 00:14:39,829 --> 00:14:37,279 uh in the future of life in order 373 00:14:41,590 --> 00:14:39,839 to try to extrapolate to other bodies 374 00:14:42,790 --> 00:14:41,600 other places and sources from other 375 00:14:45,590 --> 00:14:42,800 places in 376 00:14:48,069 --> 00:14:45,600 the universe so that's basically my 377 00:14:50,470 --> 00:14:48,079 three second uh elevator speech for what 378 00:14:52,949 --> 00:14:50,480 it is i do 379 00:14:55,269 --> 00:14:52,959 cool thank you 380 00:14:56,710 --> 00:14:55,279 all right um stamveros i've been just 381 00:14:58,389 --> 00:14:56,720 looking out of the corner of my eyes so 382 00:15:01,350 --> 00:14:58,399 anything we want to pick up 383 00:15:02,470 --> 00:15:01,360 from the chat at the moment because i 384 00:15:04,470 --> 00:15:02,480 see uh 385 00:15:06,389 --> 00:15:04,480 where's my quite a few people quite a 386 00:15:08,069 --> 00:15:06,399 few people were expressing their their 387 00:15:09,350 --> 00:15:08,079 answer to the question which i think is 388 00:15:11,350 --> 00:15:09,360 great and there's a nice little back 389 00:15:13,670 --> 00:15:11,360 channel chat going on we'll have about 390 00:15:15,269 --> 00:15:13,680 20 minutes of comment and q a at the end 391 00:15:18,310 --> 00:15:15,279 but please continue the back channel 392 00:15:22,150 --> 00:15:18,320 chatting it's very engaging 393 00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:25,509 but quick question for michael knew 394 00:15:28,550 --> 00:15:26,720 and i don't know 395 00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:28,560 obviously other people can also have 396 00:15:32,069 --> 00:15:30,160 answers to this question 397 00:15:34,710 --> 00:15:32,079 but coming from the planetary science 398 00:15:37,910 --> 00:15:34,720 side i'm actually not super familiar 399 00:15:40,629 --> 00:15:37,920 with what the ultimate purposes of the 400 00:15:43,110 --> 00:15:40,639 astrobiology roadmap are what they'll 401 00:15:45,670 --> 00:15:43,120 this document will be used for and how 402 00:15:49,350 --> 00:15:45,680 it's different from detailed surveys 403 00:15:52,550 --> 00:15:50,710 okay so 404 00:15:55,189 --> 00:15:52,560 astrobiology doesn't have a decadal 405 00:15:57,189 --> 00:15:55,199 survey it's we're a sub-part of the 406 00:15:58,949 --> 00:15:57,199 planetary science division 407 00:16:01,110 --> 00:15:58,959 so if you go to look at the planetary 408 00:16:03,189 --> 00:16:01,120 science uh the cable survey that came 409 00:16:05,509 --> 00:16:03,199 out about a year ago 410 00:16:07,749 --> 00:16:05,519 there is no section called astrobiology 411 00:16:09,829 --> 00:16:07,759 but if you read it 412 00:16:13,430 --> 00:16:09,839 ideas from astrobiology completely 413 00:16:16,550 --> 00:16:15,509 because we never had a decadal survey 414 00:16:18,870 --> 00:16:16,560 per se 415 00:16:20,790 --> 00:16:18,880 and because we've always wanted 416 00:16:22,710 --> 00:16:20,800 astrobiology to have some kind of 417 00:16:24,470 --> 00:16:22,720 grounding in what the community thinks 418 00:16:26,310 --> 00:16:24,480 is important 419 00:16:27,829 --> 00:16:26,320 we've been developing these roadmaps we 420 00:16:30,470 --> 00:16:27,839 did the first one in 421 00:16:32,710 --> 00:16:30,480 2003 it was a revision 422 00:16:35,350 --> 00:16:32,720 a big major revision and then 423 00:16:38,150 --> 00:16:35,360 2008 was a minor tweak 424 00:16:39,990 --> 00:16:38,160 and now it's time to really reset it and 425 00:16:41,829 --> 00:16:40,000 ask you know what have we done will be 426 00:16:45,350 --> 00:16:41,839 accomplished and what are our goals for 427 00:16:47,590 --> 00:16:45,360 the next 10 years so in a sense it is a 428 00:16:49,990 --> 00:16:47,600 it's more like a science strategy than 429 00:16:52,069 --> 00:16:50,000 it is a cable survey in that it doesn't 430 00:16:54,230 --> 00:16:52,079 say you shall do this mission or you 431 00:16:56,470 --> 00:16:54,240 must do these measurements but it lays 432 00:16:58,870 --> 00:16:56,480 out the science uh 433 00:17:00,389 --> 00:16:58,880 goals objectives and experiments that 434 00:17:06,630 --> 00:17:00,399 you kind of want to do 435 00:17:11,350 --> 00:17:08,710 great 436 00:17:13,270 --> 00:17:11,360 all right so we we've sort of outlined 437 00:17:15,669 --> 00:17:13,280 our understanding of how we explain it 438 00:17:17,829 --> 00:17:15,679 and uh why it's uh 439 00:17:20,309 --> 00:17:17,839 why it's so challenging in some ways 440 00:17:23,350 --> 00:17:20,319 let's move on to the second point about 441 00:17:25,590 --> 00:17:23,360 the most important research um for 442 00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:25,600 identifying extraterrestrial life and i 443 00:17:28,710 --> 00:17:26,959 have to admit even saying 444 00:17:30,710 --> 00:17:28,720 extraterrestrial life i find quite 445 00:17:31,590 --> 00:17:30,720 exciting um 446 00:17:33,750 --> 00:17:31,600 so 447 00:17:35,590 --> 00:17:33,760 what do we have to do 448 00:17:50,549 --> 00:17:35,600 what's the critical research we've got 449 00:17:53,190 --> 00:17:51,909 i mean i suppose this is one where we're 450 00:17:55,669 --> 00:17:53,200 all gonna be a little bit more biased 451 00:17:58,710 --> 00:17:55,679 but in my own opinion um i would say 452 00:18:02,310 --> 00:17:58,720 that that we need to be focusing on on 453 00:18:04,789 --> 00:18:02,320 chemistry and geochemistry that is 454 00:18:06,470 --> 00:18:04,799 a product of life that can indirectly 455 00:18:10,150 --> 00:18:06,480 detect to tell us whether life was 456 00:18:11,750 --> 00:18:10,160 present past or or active life um 457 00:18:13,990 --> 00:18:11,760 and the reason for that is that 458 00:18:15,270 --> 00:18:14,000 ultimately when you do solar systems 459 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:15,280 exploration 460 00:18:18,070 --> 00:18:16,480 we're going to be talking about 461 00:18:20,470 --> 00:18:18,080 environments where the where an active 462 00:18:23,350 --> 00:18:20,480 biosphere could be very very deep in in 463 00:18:25,430 --> 00:18:23,360 the subsurface or or subsurface planet 464 00:18:27,350 --> 00:18:25,440 or subsurface ice or 465 00:18:30,070 --> 00:18:27,360 on an exoplanet and in in all these 466 00:18:32,150 --> 00:18:30,080 cases uh far removed from potentially 467 00:18:35,669 --> 00:18:32,160 far removed from the observation or of 468 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:35,679 life could be fossil life where now um 469 00:18:39,830 --> 00:18:37,360 the chances of finding the chemistry 470 00:18:42,470 --> 00:18:39,840 that that fos that organism left 471 00:18:43,990 --> 00:18:42,480 billions of years ago is potentially 472 00:18:49,430 --> 00:18:44,000 more likely than finding the actual 473 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:54,310 so we have a vote for geochemistry 474 00:18:58,710 --> 00:18:56,390 where else what else do we be should we 475 00:18:59,510 --> 00:18:58,720 be focusing on 476 00:19:00,789 --> 00:18:59,520 um 477 00:19:02,630 --> 00:19:00,799 victoria 478 00:19:04,390 --> 00:19:02,640 yeah so so i want to say you know from 479 00:19:05,909 --> 00:19:04,400 the i'm i'm in a very different field to 480 00:19:07,430 --> 00:19:05,919 chris my priorities will be different so 481 00:19:09,110 --> 00:19:07,440 i want to say from my point of view for 482 00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:09,120 extrasolar planets i think we really 483 00:19:12,870 --> 00:19:11,039 need to focus on defining new bio 484 00:19:14,230 --> 00:19:12,880 signatures um that aren't the standard 485 00:19:15,510 --> 00:19:14,240 ones associated with oxygenic 486 00:19:16,470 --> 00:19:15,520 photosynthesis 487 00:19:17,990 --> 00:19:16,480 um 488 00:19:19,909 --> 00:19:18,000 for earth-like planets orbiting sunlight 489 00:19:21,510 --> 00:19:19,919 stars that sort of kind of that that's a 490 00:19:24,150 --> 00:19:21,520 core and and maybe we can make very good 491 00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:24,160 arguments for why you know an ecosystem 492 00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:25,600 will eventually evolve to support 493 00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:27,520 photosynthesis but i think we need to 494 00:19:30,549 --> 00:19:28,720 look at these other potential 495 00:19:32,549 --> 00:19:30,559 atmospheric biosignatures as well or 496 00:19:34,150 --> 00:19:32,559 surface fire signatures because we don't 497 00:19:36,070 --> 00:19:34,160 do this then we lower our chances of 498 00:19:38,549 --> 00:19:36,080 succeeding in the search for life life 499 00:19:40,070 --> 00:19:38,559 elsewhere and we also lose sort of an 500 00:19:43,029 --> 00:19:40,080 understanding of the potential diversity 501 00:19:44,630 --> 00:19:43,039 of life and planetary systems out there 502 00:19:46,070 --> 00:19:44,640 but to do this 503 00:19:47,750 --> 00:19:46,080 what goes with this is an improved 504 00:19:49,669 --> 00:19:47,760 understanding of how biosignatures 505 00:19:51,190 --> 00:19:49,679 interact with the environment and can be 506 00:19:53,110 --> 00:19:51,200 discriminated in the context of the 507 00:19:55,190 --> 00:19:53,120 environment um 508 00:19:56,549 --> 00:19:55,200 and so so i think that study as well 509 00:19:58,150 --> 00:19:56,559 will probably inform all these this 510 00:19:59,750 --> 00:19:58,160 other biosignature research as well 511 00:20:01,590 --> 00:19:59,760 which looks at again you know life 512 00:20:03,430 --> 00:20:01,600 leaving its imprint on on a planetary 513 00:20:06,950 --> 00:20:03,440 environment whether it be on mars or 514 00:20:10,710 --> 00:20:06,960 europa or wherever 515 00:20:12,070 --> 00:20:10,720 out of curiosity have we found anything 516 00:20:13,590 --> 00:20:12,080 that would 517 00:20:15,510 --> 00:20:13,600 indicate 518 00:20:17,510 --> 00:20:15,520 alternative um and i know i'm being 519 00:20:22,310 --> 00:20:17,520 slightly self-indulgent here but 520 00:20:27,110 --> 00:20:24,870 what i'm talking about here is uh 521 00:20:28,630 --> 00:20:27,120 looking at uh you might not think of it 522 00:20:30,630 --> 00:20:28,640 so much an alternative signature but an 523 00:20:32,470 --> 00:20:30,640 alternative dominance so for example you 524 00:20:34,870 --> 00:20:32,480 could have a biosphere that's dominated 525 00:20:36,149 --> 00:20:34,880 by sulfur metabolizing bacteria for 526 00:20:37,590 --> 00:20:36,159 example and that will produce a very 527 00:20:39,990 --> 00:20:37,600 different signature in the atmosphere 528 00:20:42,310 --> 00:20:40,000 than say oxygenic 529 00:20:44,950 --> 00:20:42,320 oxygenic photosynthesis from plants so i 530 00:20:46,470 --> 00:20:44,960 think we can certainly look at 531 00:20:50,230 --> 00:20:46,480 different metabolic 532 00:20:52,310 --> 00:20:50,240 and how those interact with the planet's 533 00:20:53,990 --> 00:20:52,320 environment and also the light that's 534 00:20:55,270 --> 00:20:54,000 coming in from its parent star because 535 00:20:56,950 --> 00:20:55,280 if the light from the parent star 536 00:20:58,230 --> 00:20:56,960 changes that changes the photochemistry 537 00:21:00,070 --> 00:20:58,240 in the atmosphere and it changes what 538 00:21:01,669 --> 00:21:00,080 kind of signature you get so these 539 00:21:03,110 --> 00:21:01,679 alternative bio signatures are kind of a 540 00:21:05,190 --> 00:21:03,120 function of three different steps you 541 00:21:06,870 --> 00:21:05,200 know alternative metabolism dominant 542 00:21:09,590 --> 00:21:06,880 metabolism making them 543 00:21:12,070 --> 00:21:09,600 their their uh journey within their own 544 00:21:13,430 --> 00:21:12,080 atmosphere and and how they're um 545 00:21:14,789 --> 00:21:13,440 affected by the light from their 546 00:21:16,470 --> 00:21:14,799 different parent star in a different 547 00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:16,480 atmosphere for example and then 548 00:21:21,029 --> 00:21:18,080 ultimately what we might see in the 549 00:21:23,029 --> 00:21:21,039 spectrum for these things 550 00:21:24,710 --> 00:21:23,039 thanks okay 551 00:21:26,070 --> 00:21:24,720 i'll add a bit to what chris and vicky 552 00:21:27,190 --> 00:21:26,080 both have said 553 00:21:28,870 --> 00:21:27,200 because i think they're talking about 554 00:21:31,430 --> 00:21:28,880 different sides of the same coin they're 555 00:21:32,630 --> 00:21:31,440 they're in each case uh talking about 556 00:21:34,870 --> 00:21:32,640 features 557 00:21:36,950 --> 00:21:34,880 that are product of life processes but 558 00:21:38,630 --> 00:21:36,960 not the life itself 559 00:21:40,789 --> 00:21:38,640 and in both cases i think the real 560 00:21:42,870 --> 00:21:40,799 concern is understanding you know 561 00:21:45,350 --> 00:21:42,880 because these are features that that 562 00:21:47,909 --> 00:21:45,360 might well arise from non-living 563 00:21:48,950 --> 00:21:47,919 processes as well and features that 564 00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:48,960 inherently 565 00:21:52,390 --> 00:21:51,120 don't contain a huge amount of specific 566 00:21:54,470 --> 00:21:52,400 information 567 00:21:56,549 --> 00:21:54,480 um there's a danger in mistaking them 568 00:21:58,630 --> 00:21:56,559 for for you know in getting false 569 00:22:00,470 --> 00:21:58,640 positives i think from abiotic processes 570 00:22:03,110 --> 00:22:00,480 and so i think for 571 00:22:04,630 --> 00:22:03,120 uh for features that are are 572 00:22:06,789 --> 00:22:04,640 meant to serve as evidence of life 573 00:22:08,630 --> 00:22:06,799 processes but not life itself 574 00:22:09,990 --> 00:22:08,640 i think there's an an important standard 575 00:22:11,669 --> 00:22:10,000 that sort of has to be met you know when 576 00:22:13,750 --> 00:22:11,679 does that feature rise to the level of 577 00:22:15,669 --> 00:22:13,760 saying okay this is this is different 578 00:22:18,470 --> 00:22:15,679 enough that although it's not life 579 00:22:20,149 --> 00:22:18,480 itself we can't envision it uh having 580 00:22:22,310 --> 00:22:20,159 come from from 581 00:22:23,590 --> 00:22:22,320 anything other than life processes so i 582 00:22:25,350 --> 00:22:23,600 think it's a question of degree when we 583 00:22:26,549 --> 00:22:25,360 talk about these features 584 00:22:28,870 --> 00:22:26,559 and then on the other hand when you do 585 00:22:30,789 --> 00:22:28,880 go looking for for the life itself or 586 00:22:32,950 --> 00:22:30,799 for molecules or features 587 00:22:35,270 --> 00:22:32,960 uh that may be a product of life i think 588 00:22:37,590 --> 00:22:35,280 there's a different concern and that is 589 00:22:39,750 --> 00:22:37,600 you know we understand how to recognize 590 00:22:41,750 --> 00:22:39,760 something as specific as the molecules 591 00:22:43,430 --> 00:22:41,760 of our own biochemistry but there's a 592 00:22:45,510 --> 00:22:43,440 danger then and going looking for those 593 00:22:46,789 --> 00:22:45,520 specific molecules or features something 594 00:22:49,510 --> 00:22:46,799 like them so 595 00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:49,520 how do you how do you understand um how 596 00:22:52,149 --> 00:22:50,880 to look for a very specific thing 597 00:22:53,350 --> 00:22:52,159 something that does carry so much 598 00:22:55,190 --> 00:22:53,360 information that it's a clear 599 00:22:56,950 --> 00:22:55,200 representative of life 600 00:22:59,110 --> 00:22:56,960 but is not in the specific line that our 601 00:23:00,390 --> 00:22:59,120 biochemistry is chosen 602 00:23:03,990 --> 00:23:00,400 and i think all of those are challenges 603 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,470 okay 604 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,750 kelsey 605 00:23:13,590 --> 00:23:11,990 looks like her video may have frozen 606 00:23:16,470 --> 00:23:13,600 right because are you still with us on 607 00:23:18,789 --> 00:23:16,480 audio can you hear me yeah 608 00:23:20,710 --> 00:23:18,799 um yeah so i 609 00:23:21,750 --> 00:23:20,720 from my bias working in the outer solar 610 00:23:23,590 --> 00:23:21,760 system 611 00:23:25,110 --> 00:23:23,600 it's kind of similar to other people i'm 612 00:23:26,310 --> 00:23:25,120 i'm basically interested in learning 613 00:23:27,669 --> 00:23:26,320 more about what we could actually 614 00:23:30,310 --> 00:23:27,679 potentially 615 00:23:32,070 --> 00:23:30,320 check for when we send spacecraft and 616 00:23:34,630 --> 00:23:32,080 really we're still at the point of we 617 00:23:36,789 --> 00:23:34,640 need to gather a lot of other basic data 618 00:23:39,110 --> 00:23:36,799 but it's still good to look forward and 619 00:23:41,190 --> 00:23:39,120 think about what would actually be able 620 00:23:44,310 --> 00:23:41,200 to be detected in these kind of 621 00:23:45,909 --> 00:23:44,320 environments um so for us it's icy moons 622 00:23:48,549 --> 00:23:45,919 um so it's very similar to what other 623 00:23:53,590 --> 00:23:51,430 so just coming back to um 624 00:23:55,350 --> 00:23:53,600 slightly more detailed questions we're 625 00:23:56,950 --> 00:23:55,360 thinking about the most important 626 00:23:59,029 --> 00:23:56,960 research 627 00:24:00,390 --> 00:23:59,039 to conduct if you 628 00:24:02,710 --> 00:24:00,400 you were given 629 00:24:05,510 --> 00:24:02,720 reasonably large amounts of money you 630 00:24:07,190 --> 00:24:05,520 had to spend it on something to move the 631 00:24:09,269 --> 00:24:07,200 field forward 632 00:24:12,390 --> 00:24:09,279 but you could only do one thing what 633 00:24:14,549 --> 00:24:12,400 what would you spend the money on kelsey 634 00:24:16,549 --> 00:24:14,559 start with you 635 00:24:18,630 --> 00:24:16,559 sure i guess it's kind of similar to my 636 00:24:19,510 --> 00:24:18,640 last answer 637 00:24:21,350 --> 00:24:19,520 but 638 00:24:23,750 --> 00:24:21,360 for us in the outer solar system we have 639 00:24:26,310 --> 00:24:23,760 some really fascinating moons that could 640 00:24:28,390 --> 00:24:26,320 definitely potentially be places life 641 00:24:30,630 --> 00:24:28,400 could exist and of course there's been 642 00:24:32,149 --> 00:24:30,640 lots of speculation about that 643 00:24:34,630 --> 00:24:32,159 just because there is liquid water in a 644 00:24:37,110 --> 00:24:34,640 lot of cases um and and other things 645 00:24:39,590 --> 00:24:37,120 that are considered necessary for life 646 00:24:42,070 --> 00:24:39,600 um so for us we would love to you know 647 00:24:44,630 --> 00:24:42,080 spend lots of money uh sending 648 00:24:46,230 --> 00:24:44,640 spacecraft out there and basically um 649 00:24:48,549 --> 00:24:46,240 even getting information about these 650 00:24:50,230 --> 00:24:48,559 surfaces we use the surface information 651 00:24:53,029 --> 00:24:50,240 to understand the interior and the 652 00:24:55,029 --> 00:24:53,039 potential environments in there 653 00:24:56,870 --> 00:24:55,039 there's places in the outer solar system 654 00:24:58,710 --> 00:24:56,880 that haven't even been imaged 655 00:25:01,990 --> 00:24:58,720 so we have a lot of work to do and 656 00:25:03,430 --> 00:25:02,000 certainly just basic you know imaging 657 00:25:06,630 --> 00:25:03,440 spectroscopy 658 00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:06,640 uh radar for subsurface imaging of ic 659 00:25:10,230 --> 00:25:07,600 worlds 660 00:25:10,950 --> 00:25:10,240 that would be great for us 661 00:25:13,430 --> 00:25:10,960 so 662 00:25:15,750 --> 00:25:13,440 is it a case that the technology that we 663 00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:15,760 have is good enough we just have to get 664 00:25:19,190 --> 00:25:17,760 it out there or are there still 665 00:25:21,430 --> 00:25:19,200 significant 666 00:25:22,789 --> 00:25:21,440 barriers in terms of resolution and this 667 00:25:25,350 --> 00:25:22,799 sort of thing 668 00:25:27,269 --> 00:25:25,360 well it depends on the the world um for 669 00:25:28,390 --> 00:25:27,279 some place like europa there's a lot of 670 00:25:31,110 --> 00:25:28,400 technology 671 00:25:33,510 --> 00:25:31,120 that hasn't been sent the last mission 672 00:25:35,029 --> 00:25:33,520 ended in the early 2000s 673 00:25:36,549 --> 00:25:35,039 so as you can imagine there's a lot that 674 00:25:38,230 --> 00:25:36,559 could be sent there 675 00:25:39,909 --> 00:25:38,240 especially something like an ice 676 00:25:41,430 --> 00:25:39,919 penetrating radar 677 00:25:43,269 --> 00:25:41,440 in other words 678 00:25:44,390 --> 00:25:43,279 some technology development does need to 679 00:25:46,470 --> 00:25:44,400 be done 680 00:25:48,310 --> 00:25:46,480 in some cases even for europa it would 681 00:25:51,830 --> 00:25:48,320 be helpful to have better 682 00:25:53,830 --> 00:25:51,840 radiation hard products 683 00:25:55,269 --> 00:25:53,840 but in some cases just to get the mass 684 00:25:57,350 --> 00:25:55,279 to the outer solar system we need some 685 00:26:00,390 --> 00:25:57,360 more creative technologies 686 00:26:02,710 --> 00:26:00,400 either for power systems or for uh 687 00:26:04,549 --> 00:26:02,720 somehow capturing uh spacecraft into 688 00:26:06,470 --> 00:26:04,559 orbit 689 00:26:08,070 --> 00:26:06,480 those both 690 00:26:09,909 --> 00:26:08,080 okay 691 00:26:13,430 --> 00:26:09,919 chris where would you spend your 692 00:26:17,269 --> 00:26:15,590 well i mean i think i've seen the chat 693 00:26:19,029 --> 00:26:17,279 room open up with everyone's favorite 694 00:26:19,750 --> 00:26:19,039 mission and there's our there are a lot 695 00:26:21,510 --> 00:26:19,760 of 696 00:26:23,990 --> 00:26:21,520 great missions that we the people have 697 00:26:26,470 --> 00:26:24,000 dreamt up and i'm going to stay agnostic 698 00:26:29,029 --> 00:26:26,480 in that debate although i will 699 00:26:30,950 --> 00:26:29,039 second kelsey's uh plea that we need to 700 00:26:32,230 --> 00:26:30,960 get back to the outer solar system 701 00:26:33,510 --> 00:26:32,240 now within the outer solar system 702 00:26:35,190 --> 00:26:33,520 there's at least three or four places 703 00:26:36,630 --> 00:26:35,200 that we need to get back to so 704 00:26:38,149 --> 00:26:36,640 so i'm going to stay neutral there in 705 00:26:40,789 --> 00:26:38,159 terms of the astrobiology budget which 706 00:26:42,870 --> 00:26:40,799 is usually not a missions budget um you 707 00:26:45,909 --> 00:26:42,880 know i think that 708 00:26:48,310 --> 00:26:45,919 we do need to be developing better 709 00:26:50,549 --> 00:26:48,320 both time-tested approaches to life 710 00:26:52,710 --> 00:26:50,559 detection and out-of-the-box approaches 711 00:26:55,669 --> 00:26:52,720 and that's not just for 712 00:26:57,269 --> 00:26:55,679 um you know rock samples that includes 713 00:26:59,110 --> 00:26:57,279 victoria's um 714 00:27:00,630 --> 00:26:59,120 plea about atmospheric signatures i 715 00:27:02,789 --> 00:27:00,640 completely agree with her 716 00:27:04,630 --> 00:27:02,799 that that you know worlds that didn't 717 00:27:06,390 --> 00:27:04,640 generate oxygen are the most likely 718 00:27:08,230 --> 00:27:06,400 worlds you can see 719 00:27:11,110 --> 00:27:08,240 and in the next if we talk about a 720 00:27:13,350 --> 00:27:11,120 decade here is our time scale that's 721 00:27:15,830 --> 00:27:13,360 that's the right time scale for starting 722 00:27:17,830 --> 00:27:15,840 to get some um 723 00:27:19,669 --> 00:27:17,840 some first data on on exoplanet 724 00:27:22,870 --> 00:27:19,679 atmospheres around red 725 00:27:25,029 --> 00:27:22,880 i mean uh sorry around red dwarfs so um 726 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:25,039 so i i think that that's where i would 727 00:27:28,950 --> 00:27:26,720 put my embarrassingly large amount of 728 00:27:31,830 --> 00:27:28,960 money is into into 729 00:27:34,230 --> 00:27:31,840 work on metabolisms and and the 730 00:27:36,789 --> 00:27:34,240 potential signatures they would produce 731 00:27:39,669 --> 00:27:36,799 um that that might inform both the mars 732 00:27:42,230 --> 00:27:39,679 mission or the rover in 2020 733 00:27:44,070 --> 00:27:42,240 as well as as these initial exoplanet 734 00:27:45,830 --> 00:27:44,080 missions 735 00:27:47,430 --> 00:27:45,840 excellent thank you always good to know 736 00:27:48,549 --> 00:27:47,440 we won't have difficulty spending the 737 00:27:51,590 --> 00:27:48,559 money 738 00:27:53,190 --> 00:27:51,600 dory what do you want to add to it 739 00:27:54,870 --> 00:27:53,200 uh so i would pick up a theme that vicky 740 00:27:56,389 --> 00:27:54,880 raised earlier and i i also thought it 741 00:27:57,750 --> 00:27:56,399 was kind of interesting that that i 742 00:27:59,590 --> 00:27:57,760 don't think you'd finish speaking that 743 00:28:02,230 --> 00:27:59,600 sentence before mission uh wishes 744 00:28:03,510 --> 00:28:02,240 started to pop up in the in the chat but 745 00:28:05,510 --> 00:28:03,520 i mean suppose that that thing could 746 00:28:07,750 --> 00:28:05,520 launch tomorrow do we feel like we have 747 00:28:08,630 --> 00:28:07,760 the the context from observation and 748 00:28:10,230 --> 00:28:08,640 theory 749 00:28:12,230 --> 00:28:10,240 uh to say exactly what instruments 750 00:28:13,350 --> 00:28:12,240 should go on that spacecraft and to be 751 00:28:16,470 --> 00:28:13,360 sure that 752 00:28:18,549 --> 00:28:16,480 having spent the money uh whatever we 753 00:28:19,909 --> 00:28:18,559 see you know that that 754 00:28:21,350 --> 00:28:19,919 we knew a clear signature that we were 755 00:28:22,630 --> 00:28:21,360 looking for um do we understand enough 756 00:28:25,029 --> 00:28:22,640 about the context in which that 757 00:28:27,350 --> 00:28:25,039 signature is formed uh that we could do 758 00:28:28,630 --> 00:28:27,360 a good concrete job of saying you know 759 00:28:29,990 --> 00:28:28,640 you spent the money and here's the 760 00:28:31,750 --> 00:28:30,000 answer 761 00:28:34,389 --> 00:28:31,760 so i think that that money to go into 762 00:28:35,590 --> 00:28:34,399 the sorts of of um things that vicky was 763 00:28:37,110 --> 00:28:35,600 talking about earlier you know 764 00:28:38,470 --> 00:28:37,120 understanding the the environmental 765 00:28:39,590 --> 00:28:38,480 context how is it that what you're 766 00:28:41,669 --> 00:28:39,600 looking for 767 00:28:43,430 --> 00:28:41,679 interacts with its host environment uh 768 00:28:46,230 --> 00:28:43,440 in ways that may give you false positive 769 00:28:47,430 --> 00:28:46,240 or erase a positive signature 770 00:28:50,230 --> 00:28:47,440 are critical and that is within the 771 00:28:51,990 --> 00:28:50,240 scope of astrobiology 772 00:28:55,430 --> 00:28:52,000 and is that something we can quite 773 00:28:57,350 --> 00:28:55,440 happily do on earth can we simulate it 774 00:28:59,669 --> 00:28:57,360 throw large enough computers at it is it 775 00:29:01,190 --> 00:28:59,679 that kind of problem or have we got to 776 00:29:02,710 --> 00:29:01,200 go to ground truth 777 00:29:04,149 --> 00:29:02,720 out there 778 00:29:07,190 --> 00:29:04,159 i think it's a mixture of things i i 779 00:29:09,190 --> 00:29:07,200 think it's an iteration between uh 780 00:29:10,389 --> 00:29:09,200 between theory and modeling between 781 00:29:13,590 --> 00:29:10,399 observations that can be done in 782 00:29:15,110 --> 00:29:13,600 environments here that may not be uh 783 00:29:16,549 --> 00:29:15,120 perfect examples of what we're looking 784 00:29:18,070 --> 00:29:16,559 at elsewhere but 785 00:29:20,630 --> 00:29:18,080 you know but in which we can identify 786 00:29:22,230 --> 00:29:20,640 some features that make them similar 787 00:29:23,750 --> 00:29:22,240 and then whatever we're able to do with 788 00:29:25,190 --> 00:29:23,760 with observations that may not be 789 00:29:27,669 --> 00:29:25,200 specifically targeted at the life 790 00:29:29,430 --> 00:29:27,679 question but nonetheless give us enough 791 00:29:31,590 --> 00:29:29,440 contextual information about the 792 00:29:34,230 --> 00:29:31,600 potential target that we understand 793 00:29:35,830 --> 00:29:34,240 better how it is that that our ultimate 794 00:29:38,830 --> 00:29:35,840 signature of life is going to interact 795 00:29:44,070 --> 00:29:41,750 great well vicki seeing as everyone is 796 00:29:45,190 --> 00:29:44,080 name-checking you let me come back to 797 00:29:49,029 --> 00:29:45,200 you 798 00:29:51,029 --> 00:29:49,039 well where am i going to spend i mean 799 00:29:52,870 --> 00:29:51,039 truly truly embarrassingly large amounts 800 00:29:54,549 --> 00:29:52,880 of money would go on tpf but we don't 801 00:29:55,909 --> 00:29:54,559 have that kind of money so 802 00:29:58,470 --> 00:29:55,919 so again um you know from the 803 00:30:00,870 --> 00:29:58,480 astrobiology perspective i absolutely 804 00:30:02,470 --> 00:30:00,880 agree you know i i put forward this sort 805 00:30:04,070 --> 00:30:02,480 of mean that we need these novel bio 806 00:30:06,310 --> 00:30:04,080 signatures i agree with tori we need to 807 00:30:07,110 --> 00:30:06,320 know about false positives but it's not 808 00:30:08,789 --> 00:30:07,120 just 809 00:30:10,950 --> 00:30:08,799 so that we can interpret the data when 810 00:30:12,149 --> 00:30:10,960 it comes back to to lay that solid 811 00:30:14,070 --> 00:30:12,159 scientific foundation for the 812 00:30:15,190 --> 00:30:14,080 interpretation of our search for life 813 00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:15,200 elsewhere which i think of course is 814 00:30:18,789 --> 00:30:17,200 fundamental to astrobiology but it's 815 00:30:20,789 --> 00:30:18,799 also to drive the design of those 816 00:30:23,029 --> 00:30:20,799 missions as well and i think that must 817 00:30:25,110 --> 00:30:23,039 not be forgotten that sort of the more 818 00:30:26,630 --> 00:30:25,120 we know about the the different types of 819 00:30:28,549 --> 00:30:26,640 things we'll be looking for the better 820 00:30:29,830 --> 00:30:28,559 case we'll have for driving sort of the 821 00:30:31,750 --> 00:30:29,840 requirements whether it be large 822 00:30:33,190 --> 00:30:31,760 spectral wavelengths or high special 823 00:30:35,350 --> 00:30:33,200 resolution or whatever that we will 824 00:30:37,909 --> 00:30:35,360 require to measure these things so i 825 00:30:39,590 --> 00:30:37,919 think that's also crucial as to to know 826 00:30:41,029 --> 00:30:39,600 as much as possible beforehand so we can 827 00:30:43,430 --> 00:30:41,039 build the best possible instruments to 828 00:30:44,310 --> 00:30:43,440 do the measurements 829 00:30:46,149 --> 00:30:44,320 so 830 00:30:47,830 --> 00:30:46,159 in that case in in my mind given very 831 00:30:50,470 --> 00:30:47,840 limited understanding this sort of 832 00:30:53,750 --> 00:30:50,480 segues on perhaps to our last question 833 00:30:56,389 --> 00:30:53,760 then about defining a habitable 834 00:30:57,590 --> 00:30:56,399 environment 835 00:31:00,630 --> 00:30:57,600 so 836 00:31:03,509 --> 00:31:00,640 let me ask you to unmute yourself again 837 00:31:06,389 --> 00:31:03,519 vicky for a moment and just think about 838 00:31:08,230 --> 00:31:06,399 what is it we need to do is it a natural 839 00:31:09,590 --> 00:31:08,240 segue from what you said in order to be 840 00:31:11,269 --> 00:31:09,600 able to define 841 00:31:13,590 --> 00:31:11,279 research and define the habitable 842 00:31:15,110 --> 00:31:13,600 environments 843 00:31:17,830 --> 00:31:15,120 yeah that's that's certainly part of it 844 00:31:19,590 --> 00:31:17,840 it falls into um this idea of being able 845 00:31:21,269 --> 00:31:19,600 to look at something and in my case 846 00:31:23,029 --> 00:31:21,279 again i'll speak for extrasolar planets 847 00:31:24,470 --> 00:31:23,039 but this is true of remote sensing of 848 00:31:28,070 --> 00:31:24,480 anybody in the solar system including 849 00:31:29,830 --> 00:31:28,080 icy moons or mars but being able to to 850 00:31:31,990 --> 00:31:29,840 get information from an environment and 851 00:31:34,230 --> 00:31:32,000 determine whether or not it is habitable 852 00:31:35,669 --> 00:31:34,240 and i think uh you know first off you 853 00:31:38,149 --> 00:31:35,679 know back to the biology we need to 854 00:31:39,430 --> 00:31:38,159 understand life's limitations um and we 855 00:31:41,350 --> 00:31:39,440 need to understand not only life's 856 00:31:43,110 --> 00:31:41,360 limitations but in the case of 857 00:31:45,269 --> 00:31:43,120 exoplanets or different environments how 858 00:31:46,470 --> 00:31:45,279 those limitations might be affected by 859 00:31:48,710 --> 00:31:46,480 by that environment 860 00:31:50,470 --> 00:31:48,720 so a specific example for example is you 861 00:31:52,149 --> 00:31:50,480 know how far can we go with oxygenic 862 00:31:54,389 --> 00:31:52,159 photosynthesis as far as the wavelength 863 00:31:56,310 --> 00:31:54,399 of light that's required and and how 864 00:31:59,029 --> 00:31:56,320 would that light environment change on a 865 00:32:00,310 --> 00:31:59,039 planet around another star um but this 866 00:32:02,070 --> 00:32:00,320 this question sort of feeds into the 867 00:32:03,669 --> 00:32:02,080 main issue which is an improved 868 00:32:05,509 --> 00:32:03,679 understanding of the interaction between 869 00:32:07,909 --> 00:32:05,519 planetary characteristics you know what 870 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:07,919 the planets like stellar characteristics 871 00:32:10,870 --> 00:32:09,120 what the stars like and how that 872 00:32:12,950 --> 00:32:10,880 interacts with the planet and then the 873 00:32:14,470 --> 00:32:12,960 interaction of other objects in the 874 00:32:17,350 --> 00:32:14,480 planetary system 875 00:32:19,269 --> 00:32:17,360 so for us habitability is really a huge 876 00:32:21,509 --> 00:32:19,279 field where we're trying to 877 00:32:23,430 --> 00:32:21,519 sort of um get beyond the classical 878 00:32:25,509 --> 00:32:23,440 habitable zone and understand which is 879 00:32:27,350 --> 00:32:25,519 which is a great formalism to start with 880 00:32:30,389 --> 00:32:27,360 but to understand all the different 881 00:32:32,870 --> 00:32:30,399 factors that now affect that um 882 00:32:34,549 --> 00:32:32,880 and so in that sense if we if we know 883 00:32:36,389 --> 00:32:34,559 where the habitable zone is or can 884 00:32:38,789 --> 00:32:36,399 constrain it for the highest probability 885 00:32:40,950 --> 00:32:38,799 then that allows us to target the sort 886 00:32:42,230 --> 00:32:40,960 of planets that we want to search for 887 00:32:44,389 --> 00:32:42,240 and the sort of planets that we want to 888 00:32:45,669 --> 00:32:44,399 follow up with with instrumentation 889 00:32:48,070 --> 00:32:45,679 because those observations are going to 890 00:32:49,909 --> 00:32:48,080 be extremely expensive so so in summary 891 00:32:51,350 --> 00:32:49,919 i need to understand limitations i need 892 00:32:53,830 --> 00:32:51,360 to understand the interplay of all the 893 00:32:55,430 --> 00:32:53,840 components that go towards habitability 894 00:32:57,269 --> 00:32:55,440 i need to get that habitable zone 895 00:32:59,350 --> 00:32:57,279 defined so i know where to look and i 896 00:33:02,470 --> 00:32:59,360 know how to prioritize my targets to to 897 00:33:04,149 --> 00:33:02,480 look more at 898 00:33:06,630 --> 00:33:04,159 thank you and i'm just going to ask you 899 00:33:10,149 --> 00:33:06,640 to define one term because i noticed it 900 00:33:11,909 --> 00:33:10,159 popped up in the chat window tpf 901 00:33:14,630 --> 00:33:11,919 oh yes sorry so that's terrestrial 902 00:33:17,430 --> 00:33:14,640 planet finder it's a sort of flagship 903 00:33:19,509 --> 00:33:17,440 mission class uh probably even larger if 904 00:33:21,269 --> 00:33:19,519 there is such a thing uh mission that 905 00:33:22,950 --> 00:33:21,279 will be a very very large telescope that 906 00:33:24,710 --> 00:33:22,960 will allow us to get spectra of 907 00:33:27,029 --> 00:33:24,720 extrasolar planets orbiting around other 908 00:33:29,110 --> 00:33:27,039 stars and therefore allow us to directly 909 00:33:30,870 --> 00:33:29,120 um sample and study their environments 910 00:33:32,789 --> 00:33:30,880 remotely 911 00:33:34,389 --> 00:33:32,799 brilliant thank you 912 00:33:37,110 --> 00:33:34,399 sounds like the sort of thing one might 913 00:33:38,950 --> 00:33:37,120 spend money on large amounts sorry 914 00:33:40,389 --> 00:33:38,960 back to this question about the research 915 00:33:42,789 --> 00:33:40,399 that needs to be done to define 916 00:33:44,870 --> 00:33:42,799 inhabitable environments 917 00:33:47,110 --> 00:33:44,880 yeah i guess i would toss out two things 918 00:33:50,470 --> 00:33:47,120 in regard to this question and the first 919 00:33:51,590 --> 00:33:50,480 is i think that uh we can and should do 920 00:33:53,590 --> 00:33:51,600 more 921 00:33:55,269 --> 00:33:53,600 in order to understand when when we look 922 00:33:57,669 --> 00:33:55,279 at life on earth and take it as an 923 00:33:59,909 --> 00:33:57,679 example or a basis for for defining 924 00:34:01,830 --> 00:33:59,919 habitability i think we should do a 925 00:34:03,430 --> 00:34:01,840 better job of understanding which of the 926 00:34:05,190 --> 00:34:03,440 features the limitations the 927 00:34:07,110 --> 00:34:05,200 capabilities we're seeing 928 00:34:09,030 --> 00:34:07,120 relate to core properties of life and 929 00:34:10,950 --> 00:34:09,040 which are specific choices of our kind 930 00:34:12,710 --> 00:34:10,960 of life and our kind of biochemistry so 931 00:34:14,710 --> 00:34:12,720 in other words i think we should make 932 00:34:16,550 --> 00:34:14,720 the best use of the example we have by 933 00:34:19,190 --> 00:34:16,560 saying you know characteristics a b and 934 00:34:20,790 --> 00:34:19,200 c we can expect to be fairly universal 935 00:34:22,790 --> 00:34:20,800 for whatever reason 936 00:34:24,629 --> 00:34:22,800 but these other features of life are are 937 00:34:27,190 --> 00:34:24,639 such specific choices that that we 938 00:34:28,790 --> 00:34:27,200 really shouldn't feel too tied to them 939 00:34:31,510 --> 00:34:28,800 as we try to understand habitability 940 00:34:34,069 --> 00:34:31,520 elsewhere so i think defining better 941 00:34:36,149 --> 00:34:34,079 what is a core set of features for life 942 00:34:38,149 --> 00:34:36,159 in order to understand and define what 943 00:34:39,909 --> 00:34:38,159 is core habitability 944 00:34:43,190 --> 00:34:39,919 important the other thing that i would 945 00:34:45,030 --> 00:34:43,200 point to is i think that habitability um 946 00:34:47,030 --> 00:34:45,040 at least as it's been defined on paper 947 00:34:48,470 --> 00:34:47,040 has been largely a sort of binary 948 00:34:50,950 --> 00:34:48,480 concept either an environment is 949 00:34:53,349 --> 00:34:50,960 habitable or it's not 950 00:34:55,990 --> 00:34:53,359 in the happy event that that we're 951 00:34:58,390 --> 00:34:56,000 presented with a number of targets for 952 00:35:00,230 --> 00:34:58,400 conservation 953 00:35:02,710 --> 00:35:00,240 any of which might conceivably be called 954 00:35:04,710 --> 00:35:02,720 habitable in a binary sense life could 955 00:35:06,790 --> 00:35:04,720 conceivably exist there how do you 956 00:35:08,390 --> 00:35:06,800 prioritize among them how do you say 957 00:35:09,990 --> 00:35:08,400 that one environment is more habitable 958 00:35:12,150 --> 00:35:10,000 than another represents a better choice 959 00:35:13,349 --> 00:35:12,160 for observation may have a better signal 960 00:35:15,349 --> 00:35:13,359 to noise 961 00:35:17,670 --> 00:35:15,359 when you ultimately go looking and 962 00:35:19,270 --> 00:35:17,680 that's something that that i think maybe 963 00:35:21,430 --> 00:35:19,280 we all have notions about but that we 964 00:35:23,190 --> 00:35:21,440 haven't really tackled in a very 965 00:35:24,550 --> 00:35:23,200 concrete way yet 966 00:35:26,870 --> 00:35:24,560 so those would be the two things that i 967 00:35:30,870 --> 00:35:26,880 i think represent areas for progress at 968 00:35:34,630 --> 00:35:30,880 least when we talk about habitability 969 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:37,510 yep 970 00:35:40,630 --> 00:35:38,630 thoughts on 971 00:35:44,790 --> 00:35:40,640 defining the research that we need to 972 00:35:49,349 --> 00:35:44,800 define habitable environments 973 00:35:54,310 --> 00:35:51,990 yeah let me think i think we 974 00:35:55,990 --> 00:35:54,320 we need to 975 00:35:58,390 --> 00:35:56,000 be careful here you know in the past 976 00:35:59,829 --> 00:35:58,400 we've been rather comfortable 977 00:36:01,990 --> 00:35:59,839 we've been rather 978 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:02,000 comfortable to stay within our 979 00:36:06,550 --> 00:36:04,320 our comfort zone defined by 980 00:36:09,030 --> 00:36:06,560 by life on earth and we push that 981 00:36:11,829 --> 00:36:09,040 boundary to extreme environments and 982 00:36:14,470 --> 00:36:11,839 and we should continue to do that 983 00:36:16,710 --> 00:36:14,480 deep subsurface and high temperature and 984 00:36:18,870 --> 00:36:16,720 cold temperature 985 00:36:21,030 --> 00:36:18,880 alkaline and acidic and all the various 986 00:36:21,990 --> 00:36:21,040 various ways to approach that problem 987 00:36:23,670 --> 00:36:22,000 but 988 00:36:26,390 --> 00:36:23,680 you know since this topic 989 00:36:28,630 --> 00:36:26,400 this particular week is devoted to ex 990 00:36:29,910 --> 00:36:28,640 solar system exploration or systems 991 00:36:31,829 --> 00:36:29,920 exploration 992 00:36:34,230 --> 00:36:31,839 i think that you know we need to also 993 00:36:36,150 --> 00:36:34,240 recognize that that um 994 00:36:37,510 --> 00:36:36,160 we need to push that comfort zone beyond 995 00:36:38,950 --> 00:36:37,520 what ever 996 00:36:40,550 --> 00:36:38,960 occurred on earth 997 00:36:43,190 --> 00:36:40,560 to to what didn't occur on earth but 998 00:36:45,109 --> 00:36:43,200 could have occurred elsewhere um 999 00:36:46,790 --> 00:36:45,119 and so that's going to going to mean 1000 00:36:48,310 --> 00:36:46,800 that we need to spend a little more time 1001 00:36:51,030 --> 00:36:48,320 on on 1002 00:36:53,670 --> 00:36:51,040 what sometimes it's called weird life um 1003 00:36:55,430 --> 00:36:53,680 different solvents and 1004 00:36:57,030 --> 00:36:55,440 and different ways that life might have 1005 00:36:58,470 --> 00:36:57,040 formed when you start to talk about 1006 00:36:59,750 --> 00:36:58,480 about uh plants 1007 00:37:03,190 --> 00:36:59,760 and moons that are very different than 1008 00:37:06,310 --> 00:37:03,990 okay 1009 00:37:08,870 --> 00:37:06,320 thank you kelsey anything you want to 1010 00:37:11,190 --> 00:37:08,880 add on this well yeah it's kind of 1011 00:37:13,430 --> 00:37:11,200 similar to um my answer to 1012 00:37:15,910 --> 00:37:13,440 what was the last question but um yeah i 1013 00:37:17,829 --> 00:37:15,920 was thinking very similar to uh sort of 1014 00:37:20,230 --> 00:37:17,839 what other people said there's the two 1015 00:37:22,230 --> 00:37:20,240 aspects being like what you know besides 1016 00:37:23,910 --> 00:37:22,240 life as we know it what are the extremes 1017 00:37:26,230 --> 00:37:23,920 and that's really helpful for other 1018 00:37:27,990 --> 00:37:26,240 places in the solar system uh but also 1019 00:37:29,670 --> 00:37:28,000 understanding the other places 1020 00:37:30,950 --> 00:37:29,680 so it just to me it's the same as 1021 00:37:33,589 --> 00:37:30,960 everyone has said there's kind of those 1022 00:37:36,310 --> 00:37:33,599 two coming at it from both directions 1023 00:37:41,109 --> 00:37:36,320 the environment elsewhere and also what 1024 00:37:47,589 --> 00:37:43,910 oh sorry 1025 00:37:50,870 --> 00:37:47,599 oh there's a slight video lag there um 1026 00:37:52,950 --> 00:37:50,880 let me in that case just uh just direct 1027 00:37:54,790 --> 00:37:52,960 your attention i'm hoping all of our 1028 00:37:57,190 --> 00:37:54,800 panelists can see the little panel 1029 00:37:59,109 --> 00:37:57,200 called live notes too 1030 00:38:02,870 --> 00:37:59,119 because what we've been talking stavros 1031 00:38:04,710 --> 00:38:02,880 has been culling from the the chat room 1032 00:38:05,750 --> 00:38:04,720 um and it seems as though there are 1033 00:38:08,870 --> 00:38:05,760 there are several people who are 1034 00:38:09,990 --> 00:38:08,880 interested in places other than icy 1035 00:38:10,950 --> 00:38:10,000 moons 1036 00:38:13,510 --> 00:38:10,960 um 1037 00:38:16,310 --> 00:38:13,520 and i was curious ah 1038 00:38:17,589 --> 00:38:16,320 are extreme environments on earth 1039 00:38:20,390 --> 00:38:17,599 or mars 1040 00:38:23,430 --> 00:38:20,400 are they equally useful for us or 1041 00:38:26,790 --> 00:38:23,440 in order to understand habitability and 1042 00:38:28,230 --> 00:38:26,800 the identifying extraterrestrial life 1043 00:38:29,510 --> 00:38:28,240 sorry chris 1044 00:38:31,030 --> 00:38:29,520 yeah i think you know i noticed that 1045 00:38:33,109 --> 00:38:31,040 comment and you know if you if you look 1046 00:38:34,550 --> 00:38:33,119 at our the the 1047 00:38:36,950 --> 00:38:34,560 the research that the people on the 1048 00:38:39,190 --> 00:38:36,960 panel do i think that really 1049 00:38:40,390 --> 00:38:39,200 it's it's actually balanced and tori 1050 00:38:42,630 --> 00:38:40,400 tori and i 1051 00:38:43,829 --> 00:38:42,640 uh work on on microbial life and you 1052 00:38:46,550 --> 00:38:43,839 know extreme environments and weird 1053 00:38:49,430 --> 00:38:46,560 metabolisms and weird places on earth 1054 00:38:51,270 --> 00:38:49,440 that is really very um 1055 00:38:53,910 --> 00:38:51,280 focused on planets 1056 00:38:55,190 --> 00:38:53,920 um where kelsey and victoria 1057 00:38:58,150 --> 00:38:55,200 um 1058 00:39:00,870 --> 00:38:58,160 are more on icy icy moons and exoplanets 1059 00:39:02,069 --> 00:39:00,880 respectively so so you know i i'm sorry 1060 00:39:03,109 --> 00:39:02,079 that it came across that way but 1061 00:39:05,589 --> 00:39:03,119 certainly that was the flow of the 1062 00:39:08,069 --> 00:39:05,599 discussion not necessarily the bias of 1063 00:39:09,910 --> 00:39:08,079 the panel and hopefully as we open this 1064 00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:09,920 up for the next 30 minutes 1065 00:39:14,069 --> 00:39:12,160 we can have a lot of discussion about 1066 00:39:16,150 --> 00:39:14,079 about solar system targets other than 1067 00:39:18,550 --> 00:39:16,160 icy moons and exoplanets uh certainly 1068 00:39:20,950 --> 00:39:18,560 the mars program um 1069 00:39:24,630 --> 00:39:20,960 it should be discussed as well as well 1070 00:39:30,390 --> 00:39:27,750 so that seems like a good segway to open 1071 00:39:31,349 --> 00:39:30,400 it up now um 1072 00:39:33,109 --> 00:39:31,359 mike 1073 00:39:36,069 --> 00:39:33,119 we might need your help here i know 1074 00:39:37,430 --> 00:39:36,079 people can raise their hands 1075 00:39:39,750 --> 00:39:37,440 do you then 1076 00:39:42,790 --> 00:39:39,760 turn on their mics what seems to work 1077 00:39:44,470 --> 00:39:42,800 best as our approach here so um all the 1078 00:39:45,829 --> 00:39:44,480 mics are open but if you want to do the 1079 00:39:47,430 --> 00:39:45,839 raised hand 1080 00:39:48,790 --> 00:39:47,440 as a form of protocol just so people 1081 00:39:50,069 --> 00:39:48,800 don't talk over each other that could be 1082 00:39:51,670 --> 00:39:50,079 helpful 1083 00:39:53,430 --> 00:39:51,680 so if people want to do that there's an 1084 00:39:54,630 --> 00:39:53,440 icon at the top of your screen with the 1085 00:39:55,430 --> 00:39:54,640 person who looks like they're raising 1086 00:39:56,950 --> 00:39:55,440 their 1087 00:39:58,790 --> 00:39:56,960 if you click that and say raise hand 1088 00:40:01,670 --> 00:39:58,800 will know that you want to speak up and 1089 00:40:07,109 --> 00:40:04,470 so likes are now open 1090 00:40:10,550 --> 00:40:07,119 wayne first in there like a shot go 1091 00:40:14,950 --> 00:40:12,790 all right can you hear me 1092 00:40:17,750 --> 00:40:14,960 yes we can 1093 00:40:20,150 --> 00:40:17,760 okay very good um 1094 00:40:22,870 --> 00:40:20,160 yeah i was kind of the one that threw in 1095 00:40:25,910 --> 00:40:22,880 the comment about uh possible skewing of 1096 00:40:29,109 --> 00:40:25,920 the panel and i i don't i didn't mean to 1097 00:40:31,430 --> 00:40:29,119 offend anybody i i just wanted to uh 1098 00:40:33,270 --> 00:40:31,440 bring the discussion a little back 1099 00:40:36,069 --> 00:40:33,280 towards something that we have quite a 1100 00:40:36,829 --> 00:40:36,079 bit more ground truth for um 1101 00:40:39,510 --> 00:40:36,839 you know 1102 00:40:43,109 --> 00:40:39,520 exoplanets it's a lot of observation 1103 00:40:46,550 --> 00:40:43,119 from a distance um icy icy moons we have 1104 00:40:48,630 --> 00:40:46,560 some physical and chemical data but 1105 00:40:52,230 --> 00:40:48,640 obviously landing and sampling would 1106 00:40:54,069 --> 00:40:52,240 give us a lot more data than we have 1107 00:40:56,870 --> 00:40:54,079 but at the moment we have quite a bit of 1108 00:40:59,430 --> 00:40:56,880 ground data from mars from 1109 00:41:02,309 --> 00:40:59,440 sampling of the environment not only the 1110 00:41:04,230 --> 00:41:02,319 atmospheric environment and the physical 1111 00:41:05,750 --> 00:41:04,240 temperature radiation environment but 1112 00:41:08,230 --> 00:41:05,760 also quite a bit of 1113 00:41:09,510 --> 00:41:08,240 data about the soil and the regolith 1114 00:41:11,430 --> 00:41:09,520 itself 1115 00:41:15,430 --> 00:41:11,440 and 1116 00:41:17,510 --> 00:41:15,440 this is something that we can can take 1117 00:41:19,349 --> 00:41:17,520 right into the laboratory 1118 00:41:22,790 --> 00:41:19,359 and look for 1119 00:41:24,470 --> 00:41:22,800 earth microbes which which can grow and 1120 00:41:25,829 --> 00:41:24,480 survive under those conditions and we 1121 00:41:27,750 --> 00:41:25,839 can actually 1122 00:41:30,710 --> 00:41:27,760 physically test 1123 00:41:33,030 --> 00:41:30,720 the attributes of microbial life that 1124 00:41:35,589 --> 00:41:33,040 allows them to grow in a very close 1125 00:41:36,470 --> 00:41:35,599 simulation of the martian environment 1126 00:41:38,790 --> 00:41:36,480 and 1127 00:41:41,270 --> 00:41:38,800 you know when you compare that with 1128 00:41:43,510 --> 00:41:41,280 the wealth of data we have about what's 1129 00:41:45,510 --> 00:41:43,520 underneath the surface of an icy moon or 1130 00:41:49,270 --> 00:41:45,520 what's circling a star several light 1131 00:41:51,589 --> 00:41:49,280 years away there's no comparison 1132 00:41:53,910 --> 00:41:51,599 and we're really making some some really 1133 00:41:57,030 --> 00:41:53,920 interesting strides in 1134 00:41:58,790 --> 00:41:57,040 defining what it is about a microbial 1135 00:42:01,750 --> 00:41:58,800 cell that allows it to grow at low 1136 00:42:03,829 --> 00:42:01,760 pressure or extreme low temperature 1137 00:42:05,349 --> 00:42:03,839 or in the presence of radiation or 1138 00:42:08,230 --> 00:42:05,359 strong oxidants 1139 00:42:10,309 --> 00:42:08,240 and so i wouldn't 1140 00:42:11,829 --> 00:42:10,319 i wouldn't rule out mars as somebody 1141 00:42:14,230 --> 00:42:11,839 somewhere where we've just been there 1142 00:42:15,750 --> 00:42:14,240 and done that and move on 1143 00:42:19,430 --> 00:42:15,760 i guess that's my 1144 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:25,270 anyone want to comment on that 1145 00:42:30,550 --> 00:42:28,150 no i completely agree 1146 00:42:32,309 --> 00:42:30,560 i mean i completely agree and and uh 1147 00:42:33,670 --> 00:42:32,319 we're we're at mars we're at mars with 1148 00:42:35,829 --> 00:42:33,680 two rovers and we're going to be going 1149 00:42:38,069 --> 00:42:35,839 to mars with another rover and so 1150 00:42:40,230 --> 00:42:38,079 there's no question that uh 1151 00:42:41,990 --> 00:42:40,240 that in the short term and the medium 1152 00:42:43,829 --> 00:42:42,000 turn a lot of effort and astrobiology 1153 00:42:46,390 --> 00:42:43,839 needs to be geared toward 1154 00:42:49,030 --> 00:42:46,400 toward that particular planetary setting 1155 00:42:53,270 --> 00:42:49,040 and and that should be both for present 1156 00:42:55,430 --> 00:42:53,280 life on mars at near the surface and 1157 00:43:00,069 --> 00:42:55,440 more deeply buried life and also past 1158 00:43:06,230 --> 00:43:03,510 i i'm conscious of time so 1159 00:43:08,710 --> 00:43:06,240 at this point i'd like to ask um kenda 1160 00:43:10,390 --> 00:43:08,720 kendall lynch 1161 00:43:12,069 --> 00:43:10,400 you're mike yes i'm here can everybody 1162 00:43:13,589 --> 00:43:12,079 hear me 1163 00:43:16,470 --> 00:43:13,599 yes we can 1164 00:43:18,150 --> 00:43:16,480 great so i just wanted to address um a 1165 00:43:20,150 --> 00:43:18,160 statement that corey 1166 00:43:21,589 --> 00:43:20,160 kind of um and tori's comments about 1167 00:43:23,510 --> 00:43:21,599 habitability 1168 00:43:25,030 --> 00:43:23,520 and you know it being binary or not and 1169 00:43:26,550 --> 00:43:25,040 how do we start to prioritize because 1170 00:43:29,270 --> 00:43:26,560 clearly we have a lot of habitable 1171 00:43:30,470 --> 00:43:29,280 environments but given our known budget 1172 00:43:33,109 --> 00:43:30,480 constraints 1173 00:43:34,950 --> 00:43:33,119 um that we have and will continue to 1174 00:43:37,430 --> 00:43:34,960 have in the foreseeable future we do 1175 00:43:39,430 --> 00:43:37,440 need to prioritize and one of the things 1176 00:43:41,349 --> 00:43:39,440 that i see that we need to do more it's 1177 00:43:43,270 --> 00:43:41,359 not necessarily 1178 00:43:46,470 --> 00:43:43,280 a specific touch of a new direction of 1179 00:43:48,069 --> 00:43:46,480 research but i think it's in 1180 00:43:50,470 --> 00:43:48,079 considerating the connectivity of the 1181 00:43:52,150 --> 00:43:50,480 work that we have done and the context 1182 00:43:54,069 --> 00:43:52,160 of the environments that we've studied 1183 00:43:55,910 --> 00:43:54,079 here on earth and how they are applied 1184 00:43:58,309 --> 00:43:55,920 to 1185 00:43:59,910 --> 00:43:58,319 these other planetary environments so we 1186 00:44:02,069 --> 00:43:59,920 need to understand not only okay is an 1187 00:44:03,670 --> 00:44:02,079 environment habitable habitable 1188 00:44:05,510 --> 00:44:03,680 can it produce biosignatures but what is 1189 00:44:07,589 --> 00:44:05,520 the connectivity between it being 1190 00:44:09,270 --> 00:44:07,599 habitable both in the past and in the 1191 00:44:11,990 --> 00:44:09,280 present what is that connectivity to the 1192 00:44:13,750 --> 00:44:12,000 possibility of life originating in that 1193 00:44:15,829 --> 00:44:13,760 potential habitable environment what is 1194 00:44:17,589 --> 00:44:15,839 the what is the connectivity to that 1195 00:44:20,230 --> 00:44:17,599 environment being accessible with our 1196 00:44:22,710 --> 00:44:20,240 mission goals we need to create this 1197 00:44:24,150 --> 00:44:22,720 connectivity between these habitable 1198 00:44:26,390 --> 00:44:24,160 between these different aspects of each 1199 00:44:28,069 --> 00:44:26,400 habitable environment in that way we 1200 00:44:30,390 --> 00:44:28,079 should be able to develop a way to 1201 00:44:32,309 --> 00:44:30,400 prioritize which environments do we want 1202 00:44:33,349 --> 00:44:32,319 to target for study with our given our 1203 00:44:34,950 --> 00:44:33,359 limited 1204 00:44:36,550 --> 00:44:34,960 mission resources so that's something 1205 00:44:39,990 --> 00:44:36,560 that i think 1206 00:44:42,230 --> 00:44:40,000 astrobiologists can um participate 1207 00:44:43,670 --> 00:44:42,240 more in on the mission front because for 1208 00:44:45,109 --> 00:44:43,680 example i was just at an early mars 1209 00:44:46,630 --> 00:44:45,119 meeting and all of the mission people 1210 00:44:48,069 --> 00:44:46,640 who were almost all pure geologists or 1211 00:44:50,390 --> 00:44:48,079 planetary scientists there was a group 1212 00:44:52,390 --> 00:44:50,400 of astrobiologists there and when they 1213 00:44:54,309 --> 00:44:52,400 said hey astrobiologists where should we 1214 00:44:55,430 --> 00:44:54,319 look the answer was all over the place 1215 00:44:56,710 --> 00:44:55,440 there was no 1216 00:44:58,870 --> 00:44:56,720 coordinated 1217 00:45:00,630 --> 00:44:58,880 focused considered 1218 00:45:01,910 --> 00:45:00,640 metric of how to 1219 00:45:03,349 --> 00:45:01,920 answer that question and i think that's 1220 00:45:07,190 --> 00:45:03,359 something that we as the astrobiology 1221 00:45:09,270 --> 00:45:07,200 community need to focus on in this next 1222 00:45:11,430 --> 00:45:09,280 um in this next roadmap to make sure 1223 00:45:14,309 --> 00:45:11,440 that we can get our voices heard for our 1224 00:45:14,319 --> 00:45:17,349 i'm done 1225 00:45:21,589 --> 00:45:20,710 do you want to add anything to that 1226 00:45:23,430 --> 00:45:21,599 um 1227 00:45:24,790 --> 00:45:23,440 not so much add to what kenda said it 1228 00:45:27,270 --> 00:45:24,800 just sparked another thought for me 1229 00:45:29,829 --> 00:45:27,280 which is uh you know this this question 1230 00:45:31,670 --> 00:45:29,839 of time inhabitability is something i 1231 00:45:33,510 --> 00:45:31,680 don't think is addressed all that much 1232 00:45:35,510 --> 00:45:33,520 and in particular for me it raises an 1233 00:45:38,150 --> 00:45:35,520 issue that i usually think of it 1234 00:45:39,990 --> 00:45:38,160 uh in reference to extant life how would 1235 00:45:41,750 --> 00:45:40,000 extant life fair if dropped into this 1236 00:45:43,430 --> 00:45:41,760 environment um you know would it 1237 00:45:45,270 --> 00:45:43,440 proliferate would it barely limp along 1238 00:45:46,870 --> 00:45:45,280 but there's a second question that isn't 1239 00:45:48,870 --> 00:45:46,880 addressed quite so often 1240 00:45:50,230 --> 00:45:48,880 um and that is how conducive is an 1241 00:45:52,150 --> 00:45:50,240 environment to having life originated in 1242 00:45:53,190 --> 00:45:52,160 the first place that's a very difficult 1243 00:45:54,790 --> 00:45:53,200 question to answer because i don't think 1244 00:45:57,670 --> 00:45:54,800 we understand how that process happens 1245 00:46:00,309 --> 00:45:57,680 at all but it's a much more restrictive 1246 00:46:02,630 --> 00:46:00,319 set of conditions certainly and and so 1247 00:46:03,510 --> 00:46:02,640 trying to bring some notion of 1248 00:46:05,030 --> 00:46:03,520 time 1249 00:46:06,309 --> 00:46:05,040 and origins into the question of 1250 00:46:13,990 --> 00:46:06,319 habitability 1251 00:46:19,190 --> 00:46:17,349 just uh probably one other question 1252 00:46:21,510 --> 00:46:19,200 murphy and let's see you've got your 1253 00:46:24,790 --> 00:46:21,520 hand up 1254 00:46:26,230 --> 00:46:24,800 yeah this is the motive party jpl um 1255 00:46:28,150 --> 00:46:26,240 i think 1256 00:46:30,790 --> 00:46:28,160 one of the key differences between 1257 00:46:32,150 --> 00:46:30,800 astrobiology and biology is as i said in 1258 00:46:34,550 --> 00:46:32,160 my chart 1259 00:46:37,030 --> 00:46:34,560 uh to 1260 00:46:39,030 --> 00:46:37,040 see how far life 1261 00:46:41,190 --> 00:46:39,040 could have evolved that means the 1262 00:46:43,990 --> 00:46:41,200 prebiotic evolution as well 1263 00:46:47,190 --> 00:46:44,000 uh on other you know solar system 1264 00:46:49,030 --> 00:46:47,200 objects rather than just go and look for 1265 00:46:51,430 --> 00:46:49,040 uh whether it is habitable or whether it 1266 00:46:53,190 --> 00:46:51,440 has life or not like you know binary as 1267 00:46:55,589 --> 00:46:53,200 story was telling 1268 00:46:57,589 --> 00:46:55,599 and for that reason i think we need to 1269 00:46:58,710 --> 00:46:57,599 really focus on 1270 00:47:11,030 --> 00:46:58,720 on 1271 00:47:13,990 --> 00:47:11,040 should also get involved 1272 00:47:16,470 --> 00:47:14,000 in mission supported research but as i 1273 00:47:20,470 --> 00:47:16,480 also mentioned in my chat we should not 1274 00:47:22,230 --> 00:47:20,480 be a sub uh you know ordinate of a 1275 00:47:25,990 --> 00:47:22,240 mission because 1276 00:47:29,270 --> 00:47:26,000 uh then the independence of uh the 1277 00:47:30,870 --> 00:47:29,280 astrobiology uh you know uh research 1278 00:47:33,670 --> 00:47:30,880 will be gone 1279 00:47:37,190 --> 00:47:33,680 so though we as kendra said just now 1280 00:47:39,190 --> 00:47:37,200 that uh the the mars uh you know uh 1281 00:47:43,109 --> 00:47:39,200 community needs to know what 1282 00:47:45,589 --> 00:47:43,119 astrobiology is offering them 1283 00:47:47,030 --> 00:47:45,599 we should not become a subject of uh 1284 00:47:49,109 --> 00:47:47,040 mars uh 1285 00:47:50,630 --> 00:47:49,119 you know biological potential and things 1286 00:47:53,910 --> 00:47:50,640 like that so we should keep our 1287 00:47:56,150 --> 00:47:53,920 independence and 1288 00:47:59,349 --> 00:47:56,160 connect with the missions but our goal 1289 00:48:00,150 --> 00:47:59,359 should be actually finding the mission 1290 00:48:02,790 --> 00:48:00,160 of 1291 00:48:05,190 --> 00:48:02,800 nai as well as nasa 1292 00:48:08,870 --> 00:48:05,200 that is you know how far life has come 1293 00:48:11,750 --> 00:48:08,880 elsewhere and how can we detect it 1294 00:48:13,910 --> 00:48:13,030 thank you 1295 00:48:15,670 --> 00:48:13,920 um 1296 00:48:18,470 --> 00:48:15,680 okay it doesn't look as though anyone 1297 00:48:21,349 --> 00:48:18,480 else has their hand up at the moment i'm 1298 00:48:24,069 --> 00:48:21,359 just scrolling through my list here um 1299 00:48:26,069 --> 00:48:24,079 let me just ask the participants on on 1300 00:48:29,589 --> 00:48:26,079 the call out there 1301 00:48:32,309 --> 00:48:29,599 does anyone want to um advocate for a 1302 00:48:34,069 --> 00:48:32,319 particular area of research i'm thinking 1303 00:48:36,390 --> 00:48:34,079 particularly about the second question 1304 00:48:39,510 --> 00:48:36,400 about determine the set of criteria for 1305 00:48:41,910 --> 00:48:39,520 identifying extraterrestrial life um 1306 00:48:44,230 --> 00:48:41,920 and of course the third question as well 1307 00:48:46,309 --> 00:48:44,240 there's sort of a lot of chat i've seen 1308 00:48:50,630 --> 00:48:46,319 in the chat room does anyone want to 1309 00:48:57,910 --> 00:48:50,640 expand upon what they've said um for the 1310 00:49:03,030 --> 00:49:00,230 yeah let me let me say something so ron 1311 00:49:05,109 --> 00:49:03,040 breslow i give you am i in there or do i 1312 00:49:07,270 --> 00:49:05,119 have to press some button in order to 1313 00:49:08,710 --> 00:49:07,280 be heard you you are in you are alive 1314 00:49:10,630 --> 00:49:08,720 and direct 1315 00:49:12,309 --> 00:49:10,640 okay yeah yeah there's there's another 1316 00:49:14,630 --> 00:49:12,319 there's another part of this which is 1317 00:49:16,470 --> 00:49:14,640 fact supported by the astrobiology 1318 00:49:17,430 --> 00:49:16,480 system and which i think is quite 1319 00:49:19,589 --> 00:49:17,440 important 1320 00:49:21,430 --> 00:49:19,599 and it's it's a more it's an earlier 1321 00:49:24,150 --> 00:49:21,440 question than anybody has ever asked 1322 00:49:26,230 --> 00:49:24,160 that is how did life start here 1323 00:49:27,750 --> 00:49:26,240 and the question really comes down to 1324 00:49:29,910 --> 00:49:27,760 things like where did you get the 1325 00:49:31,589 --> 00:49:29,920 appropriate chemical environment such 1326 00:49:33,349 --> 00:49:31,599 that the chemicals were there after all 1327 00:49:35,750 --> 00:49:33,359 they can't be produced by my life it 1328 00:49:38,150 --> 00:49:35,760 comes later right so yeah where did we 1329 00:49:41,030 --> 00:49:38,160 get all the chemicals and the most most 1330 00:49:42,069 --> 00:49:41,040 curious one about our chemicals is that 1331 00:49:43,910 --> 00:49:42,079 we have 1332 00:49:46,390 --> 00:49:43,920 selective chirality and all these 1333 00:49:48,870 --> 00:49:46,400 chemicals the amino acids are what are 1334 00:49:51,589 --> 00:49:48,880 called l amino acids like your left hand 1335 00:49:53,589 --> 00:49:51,599 and the sugars are d amino d sugars like 1336 00:49:55,510 --> 00:49:53,599 your right hand and yet 1337 00:49:57,990 --> 00:49:55,520 spontaneous chemistry without life 1338 00:49:59,910 --> 00:49:58,000 around to direct it doesn't lead to that 1339 00:50:02,150 --> 00:49:59,920 kind of thing so where did he come from 1340 00:50:03,829 --> 00:50:02,160 and that's where a very exciting new 1341 00:50:06,470 --> 00:50:03,839 thing which has happened has really 1342 00:50:08,390 --> 00:50:06,480 opened up this field that is meteorites 1343 00:50:10,950 --> 00:50:08,400 landing here have arrived with some 1344 00:50:12,549 --> 00:50:10,960 excess chirality and people spend their 1345 00:50:14,150 --> 00:50:12,559 time trying to figure out where it came 1346 00:50:16,390 --> 00:50:14,160 from but what we spend our time with is 1347 00:50:18,549 --> 00:50:16,400 saying how does that then steer all the 1348 00:50:20,549 --> 00:50:18,559 chirality on earth so that you get 1349 00:50:23,309 --> 00:50:20,559 the l amino acids you need and the d 1350 00:50:25,589 --> 00:50:23,319 sugars that you need in a sensible 1351 00:50:27,750 --> 00:50:25,599 non-vital way not having nothing to do 1352 00:50:30,390 --> 00:50:27,760 with life but having to do with 1353 00:50:32,230 --> 00:50:30,400 prebiotic life getting getting it ready 1354 00:50:33,670 --> 00:50:32,240 now that means of course that it's a 1355 00:50:35,829 --> 00:50:33,680 good chance that one has to have 1356 00:50:36,950 --> 00:50:35,839 something like that going wherever life 1357 00:50:38,950 --> 00:50:36,960 is going to be it's not going to 1358 00:50:40,710 --> 00:50:38,960 suddenly appear without the chemicals 1359 00:50:41,829 --> 00:50:40,720 that comprise it 1360 00:50:44,390 --> 00:50:41,839 and of course they could be different 1361 00:50:46,870 --> 00:50:44,400 chemicals to mars but still they're very 1362 00:50:49,750 --> 00:50:46,880 unlikely to be flat chemicals which have 1363 00:50:51,990 --> 00:50:49,760 no sense of left or right it's just any 1364 00:50:54,230 --> 00:50:52,000 sensible reasonably reasonable 1365 00:50:55,030 --> 00:50:54,240 reasonable large molecule has that that 1366 00:50:57,510 --> 00:50:55,040 thing 1367 00:50:59,030 --> 00:50:57,520 and so then the question is uh one of 1368 00:51:01,270 --> 00:50:59,040 the things that's quite interesting why 1369 00:51:03,190 --> 00:51:01,280 did we end up with left rather than 1370 00:51:05,190 --> 00:51:03,200 right amino acids why do we end up with 1371 00:51:07,589 --> 00:51:05,200 right other left sugars how did that all 1372 00:51:10,309 --> 00:51:07,599 come about and is it possible that in 1373 00:51:11,750 --> 00:51:10,319 other environments it would be reversed 1374 00:51:13,670 --> 00:51:11,760 so people are quite interested in the 1375 00:51:15,109 --> 00:51:13,680 possibility that life somewhere else 1376 00:51:16,390 --> 00:51:15,119 might be the mirror image of what's 1377 00:51:19,190 --> 00:51:16,400 going on here 1378 00:51:21,349 --> 00:51:19,200 and that even finding that chirality 1379 00:51:23,430 --> 00:51:21,359 somewhere would be really exciting 1380 00:51:26,309 --> 00:51:23,440 because as i say it's not what you get 1381 00:51:29,109 --> 00:51:26,319 spontaneously except for 1382 00:51:31,349 --> 00:51:29,119 this special situation in in meteorites 1383 00:51:33,750 --> 00:51:31,359 landing here which are bringing in 1384 00:51:35,670 --> 00:51:33,760 something that was developed outside of 1385 00:51:36,790 --> 00:51:35,680 our atmosphere by uh 1386 00:51:38,390 --> 00:51:36,800 right probably right circularly 1387 00:51:41,109 --> 00:51:38,400 polarized light but even that hasn't 1388 00:51:42,549 --> 00:51:41,119 been detected and identified yet so this 1389 00:51:44,230 --> 00:51:42,559 is a lot of you know that that has to be 1390 00:51:45,829 --> 00:51:44,240 worked on but what we're doing right now 1391 00:51:47,670 --> 00:51:45,839 is just to try to figure out what 1392 00:51:50,390 --> 00:51:47,680 spontaneous chemistry can make the 1393 00:51:52,309 --> 00:51:50,400 things that are needed for dna and for 1394 00:51:54,230 --> 00:51:52,319 proteins for all the things that at 1395 00:51:56,549 --> 00:51:54,240 least in our version of life are 1396 00:51:59,510 --> 00:51:56,559 critical 1397 00:52:02,150 --> 00:51:59,520 so ron let me ask you in that case 1398 00:52:03,990 --> 00:52:02,160 i shouldn't limit uh the spending the 1399 00:52:06,150 --> 00:52:04,000 very large amounts of money just to the 1400 00:52:08,309 --> 00:52:06,160 panelists where would where would you 1401 00:52:09,589 --> 00:52:08,319 write the check if you wanted to advance 1402 00:52:11,589 --> 00:52:09,599 that 1403 00:52:13,349 --> 00:52:11,599 well i have an idea 1404 00:52:15,750 --> 00:52:13,359 well somebody i i could probably think 1405 00:52:18,309 --> 00:52:15,760 of where you would do it uh the minimum 1406 00:52:20,150 --> 00:52:18,319 thing i would like to do i have a a 1407 00:52:23,349 --> 00:52:20,160 colleague actually who has support from 1408 00:52:24,710 --> 00:52:23,359 nasa uh named amber miller she uh she 1409 00:52:27,190 --> 00:52:24,720 looks at uh 1410 00:52:30,630 --> 00:52:27,200 the light in outside our atmosphere that 1411 00:52:32,069 --> 00:52:30,640 there's a residual of the uh the 1412 00:52:34,230 --> 00:52:32,079 light that was originally emitted during 1413 00:52:36,870 --> 00:52:34,240 the big bang so it's obviously quite far 1414 00:52:39,190 --> 00:52:36,880 back from when life got around but she 1415 00:52:41,589 --> 00:52:39,200 and i would like to send up 1416 00:52:43,349 --> 00:52:41,599 an observer to uh get outside our 1417 00:52:44,870 --> 00:52:43,359 atmosphere and see whether we have in 1418 00:52:46,470 --> 00:52:44,880 fact an excess of right circular 1419 00:52:49,109 --> 00:52:46,480 polarized light which is the one that 1420 00:52:51,670 --> 00:52:49,119 really makes the most sense for why it 1421 00:52:53,510 --> 00:52:51,680 is we we have the chirality we have but 1422 00:52:54,950 --> 00:52:53,520 it's one thing to say that it must be 1423 00:52:56,790 --> 00:52:54,960 there and another thing as you know as a 1424 00:52:58,630 --> 00:52:56,800 scientist to see and sure enough there 1425 00:53:00,549 --> 00:52:58,640 it is so i would like to put it's not a 1426 00:53:02,870 --> 00:53:00,559 huge amount of money but some amount of 1427 00:53:04,710 --> 00:53:02,880 money to get to let us send up what 1428 00:53:06,150 --> 00:53:04,720 amber does she sends up a balloon to the 1429 00:53:08,549 --> 00:53:06,160 edge of the atmosphere and then she can 1430 00:53:10,549 --> 00:53:08,559 pick up the extra extra 1431 00:53:12,950 --> 00:53:10,559 atmospheric light and that's what we 1432 00:53:15,430 --> 00:53:12,960 would like to do modest but not not 1433 00:53:17,990 --> 00:53:15,440 negligible 1434 00:53:19,829 --> 00:53:18,000 excellent thank you 1435 00:53:21,910 --> 00:53:19,839 michael um 1436 00:53:27,190 --> 00:53:21,920 is there anything that you want to to 1437 00:53:31,030 --> 00:53:29,670 no i i 1438 00:53:33,430 --> 00:53:31,040 i think there's been some good 1439 00:53:37,190 --> 00:53:33,440 conversation especially especially in 1440 00:53:39,270 --> 00:53:37,200 the chat window i'm um 1441 00:53:41,190 --> 00:53:39,280 a little bit surprised that nobody's 1442 00:53:43,910 --> 00:53:41,200 jumped forward with their favorite uh 1443 00:53:46,950 --> 00:53:45,109 or 1444 00:53:48,870 --> 00:53:46,960 the discussion of what makes a 1445 00:53:51,430 --> 00:53:48,880 environment habitable 1446 00:53:55,030 --> 00:53:51,440 um since these are great topics usually 1447 00:54:00,150 --> 00:53:56,630 so i would like to know what people 1448 00:54:03,190 --> 00:54:01,430 what do we need to do to define an 1449 00:54:06,710 --> 00:54:03,200 environment as habitable you know we we 1450 00:54:07,670 --> 00:54:06,720 have this basic triad we talked about of 1451 00:54:10,309 --> 00:54:07,680 water 1452 00:54:12,710 --> 00:54:10,319 nutrients and free energy differences 1453 00:54:15,430 --> 00:54:12,720 but beyond that that's pretty other than 1454 00:54:17,430 --> 00:54:15,440 saying water it's pretty high level 1455 00:54:19,349 --> 00:54:17,440 pretty abstract in a way 1456 00:54:21,190 --> 00:54:19,359 so i would be curious to know what what 1457 00:54:27,030 --> 00:54:21,200 people think we need to actually go and 1458 00:54:35,190 --> 00:54:29,990 so it's what do we what do we have to do 1459 00:54:42,470 --> 00:54:37,109 well basically it's your third question 1460 00:54:48,870 --> 00:54:46,309 oh mercy you want to come back on that 1461 00:54:51,109 --> 00:54:48,880 yeah i just wanted to uh you know touch 1462 00:54:53,829 --> 00:54:51,119 upon mike's question but before that i 1463 00:54:56,309 --> 00:54:53,839 want to disambiguate my earlier 1464 00:54:57,270 --> 00:54:56,319 statement is saying that 1465 00:54:59,829 --> 00:54:57,280 the 1466 00:55:03,589 --> 00:54:59,839 astrobiology research should actually 1467 00:55:07,670 --> 00:55:03,599 lead and strengthen the missions and the 1468 00:55:10,630 --> 00:55:07,680 missions needs should be catered 1469 00:55:13,750 --> 00:55:10,640 partly by astrobiology research 1470 00:55:16,069 --> 00:55:13,760 but these two should not be you know 1471 00:55:17,670 --> 00:55:16,079 totally coupled together to lose the 1472 00:55:20,069 --> 00:55:17,680 independence of astrobiology research 1473 00:55:22,390 --> 00:55:20,079 okay that's my statement ellis statement 1474 00:55:24,789 --> 00:55:22,400 now coming back to michael's uh you know 1475 00:55:26,789 --> 00:55:24,799 habitability environments 1476 00:55:30,150 --> 00:55:26,799 uh i think we need to also put a 1477 00:55:33,109 --> 00:55:30,160 qualifier here saying as we 1478 00:55:35,270 --> 00:55:33,119 think of life uh in 1479 00:55:37,750 --> 00:55:35,280 in the context of earth 1480 00:55:39,670 --> 00:55:37,760 so that's a a very important thing once 1481 00:55:43,349 --> 00:55:39,680 we put that qualifier 1482 00:55:44,230 --> 00:55:43,359 then it boils down to uh as mike said a 1483 00:55:48,630 --> 00:55:44,240 few 1484 00:55:51,670 --> 00:55:48,640 key aspects one is the liquid water 1485 00:55:54,150 --> 00:55:51,680 for the mobility and then the nutrients 1486 00:55:55,030 --> 00:55:54,160 and the energy 1487 00:55:55,910 --> 00:55:55,040 and 1488 00:55:57,589 --> 00:55:55,920 the 1489 00:55:59,670 --> 00:55:57,599 electrical 1490 00:56:01,670 --> 00:55:59,680 let's say 1491 00:56:03,190 --> 00:56:01,680 dipole forces that means there should be 1492 00:56:06,230 --> 00:56:03,200 a gradient 1493 00:56:09,030 --> 00:56:06,240 so these are the uh you know 1494 00:56:11,190 --> 00:56:09,040 of course organics of course organics 1495 00:56:13,510 --> 00:56:11,200 without organics uh you know as we think 1496 00:56:16,789 --> 00:56:13,520 of life there is no life so all these 1497 00:56:17,670 --> 00:56:16,799 are the five uh you know key aspects and 1498 00:56:19,829 --> 00:56:17,680 i think 1499 00:56:23,030 --> 00:56:19,839 majority of you know the potentially 1500 00:56:25,109 --> 00:56:23,040 habitable environments on uh in our 1501 00:56:26,309 --> 00:56:25,119 solar system actually qualify for this 1502 00:56:29,510 --> 00:56:26,319 for example 1503 00:56:32,069 --> 00:56:29,520 the subsurface of titan qualifies for us 1504 00:56:34,870 --> 00:56:32,079 and subsurface of europa qualifies for 1505 00:56:37,030 --> 00:56:34,880 this and probably even mars subsurface 1506 00:56:38,549 --> 00:56:37,040 qualifies for this and even probably the 1507 00:56:41,990 --> 00:56:38,559 surface of mars 1508 00:56:43,589 --> 00:56:42,000 would have qualified earlier so i i 1509 00:56:47,190 --> 00:56:43,599 that's my you know take about the 1510 00:56:49,990 --> 00:56:47,200 habitable environments 1511 00:56:52,549 --> 00:56:50,000 thank you and with that we will draw it 1512 00:56:54,950 --> 00:56:52,559 to a close um i would just like to draw 1513 00:56:58,069 --> 00:56:54,960 everyone's attention to the website 1514 00:56:59,910 --> 00:56:58,079 which starburst has just typed up in the 1515 00:57:03,030 --> 00:56:59,920 middle chat window if you're not 1516 00:57:05,190 --> 00:57:03,040 registered on astrobiologyfuture.org 1517 00:57:07,910 --> 00:57:05,200 already please do so 1518 00:57:09,510 --> 00:57:07,920 we are now going to take 1519 00:57:10,309 --> 00:57:09,520 these questions 1520 00:57:12,710 --> 00:57:10,319 and 1521 00:57:15,510 --> 00:57:12,720 encourage you to add others you'll find 1522 00:57:17,750 --> 00:57:15,520 that there is a discussion forum 1523 00:57:20,549 --> 00:57:17,760 um we've popped up a couple of starting 1524 00:57:23,190 --> 00:57:20,559 categories one around interesting ideas 1525 00:57:25,349 --> 00:57:23,200 and the other around exciting questions 1526 00:57:27,270 --> 00:57:25,359 please don't feel constrained by those 1527 00:57:28,309 --> 00:57:27,280 if you want to start other categories do 1528 00:57:29,750 --> 00:57:28,319 so 1529 00:57:32,150 --> 00:57:29,760 but really what we're looking to do is 1530 00:57:34,470 --> 00:57:32,160 over the next week to capture any 1531 00:57:36,230 --> 00:57:34,480 thoughts that you've had as you go out 1532 00:57:37,750 --> 00:57:36,240 walking your dog having the shower and 1533 00:57:38,789 --> 00:57:37,760 you think that's what i should have 1534 00:57:40,390 --> 00:57:38,799 asked them 1535 00:57:43,349 --> 00:57:40,400 please don't lose it put it in the 1536 00:57:45,190 --> 00:57:43,359 discussion forum and that will help to 1537 00:57:46,390 --> 00:57:45,200 drive the process for the road mapping 1538 00:57:48,309 --> 00:57:46,400 activity 1539 00:57:51,510 --> 00:57:48,319 so with that thank you very much to our