1 00:00:36,530 --> 00:00:34,479 [Music] 2 00:00:39,260 --> 00:00:36,540 greetings friends of astrobiology 3 00:00:40,910 --> 00:00:39,270 welcome to a brand new episode of asking 4 00:00:42,860 --> 00:00:40,920 astrobiologists a show where we 5 00:00:45,020 --> 00:00:42,870 celebrate science and celebrate 6 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:45,030 scientists my name is Sanjay saman this 7 00:00:47,660 --> 00:00:46,050 program is made possible by 8 00:00:50,119 --> 00:00:47,670 contributions from the NASA Astrobiology 9 00:00:52,460 --> 00:00:50,129 program and the non profit blue mobile 10 00:00:54,290 --> 00:00:52,470 space last month I had the great 11 00:00:56,329 --> 00:00:54,300 privilege of speaking with dr. Colin 12 00:00:57,799 --> 00:00:56,339 robot of the University of Victoria and 13 00:00:59,780 --> 00:00:57,809 we talked about a bunch of different 14 00:01:02,210 --> 00:00:59,790 topics going from the early earth all 15 00:01:04,130 --> 00:01:02,220 the way to the exoplanets using the 16 00:01:06,290 --> 00:01:04,140 tools and insights that come from 17 00:01:07,999 --> 00:01:06,300 atmospheric sciences and today we're 18 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:08,009 going to do the same journey by looking 19 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:10,380 on much smaller scales at the tool of 20 00:01:15,260 --> 00:01:13,110 molecular genetics and my guest today is 21 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:15,270 going to be dr. batulcar 22 00:01:20,270 --> 00:01:17,340 of the university of arizona which we're 23 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:20,280 very excited to talk to but first it's 24 00:01:25,669 --> 00:01:23,610 time for your field challenge quiz the 25 00:01:27,620 --> 00:01:25,679 competition formerly known as the 26 00:01:29,690 --> 00:01:27,630 background quiz but right now my studio 27 00:01:31,969 --> 00:01:29,700 is my kitchen so we have to do something 28 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:31,979 new so Mike if you could put up the feel 29 00:01:43,070 --> 00:01:39,560 many of you got it right as you can tell 30 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:43,080 it is Lake Salle des in turkey it is the 31 00:01:47,870 --> 00:01:45,690 Maldives of the turkey beautiful white 32 00:01:50,180 --> 00:01:47,880 sand and it's very unique it's a bit of 33 00:01:53,260 --> 00:01:50,190 alkaline water pH a little higher the 34 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:53,270 neutral 8 or 9 and that prevents 35 00:01:58,820 --> 00:01:56,490 bruising or undersea of microbial mats 36 00:02:02,420 --> 00:01:58,830 that form using a specific mineral 37 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:02,430 called hydro magnesite structures are 38 00:02:05,990 --> 00:02:04,410 called stromatolites and some of those 39 00:02:07,670 --> 00:02:06,000 these stromatolites are some of the 40 00:02:09,620 --> 00:02:07,680 evidence of the oldest lives on earth 41 00:02:12,230 --> 00:02:09,630 many exist in the fossil records that 42 00:02:13,670 --> 00:02:12,240 are over two and a half almost 3 plus 43 00:02:15,710 --> 00:02:13,680 billion years old 44 00:02:17,750 --> 00:02:15,720 so these astrobiology field side of 45 00:02:19,670 --> 00:02:17,760 locational interests like the one in 46 00:02:22,340 --> 00:02:19,680 like zelda allows scientists to get an 47 00:02:25,340 --> 00:02:22,350 insight of how life existed back then 48 00:02:28,850 --> 00:02:25,350 our big winner for this competition is 49 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:28,860 at Azul bin Oba congratulations for 50 00:02:33,199 --> 00:02:30,570 getting it right you will win the 51 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:33,209 astrobiology graphics novel but in his 52 00:02:37,670 --> 00:02:35,010 time of sheltering from home I have no 53 00:02:39,770 --> 00:02:37,680 means to get them to you so but in any 54 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:39,780 case please DM us your address and we'll 55 00:02:44,090 --> 00:02:42,480 ship them to you whenever we can but you 56 00:02:46,759 --> 00:02:44,100 know that you can download all these 57 00:02:49,729 --> 00:02:46,769 graphic novels online and at Michael's 58 00:02:51,050 --> 00:02:49,739 set up the URL for you all to see so 59 00:02:52,910 --> 00:02:51,060 thank you very much for playing this 60 00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:52,920 week's feel challenge I wouldn't give 61 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:55,110 another big shout out to our ambassador 62 00:02:59,660 --> 00:02:56,850 of the month this is one of you who does 63 00:03:02,000 --> 00:02:59,670 more than the usual to promote our 64 00:03:03,979 --> 00:03:02,010 program on the interwebs on Twitter on 65 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:03,989 Facebook on instagrams and whoever all 66 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:06,330 he might exist online thank you so much 67 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:08,250 this show is only successful because you 68 00:03:12,170 --> 00:03:10,170 share it to your friends and family and 69 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:12,180 to your followers so this month 70 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:14,090 ambassador of the month is once again 71 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:17,010 birthing from other hit who tweets as at 72 00:03:21,110 --> 00:03:19,530 birth in that space thank you so much 73 00:03:24,290 --> 00:03:21,120 for your support perfectness awesome to 74 00:03:26,509 --> 00:03:24,300 have you in the show so I'm excited 75 00:03:29,030 --> 00:03:26,519 today to welcome astrobiologists 76 00:03:31,789 --> 00:03:29,040 extraordinaire dr. Betty Lucas ah a 77 00:03:34,039 --> 00:03:31,799 professor at the University of Arizona I 78 00:03:36,259 --> 00:03:34,049 think one of the very few if not the 79 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:36,269 only professor in the United States if 80 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:37,890 not the world that has a dual 81 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:41,130 appointment in both cell biology and 82 00:03:45,890 --> 00:03:43,770 astronomy a true mark of an 83 00:03:47,559 --> 00:03:45,900 astrobiologist but you thank you so much 84 00:03:49,460 --> 00:03:47,569 for being on the program with us today 85 00:03:51,710 --> 00:03:49,470 thanks for having me 86 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:51,720 like and we enjoy doing in the show is 87 00:03:56,210 --> 00:03:53,370 turned back to wheels of time a little 88 00:03:58,010 --> 00:03:56,220 bit and get back into the child that I 89 00:04:00,020 --> 00:03:58,020 was looking into space that you were and 90 00:04:01,460 --> 00:04:00,030 he could share perhaps an anecdote or a 91 00:04:04,700 --> 00:04:01,470 story when you were young that got you 92 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:04,710 excited about science and space because 93 00:04:12,740 --> 00:04:09,770 I think moments look at those face and 94 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:12,750 ok the stars and think what is out there 95 00:04:18,259 --> 00:04:15,450 are the alone in the universe I am NOT 96 00:04:22,009 --> 00:04:18,269 one of those kids I didn't even think 97 00:04:25,610 --> 00:04:22,019 that in a career that involved space and 98 00:04:27,770 --> 00:04:25,620 stars was waiting for me in the future 99 00:04:29,150 --> 00:04:27,780 so my I would say I was actually 100 00:04:32,060 --> 00:04:29,160 thinking about this because I knew you 101 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:32,070 were gonna ask me that moment and so I 102 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:33,450 was doing some soul-searching this 103 00:04:37,790 --> 00:04:35,610 morning while washing the dishes you 104 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:37,800 know moving back back back back all the 105 00:04:43,310 --> 00:04:40,170 way back I think they wanna clearest 106 00:04:45,740 --> 00:04:43,320 moments that I had is related to a movie 107 00:04:47,540 --> 00:04:45,750 I watched and it is not about the movie 108 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:47,550 itself but the way the movie was 109 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:50,130 portraying the scientists in the movie 110 00:04:56,270 --> 00:04:54,570 so that will be it and the talking and 111 00:04:58,220 --> 00:04:56,280 thinking about that movie a lot where 112 00:05:01,610 --> 00:04:58,230 they have the scientists here that is 113 00:05:03,650 --> 00:05:01,620 exploring well not the rocks per se but 114 00:05:06,650 --> 00:05:03,660 mysteries that are embedded in Pyramus 115 00:05:09,110 --> 00:05:06,660 and and then gets transported to another 116 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:09,120 dimension and finds out a completely 117 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:10,890 different civilization that wasn't 118 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:12,890 necessarily originated in other planets 119 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:15,930 but nevertheless equals another 120 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:18,510 differently than our own civilization 121 00:05:23,090 --> 00:05:21,210 here on earth so I think what's what is 122 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:23,100 interesting about that movie was that it 123 00:05:29,740 --> 00:05:25,290 portrays a scientist that wasn't 124 00:05:32,270 --> 00:05:29,750 necessarily a masculine sort of dorky 125 00:05:34,310 --> 00:05:32,280 character that I couldn't relate to I 126 00:05:37,010 --> 00:05:34,320 was thinking actually how feminine or 127 00:05:38,780 --> 00:05:37,020 even actually non-binary the character 128 00:05:41,420 --> 00:05:38,790 was that was different than those 129 00:05:43,460 --> 00:05:41,430 generals in the movie who were dictating 130 00:05:46,850 --> 00:05:43,470 him what to do and whatnot so I think I 131 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:46,860 related to that character and meets that 132 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:49,650 character made me think that I can do 133 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:52,530 this because I am also someone that was 134 00:05:56,659 --> 00:05:54,930 very curious I still am I think it 135 00:05:59,659 --> 00:05:56,669 started with that that love for 136 00:06:01,940 --> 00:05:59,669 archaeology the past exploration 137 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:01,950 unknowns knowing different masters and 138 00:06:07,059 --> 00:06:04,330 civilizations 139 00:06:09,790 --> 00:06:07,069 wonderful you are highlighted recently 140 00:06:11,890 --> 00:06:09,800 in an article by UN Women in which 141 00:06:13,659 --> 00:06:11,900 there's a beautiful quote by by you 142 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:13,669 which I want to reiterate to our viewers 143 00:06:18,610 --> 00:06:16,490 a girl was determination can change the 144 00:06:21,309 --> 00:06:18,620 world how is it for you who grew up in 145 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:21,319 in Turkey and then made your way to 146 00:06:24,879 --> 00:06:23,090 becoming a professor at the University 147 00:06:26,710 --> 00:06:24,889 of Arizona one of the elite institutions 148 00:06:28,330 --> 00:06:26,720 in a country if not the world you tell 149 00:06:33,390 --> 00:06:28,340 us a little bit about your academic path 150 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:33,400 and how that went along is not a very 151 00:06:39,219 --> 00:06:36,770 sort of straightforward one and I think 152 00:06:41,020 --> 00:06:39,229 you can delete this I think who does in 153 00:06:44,439 --> 00:06:41,030 the field of astrobiology I think it 154 00:06:46,930 --> 00:06:44,449 takes it's not only outside the box that 155 00:06:51,370 --> 00:06:46,940 there is no box right the box is not 156 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:51,380 existing but my career started I was 157 00:06:56,950 --> 00:06:53,840 actually my undergrad was in chemistry 158 00:06:58,870 --> 00:06:56,960 and my PhD also was in chemistry so 159 00:07:01,600 --> 00:06:58,880 that's the sort of an unknown fact about 160 00:07:05,249 --> 00:07:01,610 me that I didn't starts my journey as a 161 00:07:08,020 --> 00:07:05,259 biologist but I studied the chemistry of 162 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:08,030 biomolecules and I was fascinated by 163 00:07:12,790 --> 00:07:10,250 proteins and how they can change 164 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:12,800 everything and it is true it's not just 165 00:07:17,050 --> 00:07:14,690 three things alone molecules I mean look 166 00:07:19,589 --> 00:07:17,060 it's the kids why are you at home right 167 00:07:22,839 --> 00:07:19,599 now why am I here because a molecule is 168 00:07:25,149 --> 00:07:22,849 threatening our own civilization here on 169 00:07:29,140 --> 00:07:25,159 earth see they are so impactful and so 170 00:07:31,570 --> 00:07:29,150 do to understand that I remember the 171 00:07:34,089 --> 00:07:31,580 moments the first time I actually got to 172 00:07:36,339 --> 00:07:34,099 realize that molecules are so impactful 173 00:07:38,170 --> 00:07:36,349 not just within the cell but they can 174 00:07:41,950 --> 00:07:38,180 impact human health they can impact the 175 00:07:44,830 --> 00:07:41,960 whole population whole ecosystem it's my 176 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:44,840 mind was when I never went back I was in 177 00:07:50,110 --> 00:07:47,690 love it hooked I was an undergrad and I 178 00:07:51,540 --> 00:07:50,120 thought to myself that that's the fact 179 00:07:55,330 --> 00:07:51,550 that you can spend your entire life 180 00:07:57,610 --> 00:07:55,340 chasing whatever molecule this and more 181 00:08:00,550 --> 00:07:57,620 interestingly I think what it did in the 182 00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:00,560 past there's what was no going back for 183 00:08:06,249 --> 00:08:03,830 me so after that I started after I got 184 00:08:08,890 --> 00:08:06,259 my PhD I was actually medical school and 185 00:08:10,839 --> 00:08:08,900 I was studying proteins but there was 186 00:08:13,089 --> 00:08:10,849 something me that I think always was 187 00:08:14,230 --> 00:08:13,099 very bothered by the way we are studying 188 00:08:16,180 --> 00:08:14,240 biochemistry 189 00:08:16,510 --> 00:08:16,190 by the way we are trying to understand 190 00:08:17,890 --> 00:08:16,520 this 191 00:08:20,980 --> 00:08:17,900 and I felt that we are not really 192 00:08:24,460 --> 00:08:20,990 connecting it to the larger picture that 193 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:24,470 is not necessarily our on you know 194 00:08:29,020 --> 00:08:26,210 planets like I thought you're not 195 00:08:31,809 --> 00:08:29,030 pointing to the space it's the largest 196 00:08:34,510 --> 00:08:31,819 stable possible and around that time 197 00:08:38,310 --> 00:08:34,520 which was about 2009 or 10 I was 198 00:08:43,180 --> 00:08:38,320 finishing my PhD I realized that NASA 199 00:08:45,699 --> 00:08:43,190 supported biological studies that seek 200 00:08:47,889 --> 00:08:45,709 answers to the questions that I was very 201 00:08:50,079 --> 00:08:47,899 deeply interested in that was very 202 00:08:52,090 --> 00:08:50,089 surprising for me because it's NASA 203 00:08:55,210 --> 00:08:52,100 you know why are they interested in 204 00:08:59,560 --> 00:08:55,220 microbes and that's how I discovered the 205 00:09:04,030 --> 00:08:59,570 astrobiology program and I I knocked on 206 00:09:06,750 --> 00:09:04,040 the well I actually did the to the door 207 00:09:12,490 --> 00:09:06,760 that's that's more like it 208 00:09:14,590 --> 00:09:12,500 and welcomed me and I've been working 209 00:09:17,380 --> 00:09:14,600 with Astro bells program since that's 210 00:09:19,269 --> 00:09:17,390 been ten years now it's wonderful 211 00:09:22,150 --> 00:09:19,279 because now your postdoc is the NASA 212 00:09:24,100 --> 00:09:22,160 Astrobiology funded postdoc is now in 213 00:09:27,010 --> 00:09:24,110 your lab doing Astro biological research 214 00:09:29,139 --> 00:09:27,020 with the tools that your lab have 215 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:29,149 developed and so you're an expert in 216 00:09:33,730 --> 00:09:31,250 ancestral gene reconstruction another 217 00:09:35,170 --> 00:09:33,740 way of saying this is paleogenetics can 218 00:09:36,819 --> 00:09:35,180 you tell us a little bit about about 219 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:36,829 about this field in general and how does 220 00:09:44,730 --> 00:09:41,450 it apply to astrobiology that was nice 221 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:44,740 about astrobiology program and I think 222 00:09:50,740 --> 00:09:48,250 that's the the researchers that's 223 00:09:53,139 --> 00:09:50,750 challenged their worldview that 224 00:09:59,019 --> 00:09:53,149 challenged the way the new science and 225 00:10:02,139 --> 00:09:59,029 maybe study things so I think that's why 226 00:10:04,510 --> 00:10:02,149 since the time I started working at NASA 227 00:10:07,660 --> 00:10:04,520 we clicked visuality snow in terms of 228 00:10:09,579 --> 00:10:07,670 vision and one one thing and it was 229 00:10:12,940 --> 00:10:09,589 bothering me was that molecules are so 230 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:12,950 impactful they change our planets is be 231 00:10:17,470 --> 00:10:15,770 speech and they continue to do so but we 232 00:10:20,079 --> 00:10:17,480 know very little about what they have 233 00:10:22,449 --> 00:10:20,089 done in the past so my postdoctoral 234 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:22,459 studies focused on developing 235 00:10:27,130 --> 00:10:24,650 experimental systems that will allow us 236 00:10:30,170 --> 00:10:27,140 to study what many have have passed that 237 00:10:33,710 --> 00:10:30,180 shaped the planets the way we see today 238 00:10:35,150 --> 00:10:33,720 and and something that's very special I 239 00:10:37,430 --> 00:10:35,160 think that happened to me that doesn't 240 00:10:39,380 --> 00:10:37,440 happen follow the researchers there are 241 00:10:41,090 --> 00:10:39,390 actually multiple things but the main 242 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:41,100 one was that I was able to transition 243 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:43,050 from a medical field to a very 244 00:10:47,750 --> 00:10:45,690 fundamental basic ariel's 245 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:47,760 research that I had no particular 246 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:50,730 training for but then also brought just 247 00:10:54,199 --> 00:10:52,110 in the sense that I had to develop 248 00:10:58,699 --> 00:10:54,209 everything as we go so for the past 10 249 00:11:01,910 --> 00:10:58,709 years slowly and patiently I systems 250 00:11:06,260 --> 00:11:01,920 allow us to rewind the clock so to speak 251 00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:06,270 and allow us to molecules and the 252 00:11:12,740 --> 00:11:09,390 organisms that pushed them behaved in 253 00:11:14,389 --> 00:11:12,750 the past it is quite unusual I think 254 00:11:17,949 --> 00:11:14,399 because this day and age we are so 255 00:11:21,110 --> 00:11:17,959 focused on immediate results first and 256 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:21,120 assistance that will give products right 257 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:25,250 away and its really thinking about 258 00:11:29,780 --> 00:11:28,050 programs that found that they didn't 259 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:29,790 expect an immediate outcome because a 260 00:11:38,050 --> 00:11:34,910 real research years years and 261 00:11:42,769 --> 00:11:38,060 development especially pioneering a new 262 00:11:46,699 --> 00:11:42,779 area of study so not only we are able to 263 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:46,709 predict what the ancestral states of DNA 264 00:11:50,060 --> 00:11:48,690 may have been like what the proteins 265 00:11:53,510 --> 00:11:50,070 that we studied today and their 266 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:53,520 ancestors maybe in the past they are now 267 00:11:58,850 --> 00:11:56,130 able to recall this resurrection that we 268 00:12:02,720 --> 00:11:58,860 bring them sort of - - to life so to 269 00:12:04,970 --> 00:12:02,730 speak to say what they do it is 270 00:12:07,910 --> 00:12:04,980 important to note that we may not be 271 00:12:10,970 --> 00:12:07,920 working with the truth right so if they 272 00:12:12,050 --> 00:12:10,980 are and you're dealing it the past when 273 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:12,060 you're dealing it the past 274 00:12:17,750 --> 00:12:14,310 you never may never be able to capture 275 00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:17,760 what exactly happened and that is fine 276 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:22,110 by me and I think by my I haven't I'm 277 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:25,650 really lucky I have beliefs spirited you 278 00:12:28,910 --> 00:12:27,570 know hard-working team students working 279 00:12:31,460 --> 00:12:28,920 with me right now in postdocs 280 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:31,470 I think we are aware that's it's not the 281 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:35,130 pursue of the exact absolute truth but 282 00:12:37,670 --> 00:12:37,050 it is getting close to what may have 283 00:12:40,370 --> 00:12:37,680 happens 284 00:12:44,540 --> 00:12:40,380 getting extensive what's happened in the 285 00:12:47,670 --> 00:12:44,550 past and how molecules that we see today 286 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:47,680 structured themselves over billions and 287 00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:51,310 billions years of time so more 288 00:12:58,590 --> 00:12:54,910 specifically you use existing biological 289 00:13:01,380 --> 00:12:58,600 machinery of cells and the news computer 290 00:13:03,270 --> 00:13:01,390 simulations to deduce what there could 291 00:13:05,730 --> 00:13:03,280 have been in the past using the tools of 292 00:13:08,550 --> 00:13:05,740 genetics and then reconstructs those 293 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:08,560 ancient genes put them in live cells and 294 00:13:21,660 --> 00:13:18,970 see how they evolve back row dispense we 295 00:13:25,350 --> 00:13:21,670 start you can imagine that we are almost 296 00:13:28,140 --> 00:13:25,360 capturing all the languages that all the 297 00:13:29,610 --> 00:13:28,150 human populations study today this is 298 00:13:32,070 --> 00:13:29,620 similar to what we do at the DNA level 299 00:13:33,810 --> 00:13:32,080 be trying to capture all the DNA that 300 00:13:36,210 --> 00:13:33,820 belongs to all the microbial 301 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:36,220 particularly organism studies today as 302 00:13:41,450 --> 00:13:38,530 much as we can as much as available at 303 00:13:44,310 --> 00:13:41,460 the sequence level and then we try to 304 00:13:47,460 --> 00:13:44,320 walk we walk our way back into the past 305 00:13:50,630 --> 00:13:47,470 and try to infer what the ancestral 306 00:13:53,550 --> 00:13:50,640 languages were so in some ways we are 307 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:53,560 resurrecting ancient languages just like 308 00:14:00,570 --> 00:13:57,090 in circuits so we are trying to predict 309 00:14:02,790 --> 00:14:00,580 organisms spoke in the past and how 310 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:02,800 deepen it is and we have a way of doing 311 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:04,090 this in the sense that you're not 312 00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:05,650 necessarily going all the way into the 313 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:07,510 past but you're trying to take snapshots 314 00:14:11,730 --> 00:14:09,910 between now and the past and now once 315 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:11,740 once we reconstruct these ancestral 316 00:14:16,310 --> 00:14:13,810 genes and I need to point out that 317 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:16,320 migrant is not the only group who are 318 00:14:20,730 --> 00:14:18,130 reconstructing ancient genes it's 319 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:20,740 available selfish field right now but we 320 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:25,810 are I think all of you and only these hi 321 00:14:32,490 --> 00:14:27,730 these ancient genes to understand our 322 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:32,500 planets early condition so we focus on 323 00:14:39,540 --> 00:14:35,530 DNA and things in particular that we 324 00:14:44,730 --> 00:14:39,550 think impacted our planets as well so 325 00:14:47,010 --> 00:14:44,740 some of maybe any gloss over even the 326 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:47,020 outside fields be listening to us right 327 00:14:52,250 --> 00:14:49,650 now they may be wondering wait a minute 328 00:14:57,269 --> 00:14:52,260 DNA and planets 329 00:14:59,790 --> 00:14:57,279 scale-wise is possible and what is yes 330 00:15:01,650 --> 00:14:59,800 I molecules are so cool it's like that 331 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:01,660 you can expect 332 00:15:08,910 --> 00:15:04,930 diera protein molecule to impact the 333 00:15:10,889 --> 00:15:08,920 planets yeah and it's extraordinary for 334 00:15:15,340 --> 00:15:10,899 those of you who are watching make sure 335 00:15:19,910 --> 00:15:17,200 you watch on our Facebook life put them 336 00:15:22,530 --> 00:15:22,009 little bits thank you so much for all 337 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:22,540 the 338 00:15:26,790 --> 00:15:24,010 are coming in it's awesome really 339 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:26,800 appreciate it so last last month with 340 00:15:32,190 --> 00:15:30,370 Colin we taught about biogeochemical 341 00:15:34,830 --> 00:15:32,200 cycles how earth and life have 342 00:15:36,750 --> 00:15:34,840 co-evolved together over time and the 343 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:36,760 air that the air on the planet has 344 00:15:41,730 --> 00:15:39,370 changed substantially and and the planet 345 00:15:43,890 --> 00:15:41,740 today would look nothing like it did if 346 00:15:46,290 --> 00:15:43,900 life had not occurred and so the tools 347 00:15:49,380 --> 00:15:46,300 you are using are able to work out some 348 00:15:52,110 --> 00:15:49,390 insights into linking the environment in 349 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:52,120 which those bicycle products came to be 350 00:15:56,820 --> 00:15:54,610 one it won over the example is is 351 00:16:00,180 --> 00:15:56,830 nitrogen fixation so the process of 352 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:00,190 taking very chemically stable triple 353 00:16:04,230 --> 00:16:02,290 bonded nitrogen breaking it down and 354 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:04,240 bring it the nitrogen into the 355 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:06,010 biological cell because nitrogen is such 356 00:16:10,590 --> 00:16:07,930 a fundamental piece of the molecular 357 00:16:12,660 --> 00:16:10,600 machinery and that needed an innovation 358 00:16:15,750 --> 00:16:12,670 in enzymes enzymes are proteins which 359 00:16:18,690 --> 00:16:15,760 your study and and you've spend a lot of 360 00:16:20,550 --> 00:16:18,700 time thinking about how is early 361 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:20,560 molecules that were able to break down 362 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:22,810 his nitrogen evolved over time and some 363 00:16:34,170 --> 00:16:29,910 important to note that entire field of 364 00:16:38,670 --> 00:16:34,180 geobiology also say innovated youngish 365 00:16:43,860 --> 00:16:38,680 peel and you know what does work on 366 00:16:45,630 --> 00:16:43,870 linking what entire systems right so 367 00:16:47,700 --> 00:16:45,640 what what I think my group brought into 368 00:16:50,130 --> 00:16:47,710 this is the integration of artificial 369 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:50,140 systems artificial biology actual 370 00:16:57,890 --> 00:16:52,690 reconstruction of ancestral genes and 371 00:17:02,220 --> 00:16:57,900 also linking evolutionary biology beyond 372 00:17:04,710 --> 00:17:02,230 phylogeny beyond generating trees so the 373 00:17:07,890 --> 00:17:04,720 fact that we are able to reconstruct and 374 00:17:11,610 --> 00:17:07,900 not just a ton of these proteins but but 375 00:17:13,350 --> 00:17:11,620 make a lot and in sanskrit all the 376 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:13,360 possibilities is i think what makes this 377 00:17:19,199 --> 00:17:15,490 area at least work for me and my group i 378 00:17:22,410 --> 00:17:19,209 think exciting is that that we are able 379 00:17:24,630 --> 00:17:22,420 to sort of unlock the the possibilities 380 00:17:26,819 --> 00:17:24,640 of biology or not his interest is 381 00:17:28,620 --> 00:17:26,829 understanding what happens that's minik 382 00:17:31,799 --> 00:17:28,630 acting and i want to know what i was 383 00:17:36,180 --> 00:17:31,809 what could m happens and why and why 384 00:17:39,210 --> 00:17:36,190 nots we do so nitrogen fixation is that 385 00:17:40,890 --> 00:17:39,220 we study right now especially my postdoc 386 00:17:42,390 --> 00:17:40,900 amanda garcia also is a NASA 387 00:17:45,870 --> 00:17:42,400 Astrobiology boss that she's done 388 00:17:48,419 --> 00:17:45,880 amazing work on this and we have some 389 00:17:50,910 --> 00:17:48,429 cool new exciting papers coming out soon 390 00:17:54,150 --> 00:17:50,920 so they are going to be able to post up 391 00:17:56,250 --> 00:17:54,160 reprints on this later that summer we 392 00:17:58,380 --> 00:17:56,260 are tackling the nitrogen fixation and 393 00:18:01,430 --> 00:17:58,390 also looking at the metals involved in 394 00:18:05,310 --> 00:18:01,440 this and try to understand how elements 395 00:18:08,580 --> 00:18:05,320 themselves were selected ultimately our 396 00:18:10,799 --> 00:18:08,590 goal is to learn from the past and it's 397 00:18:15,210 --> 00:18:10,809 linked what we learned from our planets 398 00:18:17,580 --> 00:18:15,220 past to the observations that we make at 399 00:18:20,970 --> 00:18:17,590 the stellar scale so that is sort of our 400 00:18:22,140 --> 00:18:20,980 gastronomy that comes into place we are 401 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:22,150 working provide 402 00:18:26,340 --> 00:18:24,490 writes mean I've been asking these 403 00:18:28,110 --> 00:18:26,350 questions to people already alone in the 404 00:18:30,299 --> 00:18:28,120 universe and casters to people who are 405 00:18:32,370 --> 00:18:30,309 listening to me anyone out there who 406 00:18:34,590 --> 00:18:32,380 thinks we are not alone maybe they're 407 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:34,600 typing right now I don't know alone in 408 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:37,360 the universe there's always one or two 409 00:18:40,770 --> 00:18:39,850 people and this is I can statistically 410 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:40,780 tell you 411 00:18:55,230 --> 00:18:45,490 maybe out of thousands I get who think 412 00:18:58,410 --> 00:18:55,240 that yellow this is it because we are in 413 00:19:01,290 --> 00:18:58,420 fact alone and this is only study 414 00:19:03,270 --> 00:19:01,300 biology so we all gets to our very 415 00:19:04,650 --> 00:19:03,280 existence to understand what the hell is 416 00:19:07,530 --> 00:19:04,660 going on here okay because this may be 417 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:07,540 the only planet that you can study 418 00:19:13,350 --> 00:19:11,170 geology you can study physics Street 419 00:19:16,230 --> 00:19:13,360 anywhere in the universe but this may be 420 00:19:18,540 --> 00:19:16,240 the only planet you can study the field 421 00:19:24,420 --> 00:19:18,550 of biology which makes biology extreme 422 00:19:26,910 --> 00:19:24,430 the site so what we are trying to oh 423 00:19:28,380 --> 00:19:26,920 it's just saying like the real value of 424 00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:28,390 your science in addition to looking at 425 00:19:32,820 --> 00:19:30,400 modern biology is that the the early 426 00:19:34,170 --> 00:19:32,830 Earth is another planet essentially for 427 00:19:36,090 --> 00:19:34,180 all intent and purpose is a different 428 00:19:38,310 --> 00:19:36,100 planet than modern Earth but I was very 429 00:19:40,230 --> 00:19:38,320 much alive with biology that we know is 430 00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:40,240 there and you are looking into ways of 431 00:19:44,730 --> 00:19:42,670 how was this biology actually there and 432 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:44,740 using those metals you are talking about 433 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:47,110 you can collect the molecular machinery 434 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:49,530 to the environment and thus some 435 00:19:54,150 --> 00:19:51,490 conclusions was that which I find 436 00:19:56,420 --> 00:19:54,160 fascinating so it's amazing your world 437 00:19:59,100 --> 00:19:56,430 is of ancestral gene reconstruction 438 00:20:02,070 --> 00:19:59,110 paleogenetics is linking with the 439 00:20:15,990 --> 00:20:02,080 geochemical space of geobiology it's a 440 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:16,000 new way of thinking turn shapes proteins 441 00:20:20,130 --> 00:20:17,890 and what we can learn about environment 442 00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:20,140 itself by looking at these parties I'm 443 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:22,420 not necessarily referring to temperature 444 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:24,790 I mean a lot of studies that try to 445 00:20:30,270 --> 00:20:27,190 connect the ancestral proteins and dirt 446 00:20:32,430 --> 00:20:30,280 that's not what you're doing right now 447 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:32,440 you're looking at the cofactors and the 448 00:20:37,620 --> 00:20:35,200 free metals that these ancestral 449 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:37,630 organisms ancestral proteins are binding 450 00:20:41,610 --> 00:20:39,850 and try to make inferences about the 451 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:41,620 environment that in which they lived 452 00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:44,770 them maybe also not understand what are 453 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:47,590 the other possibilities and and are 454 00:20:53,370 --> 00:20:51,010 waiting for census is so well that the 455 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:53,380 planet studies are blooming right now 456 00:20:57,570 --> 00:20:54,310 because it's three 457 00:20:59,760 --> 00:20:57,580 exciting our solar system uses when 458 00:21:02,700 --> 00:20:59,770 outside of our solar systems is even 459 00:21:04,830 --> 00:21:02,710 more exciting you know the we don't know 460 00:21:07,380 --> 00:21:04,840 the more there's work for us it's great 461 00:21:08,790 --> 00:21:07,390 right it's a great it's great to be 462 00:21:10,620 --> 00:21:08,800 nothing else because there's a lot of 463 00:21:12,570 --> 00:21:10,630 stuff we don't know about and we are 464 00:21:15,870 --> 00:21:12,580 trying to understand by treating our 465 00:21:19,020 --> 00:21:15,880 planet as an alien planet itself you're 466 00:21:22,170 --> 00:21:19,030 trying to understand the policy and 467 00:21:25,910 --> 00:21:22,180 environmental possibilities specifically 468 00:21:28,380 --> 00:21:25,920 that may give rise to like solar system 469 00:21:30,690 --> 00:21:28,390 so your molecular work has also taken 470 00:21:33,690 --> 00:21:30,700 you to understand one of the greatest 471 00:21:35,310 --> 00:21:33,700 geo bot geo biological changes of our 472 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:35,320 planet's history which has been the rise 473 00:21:39,390 --> 00:21:37,570 of oxygen roughly halfway through 474 00:21:41,130 --> 00:21:39,400 Earth's history and in particular you're 475 00:21:44,270 --> 00:21:41,140 looking at Rubisco which is the enzyme 476 00:21:46,980 --> 00:21:44,280 involved in photosynthesis and and 477 00:21:50,610 --> 00:21:46,990 through that you've been looking at the 478 00:21:55,580 --> 00:21:50,620 pigmentation of these bugs and pigments 479 00:22:04,730 --> 00:21:57,290 the case early on is that where your 480 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:04,740 research has been taking you but not 481 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:06,690 necessarily of anyone in my group that 482 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:08,730 we don't we didn't pick anything that's 483 00:22:11,390 --> 00:22:09,210 easy 484 00:22:13,220 --> 00:22:11,400 so we know Bisco is the misko is a 485 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:13,230 kingdom is that the same with 486 00:22:18,910 --> 00:22:16,010 heterogeneous it's not maybe 487 00:22:21,260 --> 00:22:18,920 straightforward to study this enzyme 488 00:22:26,150 --> 00:22:21,270 biochemically or at the organismic level 489 00:22:29,150 --> 00:22:26,160 the engine mod bacterial sufficient 490 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:29,160 abisco sequences that that we infer to 491 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:32,310 have existed prior to oxidation so 492 00:22:38,330 --> 00:22:34,110 you're talking about three million year 493 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:38,340 old proteins that we think has impacted 494 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:41,970 our planets in very fundamental way so 495 00:22:46,340 --> 00:22:44,130 one of them and we're doing a lot of 496 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:46,350 work with pigments these days so not 497 00:22:52,370 --> 00:22:49,290 necessarily pigment that is generated by 498 00:22:55,550 --> 00:22:52,380 the cyanobacteria but actual protein 499 00:22:59,510 --> 00:22:55,560 pigments and how they may have impacted 500 00:23:04,280 --> 00:22:59,520 the entire ocean entire planets in that 501 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:04,290 way any color they may have being away 502 00:23:11,330 --> 00:23:06,690 say three billion years are they the 503 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:11,340 same difference the work is getting and 504 00:23:18,010 --> 00:23:14,090 it is definitely interesting because we 505 00:23:22,070 --> 00:23:18,020 this is why there's no box outside the 506 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:22,080 box and and the comfort zone doesn't 507 00:23:30,020 --> 00:23:27,930 exist anymore so luckily astrobiology 508 00:23:34,070 --> 00:23:30,030 and extremely you know multidisciplinary 509 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:34,080 cross-disciplinary science so be talking 510 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:36,090 to an oceanographer talking to an 511 00:23:41,570 --> 00:23:38,610 astronomer at planetary scientists and 512 00:23:44,660 --> 00:23:41,580 norm for us we learned the language so 513 00:23:46,070 --> 00:23:44,670 to speak over these years and we sort of 514 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:46,080 get together and try to take all these 515 00:23:51,140 --> 00:23:47,930 problems together 516 00:23:53,090 --> 00:23:51,150 so from this pigmentation of life in the 517 00:23:55,250 --> 00:23:53,100 oceans this is really important for the 518 00:23:56,990 --> 00:23:55,260 remote detection of life on potential 519 00:23:59,240 --> 00:23:57,000 other worlds tell us a little bit about 520 00:24:00,620 --> 00:23:59,250 how your science ties to the world of 521 00:24:04,130 --> 00:24:00,630 exoplanets that you've been mentioning 522 00:24:06,230 --> 00:24:04,140 it is not I should point out that our 523 00:24:07,790 --> 00:24:06,240 technology that will allow us to even 524 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:07,800 take a picture of another planet 525 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:09,810 outside of our solar system if you're 526 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:11,970 not there yet right so we cannot do that 527 00:24:15,980 --> 00:24:14,370 right now so be but is it gloom I guess 528 00:24:17,930 --> 00:24:15,990 we are preparing for the time that 529 00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:17,940 because that will come it may take us 530 00:24:22,370 --> 00:24:20,760 two decades to entirely understand what 531 00:24:24,710 --> 00:24:22,380 it planted outside of our solar system 532 00:24:26,570 --> 00:24:24,720 what the actual color might be but we 533 00:24:28,790 --> 00:24:26,580 will get there so once we are there I 534 00:24:31,340 --> 00:24:28,800 want the research that we produced to be 535 00:24:33,410 --> 00:24:31,350 useful so we are sort of investing in a 536 00:24:36,470 --> 00:24:33,420 decade from now where we will be able to 537 00:24:38,510 --> 00:24:36,480 detect and observe planets outside of 538 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:38,520 our solar system even better that being 539 00:24:46,130 --> 00:24:42,810 said we are sort of getting ready for a 540 00:24:48,260 --> 00:24:46,140 planet that may be present but again the 541 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:48,270 whole premise here is that we are 542 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:50,130 looking for alien life but our own 543 00:24:55,190 --> 00:24:53,310 planets past is and I think biologists 544 00:24:57,890 --> 00:24:55,200 we need more biologists to study these 545 00:25:00,110 --> 00:24:57,900 problems we you know we don't I think 546 00:25:02,810 --> 00:25:00,120 truly appreciates in the education of 547 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:02,820 molecular biology and I get this a lot 548 00:25:08,690 --> 00:25:04,530 because I'm teaching molecular G to 549 00:25:10,490 --> 00:25:08,700 undergrads and appreciate that we are 550 00:25:13,010 --> 00:25:10,500 products of billions of years of 551 00:25:15,050 --> 00:25:13,020 evolution at the end and and if we 552 00:25:19,550 --> 00:25:15,060 really want to find life outside of our 553 00:25:21,370 --> 00:25:19,560 solar system or out there it to 554 00:25:26,590 --> 00:25:21,380 understand two main things we need to 555 00:25:32,420 --> 00:25:29,660 occupied our entire planet but we also 556 00:25:34,790 --> 00:25:32,430 understand how life originated I am 557 00:25:36,290 --> 00:25:34,800 likely that without solving the original 558 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:36,300 five problem we will never be able to 559 00:25:41,390 --> 00:25:39,510 fight back we have to find and make we 560 00:25:44,030 --> 00:25:41,400 need to make life and you know emerge 561 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:44,040 it's our towels I think that's it 562 00:25:50,300 --> 00:25:47,010 I think I say that and understand the 563 00:25:52,220 --> 00:25:50,310 conditions that can Harbor life okay so 564 00:25:55,070 --> 00:25:52,230 we I think for a long time we thought 565 00:25:57,020 --> 00:25:55,080 that we will be able to do it I think 566 00:25:58,880 --> 00:25:57,030 about all the you know we've been asking 567 00:26:01,520 --> 00:25:58,890 the complex started and already alone in 568 00:26:04,670 --> 00:26:01,530 this universe sport as long as we gained 569 00:26:08,150 --> 00:26:04,680 consciousness as humanity Videl force 570 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:08,160 Aristotle I look at how things changing 571 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:10,530 how the evolution happens and then it 572 00:26:15,170 --> 00:26:12,450 comes you know we stole the structure of 573 00:26:17,990 --> 00:26:15,180 DNA right it rosalind Franklin taking 574 00:26:21,450 --> 00:26:18,000 picture showing us how molecules inside 575 00:26:24,779 --> 00:26:21,460 the cell very code that 576 00:26:28,799 --> 00:26:24,789 the entire structure possible it's the 577 00:26:31,019 --> 00:26:28,809 entire world around us had looks like 578 00:26:33,299 --> 00:26:31,029 maybe took these pictures and that comes 579 00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:33,309 Miller and Urey they're very able to 580 00:26:40,169 --> 00:26:37,630 spark electric and heat and and simulate 581 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:40,179 an environment that made that maybe like 582 00:26:46,139 --> 00:26:43,330 ancient planet and able to make on 583 00:26:48,570 --> 00:26:46,149 questions that are very founders of the 584 00:26:51,299 --> 00:26:48,580 cells the building blocks and I think we 585 00:26:53,789 --> 00:26:51,309 thought okay we got this can we can we 586 00:26:57,630 --> 00:26:53,799 can you know how change happens we 587 00:27:00,690 --> 00:26:57,640 understand that complexity works maybe a 588 00:27:03,860 --> 00:27:00,700 little bit it's not to speculate we can 589 00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:03,870 take picture we can do look at DNA 590 00:27:19,470 --> 00:27:16,110 I think we got today 591 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:19,480 we didn't right so it really reeks it 592 00:27:25,889 --> 00:27:24,130 was 60s we have an East we have a fate 593 00:27:29,399 --> 00:27:25,899 like with over 50 years now you're stuck 594 00:27:32,730 --> 00:27:29,409 there too it's important to realize that 595 00:27:36,029 --> 00:27:32,740 it's literally hundreds of years of 596 00:27:40,169 --> 00:27:36,039 thinking and thinking and doing that 597 00:27:42,029 --> 00:27:40,179 enabled us to finally come to 2020 and 598 00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:42,039 you argue that we are so close to 599 00:27:47,340 --> 00:27:44,140 solving the problem of version of life I 600 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:47,350 think we are really close but I think 601 00:27:51,690 --> 00:27:49,450 we're a bit flip ourselves that we 602 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:51,700 thought this would be easy and now we 603 00:27:56,700 --> 00:27:55,090 know it's far from it's it's not only 604 00:27:58,950 --> 00:27:56,710 understanding how those prebiotic 605 00:28:00,450 --> 00:27:58,960 molecules came to be and how they 606 00:28:02,279 --> 00:28:00,460 transition to become biological 607 00:28:05,940 --> 00:28:02,289 molecules but also in what environment 608 00:28:07,470 --> 00:28:05,950 did they interact in to allow that 609 00:28:09,419 --> 00:28:07,480 communication and sharing of information 610 00:28:11,039 --> 00:28:09,429 which is fascinating and I wish we had 611 00:28:13,860 --> 00:28:11,049 more time to talk about this I do want 612 00:28:15,690 --> 00:28:13,870 to transition to one of the aspects that 613 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:15,700 makes you stand out as the scientist is 614 00:28:19,799 --> 00:28:17,890 that you are also very passionate about 615 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:19,809 public engagement about communicating 616 00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:21,730 science to the public after all you're a 617 00:28:25,289 --> 00:28:24,130 co-founder of signator org the platform 618 00:28:27,210 --> 00:28:25,299 on which you are currently live 619 00:28:29,820 --> 00:28:27,220 streaming so it's fantastic to have you 620 00:28:32,490 --> 00:28:29,830 as a guest on the program and you've 621 00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:32,500 been involved for for this and as far as 622 00:28:48,370 --> 00:28:45,730 I am a product of public engagements 623 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:48,380 myself right so when I the program that 624 00:28:51,310 --> 00:28:49,730 I applied to his laundry grade was 625 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:51,320 founded by Harvard Hughes Medical 626 00:28:58,840 --> 00:28:55,130 Institute and and it enabled me to spend 627 00:29:02,919 --> 00:28:58,850 a summer in a lab and do research at 628 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:02,929 that time I was trying to synthesize go 629 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:04,970 back there isn't a lot specifically 630 00:29:09,370 --> 00:29:06,890 riboflavin analogs and I quickly 631 00:29:12,700 --> 00:29:09,380 realized that I respect organic chemists 632 00:29:15,129 --> 00:29:12,710 but it's not for me I can't do it so but 633 00:29:17,919 --> 00:29:15,139 but it was a product of public outreach 634 00:29:20,379 --> 00:29:17,929 that gave me the sense of what I can or 635 00:29:22,090 --> 00:29:20,389 cannot do and make me feel that feel 636 00:29:27,250 --> 00:29:22,100 like I belong and I have a place in 637 00:29:30,220 --> 00:29:27,260 science I think that sort of deals and 638 00:29:32,350 --> 00:29:30,230 it saddens me that still you know ten 639 00:29:35,049 --> 00:29:32,360 years since then maybe actually more 640 00:29:37,889 --> 00:29:35,059 than that 16 years we are still hearing 641 00:29:40,930 --> 00:29:37,899 from young scholars that they have this 642 00:29:45,190 --> 00:29:40,940 inability to imagine themselves as a 643 00:29:50,169 --> 00:29:45,200 part of scientific rigor if you are 644 00:29:58,470 --> 00:29:53,299 so 645 00:30:00,810 --> 00:29:58,480 science and science scientists might be 646 00:30:03,930 --> 00:30:00,820 doesn't matter it's their problem not 647 00:30:07,470 --> 00:30:03,940 yours right so I am a product of that 648 00:30:09,390 --> 00:30:07,480 sort of grassroots outreach its Emory 649 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:09,400 and I think we all have some person that 650 00:30:14,700 --> 00:30:12,370 changed the way we think but pet 651 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:14,710 Patricia Marsteller she was the leading 652 00:30:19,260 --> 00:30:18,250 a person for this group and even though 653 00:30:22,470 --> 00:30:19,270 she was coming from another country 654 00:30:24,450 --> 00:30:22,480 right I'm Turkish she's from Georgia 655 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:24,460 Atlanta you know right completely 656 00:30:29,460 --> 00:30:27,010 different part of the world I deleted to 657 00:30:31,350 --> 00:30:29,470 her and it was fascinating to me that 658 00:30:33,780 --> 00:30:31,360 there are things that are beyond the 659 00:30:37,950 --> 00:30:33,790 languages and cultures and our futures 660 00:30:40,530 --> 00:30:37,960 that connect us as humanity and because 661 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:40,540 I think I was very aware that my 662 00:30:45,390 --> 00:30:43,090 presence in science is a product of my 663 00:30:49,220 --> 00:30:45,400 engagements and outreach 664 00:30:52,470 --> 00:30:49,230 I never even thought about it being a 665 00:30:55,770 --> 00:30:52,480 job or a task it's a natural thing for 666 00:30:58,890 --> 00:30:55,780 that I feel that it's my job now to give 667 00:31:02,130 --> 00:30:58,900 back so I always did voluntary 668 00:31:04,140 --> 00:31:02,140 activities in in calling it's a graduate 669 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:04,150 school as a graduate students I was 670 00:31:07,919 --> 00:31:06,850 teaching in Decatur Georgia there was a 671 00:31:10,140 --> 00:31:07,929 high school there indicator of high 672 00:31:11,790 --> 00:31:10,150 school so I did I was partnered to be 673 00:31:14,370 --> 00:31:11,800 the high school teacher the thoughts 674 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:14,380 physics and chemistry for one year which 675 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:16,530 changed a lot of things for me 676 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:19,630 understand I 677 00:31:26,550 --> 00:31:23,010 was mind blown to see kids who live in 678 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:26,560 Atlanta Georgia cannot show me by Canada 679 00:31:31,230 --> 00:31:29,170 that that was a very eye-opening 680 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:31,240 experience for me and all these things 681 00:31:36,930 --> 00:31:34,090 made me realize that I belong here even 682 00:31:40,290 --> 00:31:36,940 more that I have a job a mission and 683 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:40,300 that is to teach science and instead is 684 00:31:49,380 --> 00:31:43,330 a product of death honey that we started 685 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:49,390 this I think 2011 and it was me being 686 00:31:53,220 --> 00:31:51,610 away from my own home country I don't 687 00:31:55,820 --> 00:31:53,230 want to do get this right I realized 688 00:31:58,230 --> 00:31:55,830 that they're only in Turkey wants to 689 00:32:00,330 --> 00:31:58,240 watch astrobiology meetings but they 690 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:00,340 have no way of doing that so we started 691 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:03,330 an online group to bring science to 692 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:05,770 everybody and look at where we are now 693 00:32:11,450 --> 00:32:08,890 it's really amazing there's so many more 694 00:32:16,039 --> 00:32:14,570 stop being selfish and open up the floor 695 00:32:18,260 --> 00:32:16,049 to the questions which is my one of my 696 00:32:19,580 --> 00:32:18,270 favorite part of the show so let's head 697 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:19,590 and get started thank you all so much 698 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:20,970 for submitting your questions please 699 00:32:25,549 --> 00:32:23,370 keep them coming use hashtag ask as for 700 00:32:27,230 --> 00:32:25,559 bio on Twitter or put them on the chat 701 00:32:28,610 --> 00:32:27,240 on Signet org if you're watching on 702 00:32:29,899 --> 00:32:28,620 Facebook live put them down in the 703 00:32:32,090 --> 00:32:29,909 comments we're listening we're hearing 704 00:32:35,779 --> 00:32:32,100 you and okay b2 so are you ready 705 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:35,789 the first question comes from @astro 706 00:32:40,460 --> 00:32:38,610 sociology gym pass on twitter and he 707 00:32:42,590 --> 00:32:40,470 asks what are your thoughts about how 708 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:42,600 social scientists can participate more 709 00:32:46,250 --> 00:32:44,850 extensively in astrobiology research so 710 00:32:47,899 --> 00:32:46,260 that the societal implications of 711 00:32:50,779 --> 00:32:47,909 astrobiology and SETI can become more 712 00:32:56,419 --> 00:32:50,789 mainstream considerations alongside stem 713 00:32:59,720 --> 00:32:56,429 issues my field so I wouldn't know with 714 00:33:02,060 --> 00:32:59,730 the goal of it or social science would 715 00:33:06,289 --> 00:33:02,070 be to in fact increase the awareness of 716 00:33:08,330 --> 00:33:06,299 science studies or just keep a record of 717 00:33:12,620 --> 00:33:08,340 what's what has been happening so I'm 718 00:33:15,260 --> 00:33:12,630 familiar with studies of dr. Sophia 719 00:33:18,950 --> 00:33:15,270 roost she is an anthropology professor 720 00:33:21,289 --> 00:33:18,960 and so she wrote really remarkable 721 00:33:25,610 --> 00:33:21,299 articles about how astrobiologists go to 722 00:33:28,789 --> 00:33:25,620 field sites and study life and so there 723 00:33:32,269 --> 00:33:28,799 there's been some efforts towards so 724 00:33:34,639 --> 00:33:32,279 documenting what astrobiologists do that 725 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:34,649 being said I think we need definitely 726 00:33:39,470 --> 00:33:36,570 definitely we need social scientists to 727 00:33:42,019 --> 00:33:39,480 that that a newbie presence with us 728 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:42,029 right now and you know are saying I 729 00:33:47,630 --> 00:33:44,330 didn't know who is in Turkey right now 730 00:33:50,060 --> 00:33:47,640 has also been sort out studying how 731 00:33:51,710 --> 00:33:50,070 astrobiologists communicate and 732 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:51,720 collaborate but I think the question is 733 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:53,730 a bit broader than this and I think it's 734 00:33:57,799 --> 00:33:55,770 deeper that the question is you know how 735 00:34:00,830 --> 00:33:57,809 so said that whether the social studies 736 00:34:02,779 --> 00:34:00,840 can be even more recognized part of the 737 00:34:06,049 --> 00:34:02,789 Austral biology studies and I will say 738 00:34:08,690 --> 00:34:06,059 yes there are a lot of new astrobiology 739 00:34:10,190 --> 00:34:08,700 centers being formed right now it's an 740 00:34:11,990 --> 00:34:10,200 interesting you know a very exciting 741 00:34:15,050 --> 00:34:12,000 time for astrobiology field as a whole 742 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:15,060 so if you're interested in so there's 743 00:34:18,649 --> 00:34:16,290 more social sciences part of 744 00:34:21,710 --> 00:34:18,659 astrobiology I recommend that you get in 745 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:21,720 touch with scientists who are needy who 746 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:23,490 are participating in these NASA notes 747 00:34:26,540 --> 00:34:24,450 and 748 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:26,550 pitch time your idea I think we could we 749 00:34:30,470 --> 00:34:29,010 could all use someone who is definitely 750 00:34:32,149 --> 00:34:30,480 thinking there could be than us 751 00:34:33,770 --> 00:34:32,159 not even as a scientist with the 752 00:34:37,069 --> 00:34:33,780 broadest Ehrman as a part of social 753 00:34:39,859 --> 00:34:37,079 sciences so definitely is thank you 754 00:34:44,119 --> 00:34:39,869 the next question comes from a peer ekk 755 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:44,129 who tweets as at Duke McCollum's and he 756 00:34:54,740 --> 00:34:47,490 or she asks who was or what was your 757 00:34:59,150 --> 00:34:54,750 biggest inspiration for me to pin it to 758 00:35:02,079 --> 00:34:59,160 a certain person but I would say that it 759 00:35:04,190 --> 00:35:02,089 was more about what's happened around me 760 00:35:09,079 --> 00:35:04,200 collectively I grew up in an environment 761 00:35:11,180 --> 00:35:09,089 by remembrance given the privilege and I 762 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:11,190 will argue that it is a privilege to 763 00:35:17,930 --> 00:35:14,450 receive education and not everybody can 764 00:35:20,510 --> 00:35:17,940 receive it really 91 top level but in 765 00:35:22,790 --> 00:35:20,520 education it's still a problem in our 766 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:22,800 world unfortunately so I think seeing 767 00:35:32,300 --> 00:35:25,410 what was not given to them and drove me 768 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:32,310 to get get it all I was women in my 769 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:34,290 family they did not have any diploma so 770 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:36,930 I always joked that I I acquired enough 771 00:35:41,270 --> 00:35:39,930 diploma for everybody for all the people 772 00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:41,280 that couldn't go to school I have a 773 00:35:47,030 --> 00:35:44,310 degree so I was just really driven to 774 00:35:50,809 --> 00:35:47,040 have my own life my own path is a woman 775 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:50,819 and I so education is the only way to 776 00:35:56,359 --> 00:35:52,650 achieve that for myself thank you for 777 00:35:58,010 --> 00:35:56,369 the question using that article that you 778 00:35:59,569 --> 00:35:58,020 were featured in by UN women you have 779 00:36:01,790 --> 00:35:59,579 another good quote in there that says 780 00:36:03,859 --> 00:36:01,800 your armor your knowledge is your armor 781 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:03,869 and that ties very well to that answer 782 00:36:09,290 --> 00:36:07,650 thank you again and Sarah had set Jen on 783 00:36:11,780 --> 00:36:09,300 say Gannett asks what are you taking 784 00:36:14,210 --> 00:36:11,790 your experimental evolution research and 785 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:14,220 placing those cells in a paleo 786 00:36:25,430 --> 00:36:22,050 environmental setting the quick answer 787 00:36:29,150 --> 00:36:25,440 is yes we are simulating ancient earth 788 00:36:32,510 --> 00:36:29,160 conditions while once we open the lab 789 00:36:35,690 --> 00:36:32,520 again the goal is to see how the 790 00:36:37,339 --> 00:36:35,700 bacteria engineer ancient components 791 00:36:39,410 --> 00:36:37,349 respond to the environment 792 00:36:43,849 --> 00:36:39,420 that means minute ancient conditions as 793 00:36:46,460 --> 00:36:43,859 well thank you the next question comes 794 00:36:49,609 --> 00:36:46,470 from Marian Denton who tweets as at 795 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:49,619 Astro underscore limb no and she asks 796 00:36:56,329 --> 00:36:51,930 whether finding a piece of genetic code 797 00:36:58,460 --> 00:36:56,339 RNA or DNA or structure like it be 798 00:37:01,309 --> 00:36:58,470 considered on another world would it be 799 00:37:03,739 --> 00:37:01,319 considered as an evidence of life that's 800 00:37:07,099 --> 00:37:03,749 a very good question and so I will 801 00:37:09,859 --> 00:37:07,109 response by quoting Prasad ami who 802 00:37:12,859 --> 00:37:09,869 studies not by them on many other things 803 00:37:15,079 --> 00:37:12,869 he talks about finding a screwdriver on 804 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:15,089 Mars right so if you find a screwdriver 805 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:18,690 on Mars will you be convinced that there 806 00:37:25,249 --> 00:37:21,210 was life or is life on this planet so to 807 00:37:26,710 --> 00:37:25,259 me finding DNA or RNA or any molecule 808 00:37:30,529 --> 00:37:26,720 that is familiar to us inside a 809 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:30,539 biological cell on planet Earth is like 810 00:37:34,190 --> 00:37:32,729 finding a screwdriver on somewhere else 811 00:37:37,339 --> 00:37:34,200 how did it get here 812 00:37:39,799 --> 00:37:37,349 it isn't it's so hard to synthesize 813 00:37:41,569 --> 00:37:39,809 these these molecules let alone use them 814 00:37:44,029 --> 00:37:41,579 as an information system that we see in 815 00:37:47,390 --> 00:37:44,039 the cell today so I will argue that yes 816 00:37:49,430 --> 00:37:47,400 finding piece DNA or RNA it's definitely 817 00:37:51,979 --> 00:37:49,440 gonna be we will be really close to 818 00:37:54,140 --> 00:37:51,989 finding what if you find DNA somewhere 819 00:37:58,729 --> 00:37:54,150 else regardless of the context that it 820 00:38:00,829 --> 00:37:58,739 is it is in our planet bring it there 821 00:38:02,029 --> 00:38:00,839 it's like finding a hard drive in 822 00:38:03,589 --> 00:38:02,039 another world right the density of 823 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:03,599 information that's in these molecules 824 00:38:07,609 --> 00:38:05,910 are just it has to be something more 825 00:38:08,749 --> 00:38:07,619 than just a natural setting but who 826 00:38:10,089 --> 00:38:08,759 knows right I don't think our 827 00:38:12,140 --> 00:38:10,099 imagination is broad enough to 828 00:38:13,670 --> 00:38:12,150 categorize all the different 829 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:13,680 possibilities anyway so the next 830 00:38:18,890 --> 00:38:15,690 question comes from Allah and on Twitter 831 00:38:20,269 --> 00:38:18,900 who tweets us at they say is Ibrahim and 832 00:38:22,099 --> 00:38:20,279 we were talking about sign a big 833 00:38:25,039 --> 00:38:22,109 bacteria and how their parent parts of 834 00:38:27,049 --> 00:38:25,049 plants today and so he or she asks are 835 00:38:33,739 --> 00:38:27,059 they are there any plant species that 836 00:38:35,539 --> 00:38:33,749 can be grown in space International 837 00:38:39,890 --> 00:38:35,549 Space Station that's also in space or 838 00:38:40,609 --> 00:38:39,900 any planet so for the ISS absolutely I 839 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:40,619 don't see why not 840 00:38:45,109 --> 00:38:43,410 and but poor and there are studies 841 00:38:47,870 --> 00:38:45,119 towards this and there are work again 842 00:38:49,729 --> 00:38:47,880 towards understanding the conditions 843 00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:49,739 that we need to create if you were to 844 00:38:54,170 --> 00:38:50,910 grow plan 845 00:38:55,579 --> 00:38:54,180 different plants there are not just 846 00:38:57,049 --> 00:38:55,589 scientific by the way I know a lot of 847 00:38:59,000 --> 00:38:57,059 artists are also thinking about these 848 00:39:05,510 --> 00:38:59,010 things there's a really fascinating 849 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:05,520 group United Kingdom that are creating 850 00:39:08,599 --> 00:39:08,010 exhibition is about sort of imagining 851 00:39:11,990 --> 00:39:08,609 the future 852 00:39:13,940 --> 00:39:12,000 imagining plants on different planets so 853 00:39:15,529 --> 00:39:13,950 yes that there now may be possibilities 854 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:15,539 but we are not there yet 855 00:39:23,630 --> 00:39:20,730 I thank you the next question comes from 856 00:39:26,299 --> 00:39:23,640 Murphy and dad on say Gannett who asks 857 00:39:28,339 --> 00:39:26,309 is it possible to create the Jima genome 858 00:39:35,510 --> 00:39:28,349 of the simplest cell that can survive 859 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:35,520 I'm in silico only okay so there are 860 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:37,770 studies that are done by craig Venter 861 00:39:43,490 --> 00:39:39,930 for example student ecologists that try 862 00:39:44,650 --> 00:39:43,500 to create methods to synthesize genomes 863 00:39:47,839 --> 00:39:44,660 bunk 864 00:39:49,730 --> 00:39:47,849 yes yes I want to say scratch but it's 865 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:49,740 not necessarily scratch right because 866 00:39:54,849 --> 00:39:51,930 reliant on other organisms genome is a 867 00:39:57,740 --> 00:39:54,859 tablet that means that there are many 868 00:39:59,809 --> 00:39:57,750 facets to this question number one is 869 00:40:01,789 --> 00:39:59,819 that what is the simplest organism are 870 00:40:04,010 --> 00:40:01,799 you talking about the simplest microbe 871 00:40:06,230 --> 00:40:04,020 that we have like a micro plasma or 872 00:40:07,730 --> 00:40:06,240 something like that we have today or are 873 00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:07,740 you be talking about engineering 874 00:40:13,069 --> 00:40:10,250 organism that will have the minimal 875 00:40:16,460 --> 00:40:13,079 components that will give rise to any 876 00:40:19,609 --> 00:40:16,470 living cell yes the minimal components 877 00:40:21,260 --> 00:40:19,619 so if the if the aspect is number two we 878 00:40:23,450 --> 00:40:21,270 are not there yet and the problem is 879 00:40:26,450 --> 00:40:23,460 don't quite understand what exactly 880 00:40:29,150 --> 00:40:26,460 needs to be in this bag and by that I 881 00:40:31,819 --> 00:40:29,160 mean that the cell itself that will be 882 00:40:34,010 --> 00:40:31,829 minimal but still gave life give rise to 883 00:40:35,539 --> 00:40:34,020 life what is it that we're trying to see 884 00:40:38,150 --> 00:40:35,549 so there's a lot of work towards 885 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:38,160 protocells in that aspect we are not 886 00:40:42,710 --> 00:40:39,210 there yet right we didn't make any 887 00:40:44,859 --> 00:40:42,720 evolving life like protocell a system 888 00:40:48,650 --> 00:40:44,869 that has information in itself 889 00:40:50,930 --> 00:40:48,660 encapsulated however there is definitely 890 00:40:53,630 --> 00:40:50,940 work towards creating 891 00:40:55,670 --> 00:40:53,640 early cells that are that don't have 892 00:40:57,260 --> 00:40:55,680 genomes that are not like what we see 893 00:40:58,760 --> 00:40:57,270 today by the way I don't think it's 894 00:41:02,269 --> 00:40:58,770 gonna be like but bacteria has you're 895 00:41:03,460 --> 00:41:02,279 talking a lot simpler maybe that's a 896 00:41:14,420 --> 00:41:03,470 couple hundred 897 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:14,430 Jeanne's is very different so thank you 898 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:17,450 the next question comes from Twitter 899 00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:20,490 freaking Kenobi as at space engineer 900 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:22,650 asks the following question and he asked 901 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:24,210 it in Turkish and I would say a big 902 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:26,490 thank you to a professor our sivaiah 903 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:28,170 Dino blue who has helped us translating 904 00:41:32,330 --> 00:41:30,090 live these questions if you're watching 905 00:41:35,750 --> 00:41:32,340 our server thank you very much and and 906 00:41:37,790 --> 00:41:35,760 thank you he so at space engineer asks 907 00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:37,800 what steps should a person who wants to 908 00:41:47,870 --> 00:41:45,450 become an astrobiologist follow because 909 00:41:49,850 --> 00:41:47,880 I get that question a lot so first of 910 00:41:52,570 --> 00:41:49,860 all there are resources there are posted 911 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:52,580 by NASA Astrobiology Institute online 912 00:41:56,930 --> 00:41:55,050 that shows different paths that can take 913 00:42:00,080 --> 00:41:56,940 you to study astrobiology but I'll give 914 00:42:02,090 --> 00:42:00,090 the broadest answer possible that you 915 00:42:04,010 --> 00:42:02,100 don't need to replicate someone else's 916 00:42:06,500 --> 00:42:04,020 trajectory if you do what you want to do 917 00:42:07,730 --> 00:42:06,510 at the end so that means that because I 918 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:07,740 studied chemistry and I need 919 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:09,570 biochemistry and then in your biology 920 00:42:13,060 --> 00:42:11,010 you don't need to necessarily follow 921 00:42:16,670 --> 00:42:13,070 these steps to study the questions that 922 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:16,680 we do if you are interested in a basic 923 00:42:22,220 --> 00:42:19,290 scientific field physics geology 924 00:42:25,490 --> 00:42:22,230 astronomy chemistry whatever it might 925 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:25,500 not be do that and then you will find 926 00:42:28,610 --> 00:42:26,850 that there are questions that you can 927 00:42:30,860 --> 00:42:28,620 answer that are related to astrobiology 928 00:42:34,460 --> 00:42:30,870 that are embedded in these basic areas 929 00:42:36,650 --> 00:42:34,470 of research I think one aspect that kids 930 00:42:39,860 --> 00:42:36,660 are maybe you're not emphasizing it's 931 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:39,870 not a disaster biologists that you need 932 00:42:45,620 --> 00:42:43,170 to have a home discipline and excelled 933 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:45,630 in that so whatever you do if it is 934 00:42:50,050 --> 00:42:47,610 biochemistry I need to be an excellent 935 00:42:52,730 --> 00:42:50,060 biochemist and then build astrobiology 936 00:42:55,310 --> 00:42:52,740 so you need to have a core area of 937 00:42:57,590 --> 00:42:55,320 research could be microbiology you know 938 00:42:59,180 --> 00:42:57,600 could be geology you could be paleo 939 00:43:01,730 --> 00:42:59,190 biology whatever it may be 940 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:01,740 excel in that and then apply your 941 00:43:06,170 --> 00:43:04,050 technique and your methods to questions 942 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:06,180 related to astrobiology because 943 00:43:10,910 --> 00:43:08,730 Australia is not necessarily a major 944 00:43:12,830 --> 00:43:10,920 right right now nobody offers that we 945 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:12,840 may do it here anyway but you're not 946 00:43:17,730 --> 00:43:16,330 there yet so follow the 947 00:43:21,180 --> 00:43:17,740 area that you are really passionate 948 00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:21,190 about and then apply what you make or 949 00:43:24,870 --> 00:43:22,810 iron your skills and your knowledge 950 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:24,880 towards questions related to 951 00:43:28,950 --> 00:43:26,410 astrobiology because there is room for 952 00:43:31,950 --> 00:43:28,960 everybody in this field we are not 953 00:43:33,810 --> 00:43:31,960 running short of questions we have so 954 00:43:36,690 --> 00:43:33,820 much to figure out altogether and we 955 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:36,700 will need all of you yeah big enough to 956 00:43:39,090 --> 00:43:37,930 buy out this is really about the 957 00:43:41,250 --> 00:43:39,100 questions you ask 958 00:43:43,830 --> 00:43:41,260 not necessarily the science you do so a 959 00:43:45,660 --> 00:43:43,840 great answer vitriol thank you the next 960 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:45,670 question comes from hello Smithers on 961 00:43:50,670 --> 00:43:48,970 Twitter who who asks I am in school 962 00:43:52,140 --> 00:43:50,680 right now for environmental science and 963 00:43:55,170 --> 00:43:52,150 research with a concentration on 964 00:43:57,060 --> 00:43:55,180 genetics what types of jobs or research 965 00:43:59,580 --> 00:43:57,070 would I be able to do and I graduate and 966 00:44:09,270 --> 00:43:59,590 want to work for NASA and organization 967 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:09,280 like it I believe so you check out the 968 00:44:14,310 --> 00:44:11,410 internship programs that are offered 969 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:14,320 directly by NASA centers or you could 970 00:44:18,150 --> 00:44:15,850 write to professors that are not 971 00:44:22,860 --> 00:44:18,160 necessarily working at NASA centers but 972 00:44:25,050 --> 00:44:22,870 are working through NASA funded programs 973 00:44:27,420 --> 00:44:25,060 and you can directly get in touch with 974 00:44:29,270 --> 00:44:27,430 them and ask to work with them even 975 00:44:33,090 --> 00:44:29,280 though it's just over this summer 976 00:44:35,340 --> 00:44:33,100 because so I think to get to the job you 977 00:44:36,900 --> 00:44:35,350 need to get to it first you I think it's 978 00:44:38,370 --> 00:44:36,910 a scientist beepers it will be very 979 00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:38,380 useful for us to understand about our 980 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:41,170 interests are and and this is a tricky 981 00:44:45,510 --> 00:44:43,810 part about finding your interests you 982 00:44:47,310 --> 00:44:45,520 need to sometimes do things that don't 983 00:44:49,470 --> 00:44:47,320 interest you and that's the only way you 984 00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:49,480 will find what you like through doing 985 00:44:54,540 --> 00:44:52,690 things that you don't like and and also 986 00:44:56,760 --> 00:44:54,550 finding that the thing that you thought 987 00:45:00,090 --> 00:44:56,770 you would like doesn't interest you as 988 00:45:01,710 --> 00:45:00,100 much so it's it's I encourage that don't 989 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:01,720 overthink these things if you like a 990 00:45:07,050 --> 00:45:04,330 program if it's sort of sparks something 991 00:45:09,650 --> 00:45:07,060 in you write to the professor write to 992 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:09,660 the NASA Center seek these internships 993 00:45:14,670 --> 00:45:12,010 and then try to get your foot in the 994 00:45:17,430 --> 00:45:14,680 door in one of these labs and you will 995 00:45:21,090 --> 00:45:17,440 walk up from there but most importantly 996 00:45:23,010 --> 00:45:21,100 also create an internship for you that 997 00:45:26,070 --> 00:45:23,020 have your interests your best interests 998 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:26,080 in heart and these could be people in 999 00:45:30,500 --> 00:45:27,610 your level your ear 1000 00:45:33,090 --> 00:45:30,510 these could be people with a mix of both 1001 00:45:36,090 --> 00:45:33,100 build your network and your mentorship 1002 00:45:38,910 --> 00:45:36,100 network early on and surround yourself 1003 00:45:42,030 --> 00:45:38,920 with people who will inspire you who 1004 00:45:45,090 --> 00:45:42,040 will share your dreams and who will join 1005 00:45:47,010 --> 00:45:45,100 them with you that's I think very 1006 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:47,020 important for young scientists find a 1007 00:45:53,340 --> 00:45:51,610 good group that's yeah not feeling shy 1008 00:45:56,010 --> 00:45:53,350 knocking on doors and finding a mentor 1009 00:45:57,480 --> 00:45:56,020 is is essential none of us who are 1010 00:45:59,910 --> 00:45:57,490 professional astrobiologists did it on 1011 00:46:01,700 --> 00:45:59,920 our own why we all rely on mentors to 1012 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:01,710 help us along the way 1013 00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:04,890 you mean I think we are we think that 1014 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:07,690 successful people are always successful 1015 00:46:13,710 --> 00:46:10,570 but that's that's not very realistic you 1016 00:46:16,500 --> 00:46:13,720 know we we are there's a lot of pain and 1017 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:16,510 suffering and heartache and blood and 1018 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:18,970 sweat behind any success story that you 1019 00:46:24,150 --> 00:46:22,090 see so so if you hear answer is a no 1020 00:46:26,670 --> 00:46:24,160 don't take it personally just keep keep 1021 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:26,680 keep at it don't give up on your dreams 1022 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:30,610 never I couldn't say it in it a better 1023 00:46:36,450 --> 00:46:34,210 way the next question comes from at 1024 00:46:38,730 --> 00:46:36,460 próxima airball on twitter as well who 1025 00:46:40,740 --> 00:46:38,740 asks is it possible for a life form with 1026 00:46:42,330 --> 00:46:40,750 right-handed proteins in different 1027 00:46:45,470 --> 00:46:42,340 planets so as to do is the opposite 1028 00:46:48,210 --> 00:46:45,480 chirality as we have today on earth 1029 00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:48,220 interesting question there are there are 1030 00:46:52,310 --> 00:46:50,170 little Studies on that there's there is 1031 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:52,320 we don't really understand why certain 1032 00:46:58,730 --> 00:46:55,090 chirality that we see today on earth is 1033 00:47:03,360 --> 00:46:58,740 selected what's worthy sort of drivers 1034 00:47:08,130 --> 00:47:03,370 or those selection I know what I know HD 1035 00:47:09,600 --> 00:47:08,140 on this topic Sarah poker and the quick 1036 00:47:12,390 --> 00:47:09,610 answer is we don't know exactly what's 1037 00:47:14,010 --> 00:47:12,400 orientation molecules that we see today 1038 00:47:14,970 --> 00:47:14,020 and whether they need to be necessary to 1039 00:47:18,660 --> 00:47:14,980 make for them to have the same 1040 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:18,670 arrangement for them to be price to buy 1041 00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:22,410 for is create the conditions asking 1042 00:47:27,210 --> 00:47:26,050 thank you so many questions is fantastic 1043 00:47:28,170 --> 00:47:27,220 thank you so much everybody for a 1044 00:47:30,150 --> 00:47:28,180 syndrome 1045 00:47:33,090 --> 00:47:30,160 the next one comes from at stray 1046 00:47:34,830 --> 00:47:33,100 ologists who asks what subjects should 1047 00:47:37,350 --> 00:47:34,840 an individual be confident in for 1048 00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:37,360 studying ancient genes 1049 00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:39,490 interesting so 1050 00:47:44,370 --> 00:47:42,090 I would say because we start the 1051 00:47:48,690 --> 00:47:44,380 creation of th same genes in the lab 1052 00:47:51,210 --> 00:47:48,700 through pilot phylogenetics primarily my 1053 00:47:54,390 --> 00:47:51,220 PP want to understand the phylogeny 1054 00:47:57,750 --> 00:47:54,400 so the students that join regardless of 1055 00:48:00,210 --> 00:47:57,760 their background and be sort of work 1056 00:48:02,070 --> 00:48:00,220 with these Asian teams in one level its 1057 00:48:04,380 --> 00:48:02,080 engineering or not but if they are 1058 00:48:06,950 --> 00:48:04,390 interested in making these things in the 1059 00:48:09,780 --> 00:48:06,960 lab I would say evolutionary biology 1060 00:48:11,790 --> 00:48:09,790 phylogenetics and there's an excellent 1061 00:48:16,530 --> 00:48:11,800 workshop it moves whole marine 1062 00:48:18,810 --> 00:48:16,540 biological labs beeps it's called 1063 00:48:22,130 --> 00:48:18,820 molecular evolution and I think there is 1064 00:48:25,140 --> 00:48:22,140 a sister workshop in Greece in Europe 1065 00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:25,150 that also it takes place during the 1066 00:48:30,630 --> 00:48:27,570 summer probably not this summer I 1067 00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:30,640 encourage you to attend these workshops 1068 00:48:35,580 --> 00:48:33,010 they are usually two to three weeks 1069 00:48:38,850 --> 00:48:35,590 it's very intense but about ten day ten 1070 00:48:40,770 --> 00:48:38,860 hours a day you could and you learn how 1071 00:48:44,220 --> 00:48:40,780 trees are constructed and all the 1072 00:48:45,540 --> 00:48:44,230 algorithms behind it it's many times but 1073 00:48:48,410 --> 00:48:45,550 you get so much out of it in a very 1074 00:48:51,770 --> 00:48:48,420 short amount of time so I recommend 1075 00:48:56,640 --> 00:48:51,780 shops for anyone interested in 1076 00:49:00,349 --> 00:48:56,650 reconstructing accessible thank you so 1077 00:49:03,120 --> 00:49:00,359 next question by Anna Roop mohanty who 1078 00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:03,130 book asks the same question with 1079 00:49:06,780 --> 00:49:04,890 focusing on the technology around 1080 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:06,790 reconstruction case indigenes what what 1081 00:49:15,330 --> 00:49:08,530 what toy is he used in the lab to do 1082 00:49:17,910 --> 00:49:15,340 that sequences he then send them into 1083 00:49:20,810 --> 00:49:17,920 these sequences to synthetic biology 1084 00:49:23,160 --> 00:49:20,820 companies so if you are in the end of 1085 00:49:28,500 --> 00:49:23,170 more biotechnology you could have your 1086 00:49:30,750 --> 00:49:28,510 own biology company and it's us and make 1087 00:49:32,250 --> 00:49:30,760 these genes for us right so there are I 1088 00:49:34,349 --> 00:49:32,260 think right now four or five main 1089 00:49:35,190 --> 00:49:34,359 companies that we work with in the 1090 00:49:38,730 --> 00:49:35,200 United States 1091 00:49:42,030 --> 00:49:38,740 once we infer in silico but these 1092 00:49:44,099 --> 00:49:42,040 sequences are or might be if it an order 1093 00:49:45,630 --> 00:49:44,109 these genes so at that point we moved 1094 00:49:48,270 --> 00:49:45,640 from reconstruction which is 1095 00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:48,280 computational to resurrection which is 1096 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:51,530 more experimental so the 1097 00:49:55,270 --> 00:49:53,450 this is multiple levels because we also 1098 00:49:58,450 --> 00:49:55,280 engineered genomes and we use different 1099 00:50:00,400 --> 00:49:58,460 systems to engineer microbial genomes if 1100 00:50:04,120 --> 00:50:00,410 you're gonna do biochemistry usually 1101 00:50:06,190 --> 00:50:04,130 order down the circular gene or 1102 00:50:07,750 --> 00:50:06,200 expression what not so the person who is 1103 00:50:09,850 --> 00:50:07,760 asking this might be familiar with these 1104 00:50:11,620 --> 00:50:09,860 applications if it is for genome 1105 00:50:13,870 --> 00:50:11,630 engineering depending on the method that 1106 00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:13,880 we use we order linear DNA or again 1107 00:50:18,720 --> 00:50:15,050 circular 1108 00:50:22,660 --> 00:50:18,730 you know constructed we are going to be 1109 00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:22,670 using later on so so the key is then to 1110 00:50:26,440 --> 00:50:24,170 know exactly what your application is 1111 00:50:28,630 --> 00:50:26,450 maybe and it's also important to note 1112 00:50:30,430 --> 00:50:28,640 that we optimize these sequences for the 1113 00:50:33,940 --> 00:50:30,440 organism that people use these organ 1114 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:33,950 these sequences for so say if you're 1115 00:50:38,590 --> 00:50:35,810 gonna use coli these are the gene 1116 00:50:41,950 --> 00:50:38,600 sequences are optimized for e.coli what 1117 00:50:43,870 --> 00:50:41,960 in its mmm-hmm thank you the next 1118 00:50:48,550 --> 00:50:43,880 question comes from Julia the marina's 1119 00:50:50,050 --> 00:50:48,560 Sun cigarette yes who asks what was the 1120 00:50:52,630 --> 00:50:50,060 most challenging part about 1121 00:51:00,820 --> 00:50:52,640 reconstructing reconstructing ancestral 1122 00:51:05,370 --> 00:51:00,830 DNA in e.coli that was not down deep or 1123 00:51:10,770 --> 00:51:08,710 genome itself will communicate with this 1124 00:51:13,750 --> 00:51:10,780 ancient gene I am putting in so to speak 1125 00:51:16,660 --> 00:51:13,760 so that was difficult for me but I I 1126 00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:16,670 think any engineer knows this and I did 1127 00:51:20,170 --> 00:51:18,530 this is biological level that you will 1128 00:51:21,820 --> 00:51:20,180 try a million things and one of them 1129 00:51:24,070 --> 00:51:21,830 will work in your jobs to find out one 1130 00:51:28,450 --> 00:51:24,080 thing that works so I would say there 1131 00:51:32,260 --> 00:51:28,460 was a for mental aspect to know okay am 1132 00:51:34,690 --> 00:51:32,270 I just sort of in Turkey we say you're 1133 00:51:37,710 --> 00:51:34,700 only in your boat on a on a rock you 1134 00:51:41,050 --> 00:51:37,720 know like just am I just imagining this 1135 00:51:43,330 --> 00:51:41,060 just never work or did I not try the 1136 00:51:46,870 --> 00:51:43,340 right method yet so it took me about a 1137 00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:46,880 year and a half to do it which is long 1138 00:51:50,890 --> 00:51:48,770 if you think that that's all I did I did 1139 00:51:54,220 --> 00:51:50,900 not take any weekends off I was in the 1140 00:51:56,050 --> 00:51:54,230 lab entire time and again switching from 1141 00:51:58,480 --> 00:51:56,060 biochemistry to microbiology and 1142 00:52:00,240 --> 00:51:58,490 genomics may have something to do with 1143 00:52:02,530 --> 00:52:00,250 this because it's a completely new skill 1144 00:52:05,019 --> 00:52:02,540 but at the end of the day I told myself 1145 00:52:08,140 --> 00:52:05,029 you know I had a giant Muhammad Ali 1146 00:52:10,120 --> 00:52:08,150 posture in the lab that's that not only 1147 00:52:13,719 --> 00:52:10,130 I knocked the mouth but I picked around 1148 00:52:16,419 --> 00:52:13,729 and and I thought you know I keep it up 1149 00:52:18,759 --> 00:52:16,429 like this is it I'll do it and it worked 1150 00:52:20,620 --> 00:52:18,769 and now you're doing it in material 1151 00:52:23,289 --> 00:52:20,630 engineering it engineering is ancient 1152 00:52:25,809 --> 00:52:23,299 genes and in e.coli now so the bacteria 1153 00:52:28,899 --> 00:52:25,819 the cyanobacteria you know you name it 1154 00:52:32,140 --> 00:52:28,909 we get it to work is that poster in your 1155 00:52:33,699 --> 00:52:32,150 grad students lab now no no you know 1156 00:52:38,739 --> 00:52:33,709 that poster is in a box somewhere 1157 00:52:42,130 --> 00:52:38,749 because I'm still unpacking Tom Caruso 1158 00:52:44,140 --> 00:52:42,140 on Facebook asks at at last summer's 1159 00:52:47,439 --> 00:52:44,150 conference at the earth Life Science 1160 00:52:50,199 --> 00:52:47,449 Institute at Tokyo they addressed moving 1161 00:52:51,519 --> 00:52:50,209 from a disordered system to an ordered 1162 00:52:54,909 --> 00:52:51,529 functioning state so moving from 1163 00:52:56,679 --> 00:52:54,919 geochemistry to biochemistry how does 1164 00:53:00,009 --> 00:52:56,689 your research connect moving from jus 1165 00:53:01,899 --> 00:53:00,019 chemistry to biochemistry and a topic of 1166 00:53:03,579 --> 00:53:01,909 molecular signaling between system 1167 00:53:08,380 --> 00:53:03,589 components responding to a change in the 1168 00:53:09,489 --> 00:53:08,390 environment we don't necessarily refer 1169 00:53:12,489 --> 00:53:09,499 to these systems as wholly clear 1170 00:53:15,909 --> 00:53:12,499 signaling but I will say that we have 1171 00:53:18,219 --> 00:53:15,919 this whole emerging area of work in my 1172 00:53:20,769 --> 00:53:18,229 group and I worked exact Atlantis 1173 00:53:23,169 --> 00:53:20,779 primarily that's all the things I told 1174 00:53:25,299 --> 00:53:23,179 you about so far focused on life right 1175 00:53:26,890 --> 00:53:25,309 life life life even the simplest form is 1176 00:53:30,189 --> 00:53:26,900 all about life but then if you think 1177 00:53:32,709 --> 00:53:30,199 about our planet is about 4.5 billions 1178 00:53:34,989 --> 00:53:32,719 of years old and like I say all this is 1179 00:53:38,849 --> 00:53:34,999 3.8 depending on which data are you 1180 00:53:42,939 --> 00:53:38,859 trusting 2.81 5.1 somewhere out there so 1181 00:53:44,769 --> 00:53:42,949 before life happened there is a state 1182 00:53:46,449 --> 00:53:44,779 that is completely abiotic these 1183 00:53:48,399 --> 00:53:46,459 chemicals are still around us but we 1184 00:53:50,739 --> 00:53:48,409 also have life on top of that so we want 1185 00:53:53,859 --> 00:53:50,749 to know how that abiotic system 1186 00:53:55,689 --> 00:53:53,869 transitions into a biological system and 1187 00:53:57,729 --> 00:53:55,699 the biological system that we think 1188 00:53:59,829 --> 00:53:57,739 about is beyond genomes it's beyond 1189 00:54:01,989 --> 00:53:59,839 replication it's beyond basically 1190 00:54:04,539 --> 00:54:01,999 anything that we can see in the right 1191 00:54:08,919 --> 00:54:04,549 now but it's more about organization and 1192 00:54:11,880 --> 00:54:08,929 and maintenance as a secondary component 1193 00:54:14,859 --> 00:54:11,890 in this organized system structure so I 1194 00:54:18,700 --> 00:54:14,869 published a paper in complexity about 1195 00:54:21,550 --> 00:54:18,710 last year that we described 1196 00:54:24,370 --> 00:54:21,560 how the Velarde complex the components 1197 00:54:26,830 --> 00:54:24,380 that we need to detect and observe in 1198 00:54:29,620 --> 00:54:26,840 early chemical environments for them to 1199 00:54:31,870 --> 00:54:29,630 be pinned as biological right so that's 1200 00:54:35,050 --> 00:54:31,880 the that's the real question here that 1201 00:54:39,040 --> 00:54:35,060 how do you take a suit that is just 1202 00:54:40,630 --> 00:54:39,050 chemistry and then infer or predict 1203 00:54:42,610 --> 00:54:40,640 whether there's gonna be life coming out 1204 00:54:44,650 --> 00:54:42,620 of this and by life I don't mean you 1205 00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:44,660 know if dinosaur poking out of your test 1206 00:54:49,510 --> 00:54:47,050 tube I'm talking about you know a 1207 00:54:51,610 --> 00:54:49,520 biological organization so that's the 1208 00:54:54,310 --> 00:54:51,620 work we're doing right now you're 1209 00:54:57,610 --> 00:54:54,320 looking at hierarchical structures of 1210 00:55:00,040 --> 00:54:57,620 early chemical components and how they 1211 00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:00,050 may be arranging themselves for for them 1212 00:55:05,770 --> 00:55:02,510 to be pins as a biological organism at 1213 00:55:07,180 --> 00:55:05,780 the crux of the very transition and I 1214 00:55:09,910 --> 00:55:07,190 don't know who asked this but send me an 1215 00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:09,920 email because your question was me I was 1216 00:55:13,300 --> 00:55:11,930 Tom Caruso on Facebook thank you 1217 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:13,310 real great answer to a great question 1218 00:55:18,550 --> 00:55:17,090 next question comes from @cr a car on 1219 00:55:21,100 --> 00:55:18,560 twitter who asks perhaps more 1220 00:55:26,790 --> 00:55:21,110 fundamentally as an organism needs to 1221 00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:30,880 without which nothing that's we need to 1222 00:55:33,940 --> 00:55:32,690 constrain our search for life in our 1223 00:55:36,730 --> 00:55:33,950 definition for life in the universe 1224 00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:36,740 based on what we see on planet earth and 1225 00:55:45,460 --> 00:55:41,050 the planetary life is depending on water 1226 00:55:47,290 --> 00:55:45,470 is it required I'm gonna say no because 1227 00:55:48,700 --> 00:55:47,300 I want to believe right I want to 1228 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:48,710 believe in different possibilities and 1229 00:55:51,700 --> 00:55:50,210 there are different there could be 1230 00:55:53,830 --> 00:55:51,710 different alternatives to these people 1231 00:55:55,900 --> 00:55:53,840 been proposing for my chemistry or I 1232 00:55:57,850 --> 00:55:55,910 recommend you read look into those 1233 00:56:00,040 --> 00:55:57,860 papers they're very interesting but so 1234 00:56:04,570 --> 00:56:00,050 far is life as we know it depends on 1235 00:56:07,390 --> 00:56:04,580 water and we need to rely on what we 1236 00:56:10,050 --> 00:56:07,400 have right now primarily when we look 1237 00:56:13,540 --> 00:56:10,060 for life elsewhere in the universe 1238 00:56:16,390 --> 00:56:13,550 thank you Andrew planet on say Gannett 1239 00:56:19,890 --> 00:56:16,400 asks is it possible that the exchange of 1240 00:56:23,680 --> 00:56:19,900 genetic information evolves or happened 1241 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:23,690 before asexual reproduction oh is it the 1242 00:56:31,450 --> 00:56:29,450 other way around so there are many 1243 00:56:32,349 --> 00:56:31,460 things happening in the early life right 1244 00:56:33,819 --> 00:56:32,359 even though the 1245 00:56:36,220 --> 00:56:33,829 the focus of life happened there is no 1246 00:56:37,809 --> 00:56:36,230 life life happens but there's a lot of 1247 00:56:40,269 --> 00:56:37,819 things happening beats me it was a big 1248 00:56:41,739 --> 00:56:40,279 dramatic time and the main thing about 1249 00:56:43,930 --> 00:56:41,749 these major transitions in their 1250 00:56:46,479 --> 00:56:43,940 emergence of you know either 1251 00:56:49,809 --> 00:56:46,489 evolution of sex or major transitions 1252 00:56:51,849 --> 00:56:49,819 you know multicellularity and all that I 1253 00:56:54,940 --> 00:56:51,859 think we sort of don't think about the 1254 00:56:57,609 --> 00:56:54,950 transitions that's where predated life 1255 00:56:59,769 --> 00:56:57,619 there's transitions there too that's how 1256 00:57:01,539 --> 00:56:59,779 I think about it so we think about 1257 00:57:05,680 --> 00:57:01,549 classic Universal common ancestor and 1258 00:57:07,269 --> 00:57:05,690 what it was capable of right it was a it 1259 00:57:09,640 --> 00:57:07,279 being able to create some sort of 1260 00:57:11,019 --> 00:57:09,650 ecosystem with its surroundings but we 1261 00:57:13,059 --> 00:57:11,029 are more interested in understanding 1262 00:57:15,999 --> 00:57:13,069 what happened before the last Universal 1263 00:57:18,569 --> 00:57:16,009 common ancestor so I will say that yes 1264 00:57:21,099 --> 00:57:18,579 life has to exchange information 1265 00:57:23,410 --> 00:57:21,109 probably in the form of genetics as we 1266 00:57:25,720 --> 00:57:23,420 see today but I argue that problem was 1267 00:57:29,589 --> 00:57:25,730 much simpler but that doesn't mean 1268 00:57:37,420 --> 00:57:29,599 simple before Luca and before all the 1269 00:57:39,420 --> 00:57:37,430 production that we see later on so 1270 00:57:41,650 --> 00:57:39,430 there's a big jump in complexity between 1271 00:57:43,870 --> 00:57:41,660 reconstructing ancient genes and 1272 00:57:46,539 --> 00:57:43,880 recreating Jurassic Park right but 1273 00:57:48,609 --> 00:57:46,549 nonetheless Rohan's shirodkar great 1274 00:57:50,829 --> 00:57:48,619 question on Sagan and asks using this 1275 00:57:52,359 --> 00:57:50,839 tool of paleogenetics will you be 1276 00:58:00,509 --> 00:57:52,369 interested in working on a project to 1277 00:58:03,849 --> 00:58:00,519 bring back the woolly mammoth No right 1278 00:58:08,769 --> 00:58:06,819 the next question is by Graham Lau my 1279 00:58:11,380 --> 00:58:08,779 co-host here on ask an astrobiologist 1280 00:58:13,539 --> 00:58:11,390 and he asked the following question you 1281 00:58:16,989 --> 00:58:13,549 teach a class of the science of Star 1282 00:58:18,880 --> 00:58:16,999 Trek can you speak to how science 1283 00:58:24,370 --> 00:58:18,890 fiction gets the science right or wrong 1284 00:58:25,960 --> 00:58:24,380 with regard to your own research I 1285 00:58:27,849 --> 00:58:25,970 should have seen this coming 1286 00:58:30,400 --> 00:58:27,859 so yes I teach a molecular biology of 1287 00:58:34,029 --> 00:58:30,410 Star Trek course and I will be teaching 1288 00:58:35,739 --> 00:58:34,039 it again in his 2021 so the reason why I 1289 00:58:37,989 --> 00:58:35,749 picked Star Trek is that it's not just 1290 00:58:40,989 --> 00:58:37,999 in science fiction and Graham knows this 1291 00:58:43,830 --> 00:58:40,999 as well that's there is a lot of ethical 1292 00:58:48,020 --> 00:58:43,840 conundrum involved there's a lot of also 1293 00:58:50,900 --> 00:58:48,030 Acuras I think Star Trek all the sci-fi 1294 00:58:53,580 --> 00:58:50,910 TV series or movies that I watched got 1295 00:58:57,000 --> 00:58:53,590 science so accurately despite the fact 1296 00:58:59,400 --> 00:58:57,010 that it was decades ago so I picked Star 1297 00:59:02,850 --> 00:58:59,410 Trek primarily to expose molecular 1298 00:59:04,740 --> 00:59:02,860 biology freshman students to original 1299 00:59:06,270 --> 00:59:04,750 pipe in Astro well the questions and I 1300 00:59:08,520 --> 00:59:06,280 think it's actually worked out fine 1301 00:59:10,590 --> 00:59:08,530 because again Star Trek I think does a 1302 00:59:12,330 --> 00:59:10,600 really good job of synthesizing a lot of 1303 00:59:15,780 --> 00:59:12,340 different components could talk about 1304 00:59:18,630 --> 00:59:15,790 what life is and and we were talking 1305 00:59:21,090 --> 00:59:18,640 about whether data is life or not 1306 00:59:23,940 --> 00:59:21,100 whether we have the right to an Istanbul 1307 00:59:26,370 --> 00:59:23,950 data even though it's an AI right so 1308 00:59:28,650 --> 00:59:26,380 it's this really I think was interesting 1309 00:59:30,870 --> 00:59:28,660 for the students so I find a lot of 1310 00:59:34,440 --> 00:59:30,880 similarities a lot of inspiration like I 1311 00:59:37,350 --> 00:59:34,450 seek inspiration from sci-fi when I do 1312 00:59:40,530 --> 00:59:37,360 my work as well but I also separates 1313 00:59:42,540 --> 00:59:40,540 science fiction pro science very sharply 1314 00:59:45,980 --> 00:59:42,550 I think it's very important that we 1315 00:59:48,330 --> 00:59:45,990 don't treat a scientific field 1316 00:59:51,600 --> 00:59:48,340 even though maybe here because of the 1317 00:59:52,860 --> 00:59:51,610 size sci-fi inspiration and etc but I 1318 00:59:54,810 --> 00:59:52,870 think it's very important that we 1319 00:59:57,330 --> 00:59:54,820 appreciate and recognize science men 1320 00:59:58,830 --> 00:59:57,340 seeds and especially for the future of 1321 01:00:02,220 --> 00:59:58,840 our fields we need to make that 1322 01:00:03,540 --> 01:00:02,230 distinction very very clear could a 1323 01:00:05,280 --> 01:00:03,550 fist-sized more science fiction is a 1324 01:00:09,390 --> 01:00:05,290 great way to get inspired to do science 1325 01:00:10,590 --> 01:00:09,400 but it is not science at all so can you 1326 01:00:12,180 --> 01:00:10,600 believe we've been talking for one hour 1327 01:00:13,980 --> 01:00:12,190 already and there's just so many 1328 01:00:15,180 --> 01:00:13,990 questions so if it's okay with you I 1329 01:00:18,150 --> 01:00:15,190 would like to take three more questions 1330 01:00:19,830 --> 01:00:18,160 and then we'll wrap things up thank you 1331 01:00:21,090 --> 01:00:19,840 so much really appreciate it really 1332 01:00:24,630 --> 01:00:21,100 grateful for your time I know you're 1333 01:00:27,330 --> 01:00:24,640 very busy so Gaurav Yadav on Facebook 1334 01:00:29,280 --> 01:00:27,340 asks can the lipid profile study of 1335 01:00:31,590 --> 01:00:29,290 extremophiles on earth be used to 1336 01:00:37,980 --> 01:00:31,600 identify bio signatures for past life on 1337 01:00:45,570 --> 01:00:37,990 extraterrestrial planets my colleague 1338 01:00:47,910 --> 01:00:45,580 the lender Stanford's paper came out few 1339 01:00:49,500 --> 01:00:47,920 months ago they are studying the 1340 01:00:52,650 --> 01:00:49,510 potential of lipids as bio signatures 1341 01:00:54,540 --> 01:00:52,660 and there's interest in that group and 1342 01:00:57,440 --> 01:00:54,550 also the group that she came from at MIT 1343 01:00:59,630 --> 01:00:57,450 rather some assume that studies 1344 01:01:01,700 --> 01:00:59,640 the potential of finding spire 1345 01:01:05,270 --> 01:01:01,710 signatures on Mars so I would like to 1346 01:01:06,770 --> 01:01:05,280 direct questions words that those 1347 01:01:09,230 --> 01:01:06,780 researchers that actually study these 1348 01:01:11,599 --> 01:01:09,240 things that researchers poll are we 1349 01:01:14,270 --> 01:01:11,609 lender is that Stanford University 1350 01:01:18,589 --> 01:01:14,280 next question is by Amit Carrie ke run 1351 01:01:21,290 --> 01:01:18,599 on Facebook who asks do does does life 1352 01:01:23,060 --> 01:01:21,300 need to be carbon-based what other 1353 01:01:27,650 --> 01:01:23,070 elements could could could we possibly 1354 01:01:29,270 --> 01:01:27,660 think of I've never met anyone who did 1355 01:01:30,680 --> 01:01:29,280 not watch Star Trek who could ask this 1356 01:01:34,550 --> 01:01:30,690 question right so this is why we one 1357 01:01:38,089 --> 01:01:34,560 side by the curiosity among this but I 1358 01:01:40,819 --> 01:01:38,099 also again this is my - similar question 1359 01:01:43,730 --> 01:01:40,829 to whether water is the absolute need if 1360 01:01:46,940 --> 01:01:43,740 life is you know is only possible based 1361 01:01:50,180 --> 01:01:46,950 on elements that we detect and find and 1362 01:01:51,890 --> 01:01:50,190 Carmela soprano so so far that's that's 1363 01:01:53,599 --> 01:01:51,900 what at least we'll be able to find 1364 01:01:58,250 --> 01:01:53,609 between technologies and techniques that 1365 01:02:02,210 --> 01:01:58,260 you're developing here looking like my 1366 01:02:03,770 --> 01:02:02,220 words I'll be surprised yeah thank you 1367 01:02:06,650 --> 01:02:03,780 great questions thank you very much 1368 01:02:09,200 --> 01:02:06,660 so last question is by a microphone on 1369 01:02:11,720 --> 01:02:09,210 Twitter who treats us as McCoy who asks 1370 01:02:14,900 --> 01:02:11,730 you spoke about how a single molecule 1371 01:02:16,880 --> 01:02:14,910 can have planetary scale impacts we're 1372 01:02:18,859 --> 01:02:16,890 seeing something like that today was the 1373 01:02:21,140 --> 01:02:18,869 virus right now is there a way to 1374 01:02:23,720 --> 01:02:21,150 predict which small pieces of 1375 01:02:29,200 --> 01:02:23,730 information can or cannot have huge 1376 01:02:31,760 --> 01:02:29,210 effects on a system like a planet hmm so 1377 01:02:35,210 --> 01:02:31,770 always very fascinating that's also the 1378 01:02:37,160 --> 01:02:35,220 video card so we are not there lot of 1379 01:02:40,660 --> 01:02:37,170 studies word prediction in multiple 1380 01:02:43,040 --> 01:02:40,670 levels especially resistance 1381 01:02:46,460 --> 01:02:43,050 scientists who study the resistance of 1382 01:02:50,510 --> 01:02:46,470 exports antibiotics have been thinking 1383 01:02:53,380 --> 01:02:50,520 and building systems that may answer the 1384 01:02:55,670 --> 01:02:53,390 predictability component of life and I 1385 01:02:58,010 --> 01:02:55,680 may be familiar with Stephen Jay Gould 1386 01:02:59,599 --> 01:02:58,020 playing a table I have experiments 1387 01:03:03,050 --> 01:02:59,609 whether it be people be ending it the 1388 01:03:04,579 --> 01:03:03,060 same at the same biota that we see 1389 01:03:07,040 --> 01:03:04,589 around us today if B Bert repeats 1390 01:03:08,630 --> 01:03:07,050 everything that happens on earth so that 1391 01:03:10,340 --> 01:03:08,640 there's a predictability component there 1392 01:03:13,730 --> 01:03:10,350 that you may appreciate it it's embedded 1393 01:03:15,890 --> 01:03:13,740 there that being said does there's a lot 1394 01:03:20,120 --> 01:03:15,900 of computational needs and we need to 1395 01:03:23,450 --> 01:03:20,130 first of all understand Li what sort of 1396 01:03:24,980 --> 01:03:23,460 circumstances give rise to the sort of 1397 01:03:27,410 --> 01:03:24,990 invasions right we need to understand 1398 01:03:31,010 --> 01:03:27,420 the past so to speak if we were to 1399 01:03:33,140 --> 01:03:31,020 understand or come close to predicting 1400 01:03:35,060 --> 01:03:33,150 what may happen the challenge with the 1401 01:03:37,550 --> 01:03:35,070 prediction is that environment changes 1402 01:03:39,320 --> 01:03:37,560 right environment evolves so you need to 1403 01:03:41,710 --> 01:03:39,330 predict the environment which is really 1404 01:03:45,140 --> 01:03:41,720 really hard 1405 01:03:48,110 --> 01:03:45,150 thank you are there any more questions 1406 01:03:49,790 --> 01:03:48,120 they are but how to be respectful of 1407 01:03:51,500 --> 01:03:49,800 your time I thank you that you thank you 1408 01:03:52,460 --> 01:03:51,510 so much for for chatting with us there 1409 01:03:55,010 --> 01:03:52,470 it's been an incredible incredible 1410 01:03:57,980 --> 01:03:55,020 conversation of yours have turned out in 1411 01:03:59,900 --> 01:03:57,990 large numbers in supporting you and and 1412 01:04:02,090 --> 01:03:59,910 being fascinated by what your research 1413 01:04:04,790 --> 01:04:02,100 thank you so much um so for those of you 1414 01:04:06,230 --> 01:04:04,800 are watching we've before we call it out 1415 01:04:08,360 --> 01:04:06,240 for those of you are watching remember 1416 01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:08,370 that about the astrobiology graphics 1417 01:04:11,860 --> 01:04:09,690 series that I was talking about in the 1418 01:04:14,270 --> 01:04:11,870 beginning of the episode so there is a 1419 01:04:17,450 --> 01:04:14,280 short premiere happening this Thursday 1420 01:04:19,520 --> 01:04:17,460 that it's graphic novel that dr. Aaron 1421 01:04:21,050 --> 01:04:19,530 gold wrong style is writing is there 1422 01:04:23,390 --> 01:04:21,060 behind the scene look at what it takes 1423 01:04:25,490 --> 01:04:23,400 to make those those graphic novels and 1424 01:04:26,690 --> 01:04:25,500 the two features quite a bit in them so 1425 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:26,700 make sure you check that out 1426 01:04:34,580 --> 01:04:29,010 I think it's on Thursday Mike will put 1427 01:04:36,770 --> 01:04:34,590 up a link for the moment and I don't 1428 01:04:40,430 --> 01:04:36,780 forget you can download all these these 1429 01:04:42,080 --> 01:04:40,440 for free so talk to say could a dating 1430 01:04:44,300 --> 01:04:42,090 material this is an incredible 1431 01:04:46,070 --> 01:04:44,310 conversation I'm really grateful for 1432 01:04:47,720 --> 01:04:46,080 those of you are watching thank you 1433 01:04:49,130 --> 01:04:47,730 again please shared ask an 1434 01:04:51,200 --> 01:04:49,140 astrobiologist your friends colleagues 1435 01:04:52,820 --> 01:04:51,210 and everybody that you that follows you 1436 01:04:54,830 --> 01:04:52,830 online this show could not be possible 1437 01:04:56,780 --> 01:04:54,840 without you so we look forward to 1438 01:04:58,760 --> 01:04:56,790 welcoming you next month when episode of 1439 01:05:02,650 --> 01:04:58,770 ask and astrobiologists and until then 1440 01:05:42,560 --> 01:05:02,660 stay curious but you'll thank you