NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

NASA Ames Research Center

Executive Summary

Linking Our Origins to Our Future

Project Reports

Biosignatures in chemosynthetic and photosynthetic systems

Early Metabolic Pathways

Ecosystem to Biosphere Modeling

Habitable Planets

Hindcasting Ecosystems

Interplanetary Pioneers

Prebiotic Organics from Space

EPO Reports

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone Resources and Issues Guide

Way Side Sign Exhibit 2006

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center (OFVEC)

Yellowstone National Park Science Advisory Board

Memorandum of Understanding

California Academy of Sciences

IMAX Production "Roving Mars"

Public Presentations/Symposium/Lecture Series/Conferences

K-14 Classroom Presentations

Stanford University Course

Astrobiology Academy

Educational Workshops/Classroom/Lab Experiences

Educational Film, Radio, Web, and Print Productions

Science Communication Group

TERC Astrobiology High School Curriculum

Wrigley Marine Science Center, Geobiology Course

Museum of the Rockies

NASA Astrobiology Institute Ames Team Web-site

Project Reports

Organized by Astrobiology Roadmap Objective

Goal 1: Understand the nature and distribution of habitable environments in the Universe

• Objective 1: Determine whether the atmosphere of the early Earth, hydrothermal or exogenous matter were significant sources of organic matter. (3 reports)

Goal 2: Explore for past or present habitable environments, prebiotic chemistry and signs of life elsewhere in our Solar System

• Objective 2: Develop and test plausible pathways by which ancient counterparts of membrane systems, proteins and nucleic acid were synthesized from simpler precursors and assembled into protocells. (2 reports)

Goal 3: Understand how life originates from cosmic and planetary precursors

• Objective 3: Replicating, catalytic systems capable of evolution, and construct laboratory models of metabolism in primitive living systems. (4 reports)

Goal 4: Understand how past life on Earth interacted with its changing planetary and Solar System environment

• Objective 4: Expand and interpret the genomic database of a select group of key microorganisms in order to reveal the history and dynamics of evolution. (5 reports)

Goal 5: Understand the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental limits of life

• Objective 5: Describe the sequences of causes and effects associated with the development of Earth's early biosphere and the global environment. (4 reports)

Goal 6: Understand the principles that will shape the future of life, both on Earth and beyond

• Objective 6: Define how ecophysiological processes structure microbial communities, influence their adaptation and evolution, and affect their detection on other planets. (4 reports)

Goal 7: Determine how to recognize signatures of life on other worlds and on early Earth

• Objective 7: Identify the environmental limits for by examining biological adaptations to extremes in environmental conditions. (5 reports)