NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

Carnegie Institution of Washington

Executive Summary

Untitled

Project Reports

1. From Molecular Clouds to Habitable Planetary Systems

2. Extraterrestrial Materials: Origin and Evolution of Organic Matter and Water in the Solar System

3. Prebiotic Chemical and Isotopic Evolution on Earth

4. Prebiotic Molecular Selection and Organization

5. Life in Extreme Environments

6. Molecular and Isotopic Biosignatures

7. Astrobiotechnology

EPO Reports

Astrobiology for Middle School Students

Astrobiology for Middle School Teachers

Interactive Astrobiology Kiosk

Capital Science Lectures

Carnegie Summer Intern Program

Textbooks and Publications for General Audiences

Exploring Ice in the Solar System CD ROM

Astrobiology Presentations for the General Public and Special Interest Groups

Astrobiologists in the Public Eye

Astrobiologists Interacting with K-12 students

Carnegie Seminar Series

Honors and Awards

Committees and Boards

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. (6 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. (10 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. (3 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. (6 reports)