The origin of life, on Earth and elsewhere, is a topic which fascinates the public, and which is ideally suited to bring together scientists from various disciplines. On August 31st and September 1st, we will organize a two-day symposium called “Fundamentals of Life in the Universe”, covering a wide spectrum of topics, from planetary evolution to the fabrication of synthetic cells. The topics of the meeting are:
1. The origin of the Earth and of life
2. Predicting the evolution of life
3. Building and directing life from molecule to biosphere
4. Life in extraterrestrial environments
5. Emergence and bridging of temporal and spatial scales
Besides invited talks, the conference includes a keynote lecture by Ben Feringa (2016 Nobel laureate in chemistry), and a public lecture by Charley Lineweaver. We expect 150-200 participants from the fields of chemistry, geosciences, biology, astronomy, and physics. Participants will be able to present their own research in the form of posters in a dedicated session. The program also includes opportunities for cross-disciplinary networking.