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Project Reports

• Astrobiology at UCLA: An Integrated Multidisciplinary Approach to Research and Education

  RESEARCH at UCLA is now focused on six main themes: (1) extrasolar planetary systems; (2) geobiology and geochemistry of early Earth and Mars; (3) evolution of Earth’s early life; (4) genomic evolution and the tree of life; (5) celestial influences on the terrestrial environment; and (6) exploration for life in the Solar System. Over the past year, some of these themes have grown significantly; the thrust of the last has been seriously compromised by the successive losses of both the Mars Climate Orbiter and the Mars Polar Lander.

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0

• Exploring the Living Universe: Origin, Evolution and Distribution of Life in the Solar System

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 12.0

• Hydrothermal Organic Synthesis

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 2.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 11.0 13.0

• Studies in Planetary Formation and Evolution

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 8.0 9.0 11.0 12.0

• The Prebiotic Chemistry of Hydrogen Cyanide

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 2.0 9.0

• Studies of Organic Matter and Water in Meteorites

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 8.0 9.0 11.0

• Theoretical Studies of Hydrothermal Synthesis Reactions

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 5.0 9.0

• Molecular Analysis of Microbial Ecosystems in Extreme Environments

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 14.0 16.0 17.0

• Coevolution of Life and Planets

  The Kirschvink lab has focused on several aspects of interest to the National Astrobiology Institute during the past 1.5 years, including evaluation and identification of Precambrian biosignatures, testing the Panspermia hypothesis with the Martian Meteorite ALH84001, placing constraints on Life on Europa, assessing effect of the Paleoproterozoic â??Snowball Earth’. Members of the group include Postdoctoral Scholar J.W. Hagadorn, JPL Postdoctoral visitor Eric Gaidos, Graduate Student Benjamin Weiss, and Undergraduate Students Francis Macdonald and Tim Raub.

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 14.0 17.0

• Astrobiology Education and Public Outreach

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0