NAI
2008 Annual Science Report
Reporting | JUL 2007 – JUN 2008
Letter from the Director: 2008 NAI Annual Report
The NAI passed a number of major milestones this year. The first was the December 2007 publication of the National Research Council (NRC ...
Continue reading.This Year At a Glance
15
Teams
175
Project Reports
0
Publications
0
Field Sites
Breakdown of Top Journal Publications
- 0Science
- 0PNAS
- 0Nature
Team Reports
- Carnegie Institution of Washington
- Indiana University, Bloomington
- Marine Biological Laboratory
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Montana State University
- NASA Ames Research Center
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Pennsylvania State University
- SETI Institute
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Colorado, Boulder
- University of Hawaii, Manoa
- University of Wisconsin
- VPL at University of Washington
Browse by Roadmap Objectives
Based on the 2003 Roadmap- Goal 1
- 1.1Models of formation and evolution of habitable planets
- 1.2Indirect and direct astronomical observations of extrasolar habitable planets
- Goal 2
- 2.1Mars exploration
- 2.2Outer Solar System exploration
- Goal 3
- 3.1Sources of prebiotic materials and catalysts
- 3.2Origins and evolution of functional biomolecules
- 3.3Origins of energy transduction
- 3.4Origins of cellularity and protobiological systems
- Goal 4
- 4.1Earth's early biosphere
- 4.2Foundations of complex life
- 4.3Effects of extraterrestrial events upon the biosphere
- Goal 5
- 5.1Environment-dependent, molecular evolution in microorganisms
- 5.2Co-evolution of microbial communities
- 5.3Biochemical adaptation to extreme environments
- Goal 6
- 6.1Environmental changes and the cycling of elements by the biota, communities, and ecosystems
- 6.2Adaptation and evolution of life beyond Earth
- Goal 7
- 7.1Biosignatures to be sought in Solar System materials
- 7.2Biosignatures to be sought in nearby planetary systems
- 1.0Astrobiology is multidisciplinary in its text and interdisciplinary in its execution. Its success depends critically upon the close coordination of diverse scientific disciplines and programs, including space missions.
- 2.0Astrobiology encourages planetary stewardship through an emphasis on protection against forward and back biological contamination and recognition of ethical issues associated with exploration.
- 3.0Astrobiology recognizes a broad societal interest in its endeavors, especially in areas such as achieving a deeper understanding of life, searching for extraterrestrial biospheres, assessing the societal implications of discovering other examples of life, and envisioning the future of life on Earth and in space.
- 4.0The intrinsic public interest in astrobiology offers a crucial opportunity to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists and informed citizens; thus a strong emphasis upon education and public outreach is essential.
- 1.0How does life begin and evolve?
- 2.0Does life exist elsewhere in the universe?
- 3.0What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?