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Watch the championship debates live right here at 1:30PM Eastern time on March 6th, 2016!

For more information about this event, and other future NASA Astrobiology Debates, visit the NASA Astrobiology Debates website. Please email any questions or inquiries to NASADebates@gmail.com.

This webcast is sponsored by SAGANet.org, the social network for all things astrobiology. Watch the livestream on SAGANet.org and join the live chat!

What are the NASA Astrobiology Debates?
Organized by the NASA Astrobiology Program and The George Washington University, the NASA Astrobiology Debates challenge students of all ages to research and debate the complex ethical and political questions raised by the 2015-16 NASA Astrobiology Debates topic, “Resolved: An overriding ethical obligation to protect and preserve extraterrestrial microbial life and ecosystems should be incorporated into international law.”

The discovery of extraterrestrial microbial life would change the nature and meaning of life itself. The NASA Astrobiology Debates seek to engage present and future leaders in dialogue on the implications of such a discovery. During the 2015-16 school year, students will compete in online speech competitions, public debates, and tournament competitions judged by a cross-section of thought-leaders. In addition, students will conduct interviews with topic experts drawn from across the disciplines and the videos of the interviews will be posted to this website to create a permanent online resource for research into astrobiology and its implications for humanity.

Get involved! The NASA Astrobiology Debates are open to students of all ages, levels and nationalities. We are actively recruiting judges and topic experts for the student-interviews. Please email any questions or inquiries to NASADebates@gmail.com.