These are the “heroes” of astrobiology, exploring the hidden depths of the Earth, roving the worlds of our solar system, and peering at planets around distant stars. These amazing giants of exploration are shaping the future of astrobiology research, helping scientists deepen our knowledge about the origin and evolution of life on Earth, and the potential for life in the Universe.
Astrobiology Heroes Poster Series
Download images of some of Astrobiology's greatest Heroes
"Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No... it's a powerful telescope in an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit!"
Carl Sagan, Hero of Science Communication
The name Carl Sagan is synonymous with excellence in science communication. From his seminal work in ensuring astrobiology was woven into the foundations of space exploration at NASA to his groundbreaking book and tv show, Sagan has inspired generations of scientists to consider the possibilities of the cosmos and our place within it. Sagan was an early career scientist when he was invited to participate in some of the first discussions of exobiology and astrobiology research at NASA. He went on to contribute to numerous NASA missions that shaped our understanding of life’s potential beyond Earth. To read more about his role in the history of astrobiology at NASA, check out Issues 1 and 2 of the Astrobiology Graphic Histories.
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The name Carl Sagan is synonymous with excellence in science communication. From his seminal work in ensuring astrobiology was woven into the foundations of space exploration at NASA to his groundbreaking book and tv show, Sagan has inspired generations of scientists to consider the possibilities of the cosmos and our place within it. Sagan was an early career scientist when he was invited to participate in some of the first discussions of exobiology and astrobiology research at NASA. He went on to contribute to numerous NASA missions that shaped our understanding of life’s potential beyond Earth. To read more about his role in the history of astrobiology at NASA, check out Issues 1 and 2 of the Astrobiology Graphic Histories.
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Lynn Margulis, a Scientific Rebel
Lynn Margulis was the first female principal investigator of NASA’s Exobiology Program and pushed the boundaries of knowledge in many fields related to astrobiology. Margulis was funded for her research in microbial evolution and organelle heredity. She championed the significance of symbiosis in evolution, now the leading theory to describe how eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic origins. The endosymbiotic theory states that some of the organelles in eukaryotic cells were once prokaryotic microbes. This was a major advancement in the field of evolutionary biology and altered scientific understanding of the evolution of life on Earth. In addition, Margulis developed the Gaia hypothesis in collaboration with her friend and colleague James Lovelock (also an early Exobiology PI). Click here to read more
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Lynn Margulis was the first female principal investigator of NASA’s Exobiology Program and pushed the boundaries of knowledge in many fields related to astrobiology. Margulis was funded for her research in microbial evolution and organelle heredity. She championed the significance of symbiosis in evolution, now the leading theory to describe how eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic origins. The endosymbiotic theory states that some of the organelles in eukaryotic cells were once prokaryotic microbes. This was a major advancement in the field of evolutionary biology and altered scientific understanding of the evolution of life on Earth. In addition, Margulis developed the Gaia hypothesis in collaboration with her friend and colleague James Lovelock (also an early Exobiology PI). Click here to read more
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Alvin - The Deep Ocean Submersible Explorer
Alvin is a crewed deep-ocean research submersible that in 1977, was used to explore the ocean floor near the Galapagos Islands and identified hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the sea for the first time. The finding showed us that deep ocean environments could be habitats for life on worlds far from the energy of the Sun. Suddenly, subsurface oceans on icy worlds in the outer Solar System became a focus of astrobiology research. Icy moons like Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus are now prime targets for astrobiology exploration.
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Kepler - Eyes on Exoplanets
NASA’s powerful Kepler space observatory was designed to survey a specific portion of our region of the Milky Way galaxy. An important part of Kepler’s work was the identification of Earth-size planets around distant stars. Kepler left a legacy of more than 2,600 exoplanet discoveries, paving the way for future scientific efforts and the search for life beyond the Solar System.
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Perseverance and Ingenuity
NASA’s Perseverance rover is exploring the surface of Mars. The robotic astrobiologist will be looking for signatures of ancient life while collecting samples that will be returned to Earth by a future Mars Sample Return mission. Perseverance is joined by its sidekick Ingenuity, a helicopter that performed the first powered flight on another planet!
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Check out other fantastic posters featuring science, instruments, and missions at NASA:
Visions of the Future (NASAJPL)
Spitzer Space Telescope Poster (NASA Exoplanets)
James Webb Space Telescope Poster (NASA Exoplanets)
Kepler Space Telescope Poster (NASA Exoplanets)
TESS Space Telescope Poster (NASA Exoplanets)
Zombie Worlds Poster