Science AMA Series: We’re NASA Earth scientists using satellites to
measure life on Earth. The more we learn, the more this question comes
into focus: Maybe we’re the weird one? How will our work help in the
search for life on other planets? AMA!
Abstract
At NASA, we use the vantage point of space to study Earth and the life
it contains. And, so far, our planet is the only one with life (that we
know of). The more we learn, the more this question comes into focus:
Maybe Earth is the weird one? As we begin the search for alien life, the
knowledge and tools NASA developed to study Earth are among our greatest
assets. We will discuss how Earth science informs the search for life
beyond our planet – on exoplanets and even within our own solar system.
So, what do you want to know? We will be back at 4 pm ET to answer your
questions, AMA! Morgan Cable is a NASA research scientist searching for
life and interesting chemistry on ocean worlds such as Saturn’s moons
Enceladus and Titan. Tony Del Genio is a NASA Earth climate scientist
and planetary scientist who uses global climate models to understand the
kinds of exoplanets that are most likely to be suited to the emergence
of life as we know it. He once thought planets orbiting other stars
wouldn’t be found in his lifetime, but now he tries not to underestimate
exoplanet scientists. Shawn Domagal-Goldman is an astrobiologist at NASA
who looks for ways to identify signs of life, and ways to detect those
signs from far away using space-based telescopes. Stephen Kane is a
planetary astrophysicist at the University of California, Riverside, who
has been researching exoplanets for more than 20 years. Andrew Rushby is
a NASA astrobiologist who uses computer simulations to try and
understand those few planetary environments that could support life in
the deathly cold, vacuous expanse of our galaxy. UPDATE @ 3:24 pm ET: A
new feature story and video on this topic are now posted at nasa.gov –
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/our-living-planet-shapes-the-search-for-life-beyond-earth
UPDATE @ 3:49 pm ET/1:49 pm MT: We are online and ready to start
answering questions! In fact, we are all together in Laramie, Wyoming at
the Habitable Worlds 2017 workshop. Looking forward to this!
https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/930903145923989504