astrobiology
AS-troh-by-OL-uh-jee
Definition
The scientific study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe, including the search for habitable environments beyond Earth.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'astron' (star) and 'bios' (life), combined with the suffix '-logy' (study of). It emerged in the mid-20th century as space exploration expanded the scope of biological inquiry to include celestial environments.
In the news
The article uses the term to highlight that while liquid brine might exist on Mars, its extreme saltiness and harsh conditions make it an unlikely environment for life, tempering the excitement surrounding such findings in astrobiology.
NASA’s Viking 2 lander photographed frost forming on Mars in the 1970s. Nearly half a century later, a University of Arkansas researcher fed its old weather measurements into a model and found something Viking’s scientists never knew: for roughly 30 Martia
Read the full article ↗Space Daily