Life Beyond Earth
The term for the scientific study of life in the universe beyond Earth
What is astrobiology
The term that describes a planet outside of our solar system that orbits a star
What is an exoplanet
The molecule that is often considered a precursor to life and has been detected in space and on comets
What is amino acids
The type of extremophile that thrives in highly acidic environments, such as sulfuric hot springs
What are acidophiles
Program that uses radio telescopes to search for potential signals from extraterrestrial civilizations
What is SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)
The type of celestial body that is a prime candidate for harboring extraterrestrial life due to its subsurface ocean
What is an icy moon
The mission launched by NASA to search for exoplanets using the transit method
What is the Kepler mission
The theory proposing that life on Earth may have originated from organic molecules brought here by comets or meteorites
What is panspermia
Extreme environment on Earth, often compared to conditions on the surface of Mars
What is the Atacama Desert
The star system where the "Wow! signal" was detected in 1977, a potential candidate for extraterrestrial communication
What is the Chi Sagittarii system
A planet in our solar system that has methane in its atmosphere, leading to speculation about the possibility of microbial life
What is Mars
The nearest exoplanet to Earth, orbiting Proxima Centauri
What is Proxima B
The primordial soup experiment conducted by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey in 1953
What is the Miller-Urey experiment
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents where extremophiles thrive in the absence of sunlight
What are black smokers
The interstellar object that passed through our solar system in 2017, sparking speculation about its artificial origin
What is 'Oumuamua
The concept that suggests life may exist and thrive in extreme environments on Earth and potentially on other celestial bodies
What is Extremophiles
The star that is most likely to have habitable exoplanets in its orbit due to their longevity and stability
What is a red dwarf star
The process by which simple molecules evolve into more complex ones, ultimately leading to the formation of life
What is chemical evolution
Extremophiles that are capable of surviving on extremely high levels of radiation, such as those found near nuclear reactors
What are radiotrophic fungi
The hypothetical concept of an engineered structure constructed by an advanced extraterrestrial civilization, such as a Dyson sphere
What is a megastructure
The zone around a star where conditions may be right for liquid water to exist on the surface of a planet, making it potentially habitable
What is the habitable zone (Goldilocks zone)
The method used to detect exoplanets by observing the slight dimming of a star's light as a planet passes in front of it
What is the transit method
The self-replicating molecule that is believed to have been an early precursor to life on Earth
What is RNA (ribonucleic acid)
Extremophiles that are capable of surviving in environments with high levels of salt, such as the Dead Sea
What are halophiles
This scientist, known for his work in radio astronomy and SETI, co-authored the 1960 paper proposing the search for extraterrestrial intelligence using radio telescopes
Who is Frank Drake