Astrobiology and Space Exploration (Winter 2010)

John Hogan, Bioengineering Branch NASA Ames Research Center, discusses research in life support systems that could be used to create a sustainable and regenerative environment in space. (March 2, 2010)

Dr. Frank Drake discusses the program that he founded, Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life in the greater universe. (March 9, 2010)

Dr. Yvonne Clearwater, Past Principle Investigator for NASA Habitability Research Program, discusses the complexity of designing a habitable space station that promotes research productivity by keeping astronauts healthy and happy in space. (March 4, 2010)

Chris McKay, Planetary Scientist with the Space Science Division of NASA Ames Research Center , discusses the idea that, based on the human valuation of life, the mission of astrobiology is to expand the richness and diversity of life. (February 23, 2010)

Rocco Mancinelli, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, discusses how research has taken the first step to understanding how organisms survive and evolve outside of planet earth. (February 16, 2010)

Lynn Rothschild, Professor and NASA Research Scientist, and Stephen Palumbi, Director of the Hopkins Marine Station, discuss Darwin's career from childhood to the end of his life and his theory of evolution. (February 11, 2010)

Dr. Janice Bishop with Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute and the NASA Ames Research Center discusses Martian geology and mineralogy, and the search for life on Mars. (February 9, 2010)

David Morrison, NASA Lunar Science Institute, discusses the discovery of the cretaceous catastrophe that caused the last mass extinction and explains NASA's research on the danger of similar events occurring in Earth's near future. (February 2, 2010)

Professor Lynn Rothschild discusses the predictability of evolution in regards to in the world today by using insight from the past. (January 28, 2010)

Professor Lynn Rothschild discusses what extremophiles are, why they are important, and how they are applicable to the evolution of life, what else might be out there, and the future of life. (January 26, 2010)

Professor Lynn Rothschild discusses evolution in the context of space and time, focusing on the emergence of life in a planetary context on Earth and possibly elsewhere as well as the evolution of intelligence. (January 21, 2010)

Lynn Rothschild, Research Scientist NASA Astrobiology Institute Ames Research Center, discusses the need for and attempts to create an operational definition of what it means to be alive. (January 19, 2010)

Geoff Marcy, UC Berkeley Professor of Astronomy and Co-Investigator on Kepler Team, discusses the Keplar Teams efforts to locate earth-like planets by observing orbit, doppler shift, and dimming of Upsilon Andromedae. (January 14, 2010)

(February 9, 2010) Louis Allamandola, Research Scientist with NASA Astrobiology Institute Ames Research Center, discusses his research, which implies that if life is extreme chemical complexity, and knowing that life-forming chemicals are widespread in the universe, it may be posited that the universe, if the conditions are right, is poised for life.