Perspectives on Life in the Universe at Auckland University
Hosted by Te Ao Mārama – Centre for Fundamental Inquiry, this year’s Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series 2019 at University of Auckland are three evening of lectures and a panel discussion is themed ‘Perspectives on Life in the Universe’.
The 2nd International Mars Sample Return Conference
Professor Kathy Campbell of University of Auckland and Chair of the Board of trustees for the New Zealand Astrobiology Network was invited to the 2nd International Mars Sample Return Conference in Berlin, April 2018, where she presented on the value of returning samples from hydrothermal environments as part of a NASA led team of 71 scientists from around the world.
New Zealand’s hot springs contribute to discovery of oldest evidence for life on land!
Life might have colonised land 580 million years earlier than previously thought – and this has also implications for the search for life on Mars.
Professor Kathy Campbell from University of Auckland is co-author of a paper published in Nature comms that pushes the evidence for the oldest life on land by 580 million years from 2.9 to 3.5 billion years.
Professor Anthony Poole awarded Marsden grant to unravel evolutionary origins of DNA
NZ scientists seek to unravel the evolutionary origins of DNA. Professor Anthony Poole from University of Auckland has been awarded a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund grant to unravel the evolutionary origins of DNA. What is the story of DNA? The four letters A, T, G and C make up the alphabet of […]
The next rover mission to Mars in 2020 to search for biosignatures — how New Zealand’s hot springs are helping NASA choose the next landing site
A team, including Professor Kathy Campbell, attended a workshop sponsored by NASA and JPL on 8-10 February 2017 in Monrovia, California, where 250 scientists and engineers discussed where the next Mars rover, launching in 2020, should land. Kathy’s team presented arguments for one of the 8 remaining landing sites that were still under consideration – at Columbia Hills in Gusev Crater – and were successful in making it into the Final 3. Choice of The One will happen at the 4th Mars 2020 landing site meeting planned for 2018.
Finding life on Mars with SOLID
The Icebreaker Life mission – which will search for life on Mars – is due for review this September, 2015. If successful, Icebreaker Life might fly to Mars in 2021. I hope that Icebreaker will make it to Mars and make grand discoveries.
Modelling Biospheric Energization
How do we define life – or, in fact, can it be defined? So far, we cannot be sure that this question has been properly answered. Even so, NASA has proposed that life be taken as a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution. If we have a mind for science, we might then ask – is this consistent with basic principles? The life chemistry we find on Earth should accord with this, but as one particular case. This point of view can then allow us to seek for life in other places –“space” – say, but on the basis of rational enquiry.
Exploratory Science in New Zealand – Two Astrobiology Case Studies
We argue that, even though New Zealand is a small nation, our scientists cannot aim too high nor stretch too far. We should make the most of the special opportunities NZ has to offer, and steer towards new fields or methods of research when opportunities or needs arise. We describe our own efforts over 20 years to pioneer new directions in NZ on an astronomical project named MOA and a geological project on NZ hot-springs. The former project seeks to find habitable planets orbiting stars in the Milky Way. The latter seeks to understand how life arose on planets such as Earth and Mars in the first few billion years following their formation. Both projects attract international support and the participation of our ablest university students.
New Zealand to participate in a mission to the Pavilion Lake astrobiology analogue site
In June, Dr Ian Hawes, from Christchurch’s Canterbury University will be part of a team working at the Pavilion Lake analogue site. He will be part of an international, collaborative science and exploration team investigating microbialites – rocks formed by microbes – and at the same time developing protocols for real-time management of science activities in missions to near earth asteroids (NEAs) and more distant objects. Microbially mediated rocks have a special place in astrobiology since on Earth they are the very earliest evidence of life, and on other planets where life began and then stopped they may be the only evidence left. It all starts on 20th June. Watch this space for more details!
Final report released: Spaceward Bound New Zealand 2015
In January 2015, the New Zealand Astrobiology Initiative (NZAI) organised an engaging, 6-day expedition for Kiwi educators and researchers, introducing them to the wonders of the Taupo Volcanic Zone in the central North Island. Partnering with NASA and incorporating speakers from all around the globe, Spaceward Bound New Zealand 2015 exposed its 50 participants to […]