Seminars and workshops that we organised in New Zealand
Life on the Edge: A Journey of Discovery in Earth Science – Inaugural Lecture by Professor Kathy Campbell
Rocks and minerals are vital for unlocking the mysteries of life’s origin and for guiding the search for life on other worlds. ‘Extreme environments’, places too hot, cold, dry, salty, noxious or otherwise inhospitable to most things alive on our planet today are studied to help deepen understanding of where we came from and whether we are alone in the Universe. This talk explores life’s limits and its record in the rocks. It will also delve into one of the most exciting aspects of being a scientist, the art and wonder of scientific discovery, based on my own exploration...
Read more2016-07 Astrobiology Australasia Meeting in July 10-12 Perth
The next Astrobiology Australasia Meeting to be held from 10 - 12 July 2016 in Perth, Western Australia. The venue for our meeting is Curtin University. This meeting will focus on the origin and evolution of life in the Universe, and space exploration. A call for abstracts will be issued shortly. The meeting will consist of both Oral and Poster presentations.
Read moreTHE ASTROPHYSICS OF PLANETARY HABITABILITY Conference
First Announcement THE ASTROPHYSICS OF PLANETARY HABITABILITY Conference in Vienna, Austria, February 8 – 12, 2016 http://habitability.univie.ac.at Dear colleagues, we are pleased to announce a five day conference on “The Astrophysics of Planetary Habitability”, to be held at the University of Vienna, Austria, from February 8-12, 2016.
Read more@SETI Talks: Professor Kathleen Campbell
"ET life would simply be ... logical..."
Read more30th of June: Observing Asteroid Day!
30th of June was chosen to mark the anniversary of the 1908 Siberian Tunguska event. On June 30, 1908, an explosion over Siberia flattened trees and made a loud noise. But no crater was ever found. Scientists now believe it was a small comet or asteroid. Many events like these happened in the past. Closer to our present days, in February 2015,
Read moreColony Earth? Humanity after alien contact
Steve Pointing is Professor of Applied Ecology at Auckland University of Technology and director of the university’s Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand. He pioneered the use of molecular techniques to understand how simple microbes cling to life in extreme environments such as the icy deserts of Antarctica, boiling geothermal pools and lakes that are ten times more salty than
Read moreThe XIII International School of Astrobiology “Josep Comas i Solà” begins Monday, 29 June 2015 in Spain
The XIII International School of Astrobiology "Josep Comas i Solà" will begin Monday, 29 June 2015 at Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander, Spain. This year's theme is 'The Origin of Life. From monomers to cells'. The school is organized by the Menendez Pelayo International University in collaboration with the Centre for Astrobiology (Madrid, Spain) and NASA Astrobiology Institute, USA.
Read moreNASA planetary scientists come to New Zealand to engage with teachers and students in our own backyard
New Zealand teachers will join a NASA Astrobiologists and New Zealand scientists in the North Island this January, 2015, to explore extreme environments and conduct scientific experiments that might one day provide insight for the search of life on other planets. The expedition is part of NASA’s Spaceward Bound programme, uniting teachers and research scientists in field activities and, ultimately, bringing the excitement of space exploration to New Zealand students.
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