Astrobiology

Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe. It is a relatively new field that seeks to understand the origins, evolution, and distribution of life in the cosmos. Astrobiology draws upon many disciplines, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, and geology.

There are three main goals of astrobiology:

1. To understand the origin and evolution of life on Earth
2. To search for life elsewhere in the universe
3. To understand the implications of life for the cosmos as a whole

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Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field, and there is no one path to learning about it. However, a background in the natural sciences is essential. Understanding how life arises and evolves on Earth is critical to understanding the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. Additionally, astrobiology relies heavily on chemistry and physics, as these disciplines are necessary for understanding the formation and evolution of planets and stars.

In the past, astrobiology was largely speculative, relying on models and theories to explain the data we collected. However, recent discoveries, such as the detection of water on Mars and evidence of past life on the Red Planet, have given us a better understanding of the conditions necessary for life to exist and thrive in the universe.

With NASA's Mars 2020 mission set to launch in July of 2020, astrobiology is poised to make even more discoveries in the years to come. The Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, will search for signs of past life on Mars and collect samples that could be returned to Earth for further study. This mission will help us to better understand the habitability of Mars and other worlds like it, and could provide insight into the origin and evolution of life in the universe.