This month’s meeting featured  “Astrobiology – The Search for Alien Life” by Dr. Mike Malaska

Mike Malaska 27 Jul 2012

Mike Malaska 27 Jul 2012

In order to understand how to find life beyond the Earth, Mike began his presentation with a review of how life formed on Earth.  The questions “What is life?” and “When did life begin?” were addressed.  Mike explained that life is chemistry and life began on earth 3.8 billion years ago.  Life started from water and small organic molecules.

The talked then focused on bacteria which were one of the earliest forms of life on earth.  Mike brought and shared his fossilized stramatolite which he found on one of his trips.  Stramatolites are considered to be one of the earliest forms of life on earth.  Mike discussed Tholins which exist on Titan which can lead to amino acids and proteins.  He talked about cells, DNA, RNA, and catalysis which can lead to metabolism.  Also noted where green sulfur bacteria which live off of infrared light, bacteria which eat metal, bacteria that eat radiation, and “Conan the Bacterium” which can survive lethal radiation.

Mike also discussed alien environments which might support life.  He mentioned Europa, Enceladus, Mars, Venus clouds and exoplanets. Detecting life on exoplanets will be very difficult. A lively Q&A followed the talk.

This will probably be Mike’s last talk to the Club.  He has accepted a job with JPL in Pasadena, California.  Congratulations go to Mike and we will miss him.

In the business part of the meeting:

  • Next month’s regular meeting will feature a talk on spectroscopy by Matt Lochansky.
  • The next public observing session be on Oct. 20 at the Annie Wilkerson Nature Preserve.
  • Mike Malaska announced the events surrounding the Mars Science Laboratory landing which will be held at both the Morehead Planetarium and the Museum of Natural sciences on August 5-6.
  • Phyllis updated the Club on the lock situation at our BigWoods observing site.  Negotiations are still in progress with the Forest Resources people, but it appears we will regain access in a few weeks with some new rules and restrictions.  We lost access to the site when the club’s lock was found to be unlocked by Forest Resources personnel.