Are We All There Is? Exobiology and Astrobiology in Public

This presentation will address 50 years of public interest in and opinions about scientific studies of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe, including the rise and fall and resurrection of the scientific search for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligent life. Exobiology and astrobiology's focus on considering the cultural dimensions of scientific research and training the next generation of researchers will be covered. Past and present depictions of astrobiology in scientific culture and in popular culture will be compared and contrasted. Dr. Billings has done communication research for NASA's Astrobiology, Mars Exploration, and Planetary Protection programs.