Greatest Hits and Grand Challenges in Astrobiology

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. This talk will review major findings in astrobiology research in recent decades, current trends in the field, and driving questions and major challenges in the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life, on Mars and other solar system bodies. Contributions of astrobiology research to current scientific understanding of how life and its environments co-evolve and what “habitability” is will be addressed. Astrobiology investigations to be conducted on the Mars Science Laboratory and other upcoming planetary missions will be a special focus of this talk. Efforts to produce and retain students, graduate students and professional researchers and teachers to keep the field of Astrobiology growing and thriving will also be addressed, as will the cultural relevance of the search for life beyond earth.