NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

University of Arizona

Executive Summary

An Astronomical Search for the Essential Ingredients for Life: Placing our Habitable System in Context

Project Reports

Atmospheric Dynamics and Habitable Zone Boundaries

Module 1: The Building Blocks of Life

Module 2: Formation and Evolution of Habitable Worlds

Module 3: Nature of Planetary Systems

Phosphorus and Sulfur in the Origin of Life

EPO Reports

Project Reports

Organized by Astrobiology Roadmap Objective

Goal 1: Understand the nature and distribution of habitable environments in the Universe

• Objective 1.1: Models of formation and evolution of habitable planets (3 reports)
• Objective 1.2: Indirect and direct astronomical observations of extrasolar habitable planets (1 reports)

Goal 3: Understand how life originates from cosmic and planetary precursors

• Objective 3.1: Sources of prebiotic materials and catalysts (2 reports)
• Objective 3.2: Origins and evolution of functional biomolecules (2 reports)

Goal 4: Understand how past life on Earth interacted with its changing planetary and Solar System environment

• Objective 4.1: Earth's early biosphere (2 reports)
• Objective 4.3: Effects of extraterrestrial events upon the biosphere (3 reports)

Goal 5: Understand the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental limits of life

• Objective 5.1: Environment-dependent, molecular evolution in microorganisms (1 reports)

Goal 7: Determine how to recognize signatures of life on other worlds and on early Earth

• Objective 7.1: Biosignatures to be sought in Solar System materials (1 reports)