NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

University of Washington

Executive Summary

Executive Summary--UW

Project Reports

A Study of Marine and Terrestrial Stable Isotopic Geochemistry During the End-Permian and End-Triassic Mass Extinction Events

Building a habitable planet: the geological record

Causes of Mass Extinction: Isotopic and paleontological constraints

Causes of mass extinctions: testing impact models

Delivery of organic materials to planets

Delivery of Organics to Earth and Earthlike Planets - Brownlee and Kress

Dynamics of comets, asteroids, and planets

Evolution of biocomplexity from an ancient autotrophic lineage

First-Stage Biofilm Formation Under Extreme Conditions in Ice

Galactic Chemical Evolution and Extrasolar Planets

Microbial Mat Communities

Origin of the eukaryotic cell: implications from bacterial tubulin in the Division Verrucomicrobia

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 (5 reports)
• Objective 1.2: Indirect and direct astronomical observations of extrasolar habitable planets (2 reports)

Goal 2: Explore for past or present habitable environments, prebiotic chemistry and signs of life elsewhere in our Solar System

• Objective 2.2: Outer Solar System exploration (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 (3 reports)
• Objective 3.3: Origins of energy transduction (1 reports)
• Objective 3.4: Origins of cellularity and protobiological systems (1 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 (3 reports)
• Objective 4.2: Foundations of complex life (6 reports)
• Objective 4.3: Effects of extraterrestrial events upon the biosphere (4 reports)

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

• Objective 5.1: Environment-dependent, molecular evolution in microorganisms (3 reports)
• Objective 5.2: Co-evolution of microbial communities (1 reports)
• Objective 5.3: Biochemical adaptation to extreme environments (3 reports)

Goal 6: Understand the principles that will shape the future of life, both on Earth and beyond

• Objective 6.1: Environmental changes and the cycling of elements by the biota, communities, and ecosystems (5 reports)
• Objective 6.2: Adaptation and evolution of life beyond Earth (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)
• Objective 7.2: Biosignatures to be sought in nearby planetary systems (3 reports)