October 14, 2013: The Search for Early Life on Earth and Mars
Presidential Lectures are free public colloquia centered on four main themes: Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Neuroscience and Autism Science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are intended to foster discourse and drive discovery among the broader NYC-area research community. We invite those interested in the topic to join us for this weekly lecture series.
14 October 2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Eastern
Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium at the Simons Foundation
160 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
No one knows when life first colonized planet Earth, nor if or when Mars ever supported life. We see numerous, unequivocal lines of evidence for life on Earth from some 2.5 billion years ago to the present day. But the further back in time we look, the more clues about our earliest ancestors are clouded by doubts, uncertainties and controversies.
Similarly, the search for life on Mars is challenging, risky and controversial. Because it is improbable that any fossils are preserved on Mars, researchers must study the chemistry of its rocks to gain insights into potential habitable environments there. Scientists can do this using the instrument payload of the Curiosity rover now operating on the surface of Mars.