01
Astrobiology
“However life started, once established, it persisted for over 3.5 billion years and evolved from microbial slime to the sophistication of human civilization.”
― David C. Catling, Astrobiology: A Very Short Introduction
Astrobiology basically seeks to understand the origin and the emergence of life. That includes asking when and why did it happen, where did it originate and finally, how can we prove this? To give an answer, it is worth studying the history of the early Earth, catastrophes that happened, changes in its climate conditions and evolution of life on the Earth, including the relations between organisms. Therefore, astrobiologists often examine simple organisms like bacteria, specifically extremophiles. It gives an insight into the limits of life and thus asks the question if those limits are universal. That brings us to the final question marks: is there life elsewhere? Are there other intelligent creatures and if so, how can we communicate with them? Astrobiology also touches the aspect of the future of humans, trying to figure out whether we preserve Earth, how we could settle other planets and adapt to space.
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03
Space Medicine
"Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives."
- Socrates
Even though human body is a well-functioning machinery, it is not indestructible. Space medicine aims at supporting human survival and functioning in challenging space conditions that could lead to changes in cells, blood pressure, heart performance, as well as weakening bones and muscles. Space medical professionals try to understand the long-term impact of being in space, but still most of the experiments are conducted on Earth. It is also worth mentioning that even surgery in microgravity is possible! What’s more – it has already been carried out, albeit not on humans yet. However, it shows how much is yet to come!
02
Astrochemistry
"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science."
- Edwin Hubble
Astrochemistry studies the abundance and reactions of molecules and elements in the Universe, as well as their interaction with radiation. It allows us to examine the chemical composition of stars, planets, comets and molecular gas clouds. This knowledge can contribute to the understanding of different processes and conditions under which life might originate. One particularly important tool here is spectroscopy. Due to the fact that data is often transmitted over large distances, it is important to distinguish the actual results from the noise. After appropriate analysis of absorption or emission spectra it is possible to reveal the structure of the compounds and identify them by comparing the received spectra to the laboratory data. Astrochemistry is thus finding molecular ‘fingerprints’ in space.