Science Matters Lecture Series - The Search for Life on Mars and Beyond

Dr. Sarah Johnson, professor at Georgetown University and author of "The Sirens of Mars: Searching for Life on Another World," and Dr. Carol Cleland, professor at University of Colorado, Boulder and Director for the Center for the Study of Origens, will present "The Search for Life on Mars and Beyond," as part of the Science Matters Lecture Series. 

Exciting new research is attempint to find evidence for either extinct or existing life in the universe. Previous Mars missions found that liquid water existed on Mars in the distant past, raising the question of whether there might be evidence for extinct life. The Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012, explored the "habitiabilty" of Mars. It found nutrients and energy sources that microbes could have used and established that Mars indeed had regions that could have been friendly to life in the ancient past. The Perseverance rover, launched in July 2020 and landing on Mars in February 2021, will take the next step by looking for the signs of past life itself. What sort of evidence of life are scientists looking for and what methods are they employing? Are these methods too Earth-centric? What would constitue compelling scientific evidence for unfamiliar form of life? 

The event is free and open to the public - no registration necessary. 

Q&A session will follow the speakers. Questions? Email [email protected] 

Go to www.montana.edu/stes to connect!

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