1. ASTROBIOLOGY

2. Essential Questions
Are we alone in the universe?
What is life?
What factors make a planet habitable?
What is the possibly of life on another planet or moon?

3. Goals
To identify the characteristics of living things and the conditions needed for life.
Use logic and evidence to explain why the study of extreme environments on Earth is important to the search for life on other planets.
To determine if life on other planets or moon is even possible .

4. What is Astrobiology?
These fields all come together to answer the questions about the possibly of life on other planets.
Microbiology
Ecology
Astronomy
Geology
Paleontology
Chemistry
Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa.
Ecology - the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
Astronomy, a natural science, is the study of celestial objects (such as stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets and nebulae) and processes (such as supernovae explosions, gamma ray bursts, and cosmic microwave background radiation), the physics, chemistry, and evolution of such objects and processes, and more generally all phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth.
Geology (from the Ancient Greek γῆ, gē, i.e. "earth" and -λoγία, -logia, i.e. "study of, discourse"[1][2]) is an earth science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change. Geology can also refer generally to the study of the solid features of any celestial body (such as the geology of the Moon or Mars).
Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth by providing the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates. Geology is important for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, evaluating water resources, understanding of natural hazards, the remediation of environmental problems, and for providing insights into past climate change.
Paleontology or palaeontology (pronunciation: /ˌpeɪlɪɒnˈtɒlədʒi/, /ˌpeɪlɪənˈtɒlədʒi/ or /ˌpælɪɒnˈtɒlədʒi/, /ˌpælɪənˈtɒlədʒi/) is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene Epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments
Chemistry is a branch of physical science that studies the composition, structure, properties and change of matter.[1][2] Chemistry includes topics such as the properties of individual atoms, how atoms form chemical bonds to create chemical compounds, the interactions of substances through intermolecular forces that give matter its general properties, and the interactions between substances through chemical reactions to form different substances.
Chemistry is sometimes called the central science because it bridges other natural sciences, including physics, geology and biology.[3][4] For the differences between chemistry and physics see comparison of chemistry and physics.[5]

5. What are the Characteristics of Life?
Similar Chemicals Used (Ex. C,H,O,N,P )
Cellular Organization
Use Energy
Respond to stimuli (change)
Reproduce
Grow and Develop
Discuss how CHONP are used in making:
Nucleic acids – DNA/RNA
Amino acids – Protiens
Fatty acids + Glycerol – Lipids
Monosaccharides – Carbohydrates & Sugars
Cellular Organization – Organized into cells with a distinguishable inside & outside.
The 7 Characteristics of Life:
 1. Living Things are Composed of Cells:
Single-cell organisms have everything they need to be self-sufficient.
In multicellular organisms, specialization increases until some cells do only certain things.
Both molecular and cellular organization.
2. Living Things Have Different Levels of Organization:
Living things must be able to organize simple substances into complex ones.
Living things organize cells at several levels:  
Organ - a group of tissues that perform a common function.
Tissue - a group of cells that perform a common function.
Organ system - a group of organs that perform a common function.
Organism - any complete living thing.
Living things take in energy and use it for maintenance and growth. Light, heat, chemical energy, physical (potential, kinetic energy)
 3. Living Things Use Energy:
4. Living Things Respond To Their Environment:
Living things will make changes in response to a stimulus in their environment.
  5. Living Things Grow:
A behavior is a complex set of responses.
Cell division - the orderly formation of new cells.
Cell enlargement - the increase in size of a cell. Cells grow to a certain size and then divide.
An organism gets larger as the number of its cells increases.
Reproduction is not essential for the survival of individual organisms, but must occur for a species to survive.
6. Living Things Reproduce:
All living things reproduce in one of the following ways:
Asexual repoduction - Producing offspring without the use of gametes.
Sexual reproduction - Producing offspring by the joining of sex cells.
Adaptations are traits giving an organism an advantage in a certain environment.
7. Living Things Adapt To Their Environment:
Variation of individuals is important for a healthy species.
Questions:
1.      Do all living things have all of the characteristics of life? If your answer is no, give an example.
3.      Name some non-living thing that grows.
2.      Name some non-living thing that uses energy.

6. What are the Basic Needs of Life?
Shelter / Place to Live
Water
Energy
Complex Chemistry (Organic)
Homeostasis
Shelter – Protection from harmful UV radiation UV light can damage or break complex molecules, causing mutations that may inhibit the emergence of complex life. Protection from UV is afforded by the Ozone Layer, underwater, or underground or in a body of another being.
Water – Provides elements and medium needed for complex chemistry
Energy - Warmth to allow liquid water to exist (or liquid methane?) Energy (food) is needed to fuel chemical reactions (metabolism)
Complex Chemistry Elements heavier than Hydrogen & Helium Carbon as building blocks for complex organic molecules
Homeostasis – Both cellular condition & external environments are able to exist with little fluctuation

7. What conditions must exit for most complex organisms to survive?
Moderate temperatures
Oxygen to breathe (or used in respiration through water)
Liquid water to drink (or live in)
Sunlight
Moderate atmospheric pressure like that on Earth
Steady source of food
Moderate temperatures help to ensure environmental homeostasis and are in ranges that complex forms of life can tolerate.
Oxygen to breathe (respiration), to be used in metabolizing food sources (protein, sugar, starch, fat).
Liquid water provides a medium in which complex chemistry can occur. It also will support life forms needing to drink or swim in liquid water.
Sunlight is needed to warm the planet/atmosphere/water and is used directly by photosynthetic organisms to produce food. However, too much is no good. (Goldilocks zone)
Moderate atmospheric pressure has enough gasses to support living organisms and provide protection from solar radiation, but thin enough that the weight of the atmosphere doesn’t crush life forms on the surface.

8. But what about archaeabacteria???
Extremophiles
But what about archaeabacteria???
Read Earthy Extremophiles (Handout)
Now, what are the extreme conditions in which certain organisms can survive?

9. Is our idea of extreme, normal to them???
Idea to Think About…
Conditions that we think of as “extreme” on Earth are similar to what is “normal” somewhere else in the solar system.
Is our idea of extreme, normal to them???
Could our “normal” conditions be extreme to other organisms/beings?

10. Champions
Read What Can Life Tolerate: Meet the Champions