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     2005 / 2006 Season      2004 / 2005 Season      2003 / 2004 Season
Dr. Christopher P. McKay
NASA Ames Research Center
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What is life, and how do we search for it on other worlds?
Wednesday 25 May 2005 - 8:00pm - McMaster Centre for Learning & Discovery
Room 1305
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Abstract
One of the main goals of astrobiology is the search for another type of life in our solar system. The planet Mars and Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter, are the most likely targets for this search. With only one example of life on Earth it is not too surprising that we lack a precise definition of life or a clear strategy for how to search for it on other worlds. Studies of the limits of life and life in extreme environments may help us develop a search strategy for life on other worlds. Fossils are not enough. We will want to determine if life on Mars or Europa was a separate genesis from life on Earth. For this determination we need to access intact alien life; possibly frozen in the deep old permafrost of Mars or the icy surface of Europa.

Speaker Background
Website: http://ic.arc.nasa.gov/projects/sigma/mckay.html

Chris received his Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the University of Colorado in 1982 and has been a research scientist with the NASA Ames Research Center since that time. His current research focuses on the evolution of the solar system and the origin of life. He is also actively involved in planning for future Mars missions including human settlements. Chris has been involved with polar research since 1980, traveling to the Antarctic dry valleys and to the Siberian and Canadian Arctic to conduct research in these Mars-like environments. He is a co-investigator on the Huygens probe to Titan (2005) and the Mars Phoenix mission (2007).


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