Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe: Biosignatures (Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe #8)

Issue #8 of Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe explores what astrobiologists are actually looking for when they search for life – what we call biosignatures. From patterns in ancient rocks to the chemical compositions of the atmospheres of other planets, astrobiologists study indicators of life’s presence, both now and in the past. This search includes identifying evidence left behind by biology that once survived on the ancient Earth, and extends to the search for life beyond our planet. Research into biosignatures also informs many of NASA’s biggest missions, from space observatories (like Hubble and JWST) to Mars Sample Return.