Thirst for Knowledge: Is there life on Mars?

Could life emerge on planets other than Earth? If so, where should we look, and more importantly, how should we look for traces of life in space? These are the questions that astrobiologists are trying to answer. One of the main targets for current space missions seeking traces of life is our closest neighbour, Mars. Despite its surface being hostile to life as we know it, the Red Planet, like Earth, might have been a place where life was possible in the past.

In this month's talk, Dr Naila Chaouche from the Otago University Department of Chemistry will explore Mars as an object of interest for scientists who study the origins of life on Earth and beyond. We will learn how to look for life using rovers and instrumentation specifically designed for space application. We will also discuss the role laboratory experimentation plays in supporting space missions in the search for extra-terrestrial life.