Astrobiology - NASA Science

The Astrobiology Strategy

Astrobiology research sponsored by NASA focuses on three basic questions: How does life begin and evolve? Does life exist elsewhere in the Universe? How do we search for life in the Universe? Over the past 50 years, astrobiologists have uncovered myriad clues to answering these Big Questions.

Europa

The Search for Life in the Universe

How did life begin on Earth? Does life exist beyond our home planet? How do we search for it? These are the really tough questions astrobiologists want to answer by studying life as we know it.

Astrobiology in the News

More Astrobiology News

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6 min read

NASA Grant Brings Students at Underserved Institutions to the Stars

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7 min read

NASA Puts Next-Gen Exoplanet-Imaging Technology to the Test

6 min read

NASA Study Finds Life-Sparking Energy Source and Molecule at Enceladus

Article4 months ago

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NASA: Some Icy Exoplanets May Have Habitable Oceans and Geysers

Article5 months ago

7 min read

Teams Watch Weather as OSIRIS-REx Prepares to Return Asteroid Sample

Article8 months ago

NASA Missions Supporting Astrobiology Research

Europa Clipper

Earth's first mission to conduct a detailed investigation of Jupiter's moon Europa, where scientists predict a salty ocean beneath its icy crust may hold the building blocks necessary to sustain life.

Mars 2020: Perseverance

This rover and its aerial sidekick Ingenuity were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial life, and collect samples of rock and soil for their possible return to Earth.

OSIRIS-REx

OSIRIS-REx delivered to Earth material from asteroid Bennu, which may offer clues to whether asteroids colliding with Earth billions of years ago brought water and other ingredients for life.

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