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Astrobiology from early-career scientists’ perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2015

Lena Noack ,
Cyprien Verseux ,
Paloma Serrano ,
Michaela Musilova ,
Philippe Nauny Open the ORCID record for Philippe Nauny [Opens in a new window] ,
Toby Samuels ,
Petra Schwendner ,
Eugenio Simoncini  and
Adam Stevens
Lena Noack*
Affiliation:
Department of Reference Systems and Planetology, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Avenue Circulaire 3, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
Cyprien Verseux
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Laboratory of Astrobiology and Molecular Biology of Cyanobacteria, Via della Ricerca Scientifica s.n.c., 00133 Rome, Italy
Paloma Serrano
Affiliation:
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Michaela Musilova
Affiliation:
School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Road, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK
Philippe Nauny
Affiliation:
School of Geographical & Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Gregory Building, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
Toby Samuels
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
Petra Schwendner
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
Eugenio Simoncini
Affiliation:
INAF – Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi, 5 50124 Arcetri, Firenze, Italia
Adam Stevens
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
*
e-mail: lena.noack@oma.be
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Abstract

What is astrobiology? Which fields does it comprise and what makes an astrobiologist? Ask five scientists and you may end up with six different definitions. This issue was raised at the first symposium of the European network of Astrobiology Graduates (AbGradE), held last year in Edinburgh, when discussing whether the attendees’ fields of study were represented in the astrobiology community.

Keywords

AbGradEastrobiologydefinition of astrobiologyexobiologyusage of astrobiology

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , October 2015 , pp. 533 - 535
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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