Our guest is Dr. Mark Skidmore, professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University! Dr. Skidmore conducts research on the biogeochemistry and geomicrobiology of glacial systems, examining the cycling of elements such as carbon, sulfur, nitrogen and iron. His research also considers the habitability of icy terrestrial environments, especially subglacial systems, and how this can guide the search for habitable environments elsewhere in the Solar System. Dr. Skidmore has field research experience in numerous glaciated systems in Arctic, alpine, and Antarctic settings from o ..read more

Our guest is Dr. Natalie Batalha, astrophysicist and professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, specializing in detecting and characterizing exoplanets, including potentially habitable alien worlds! Dr. Batalha was the Co-Investigator and Mission Scientist for the Kepler Space Telescope, and today uses the world’s most powerful ground-based telescopes to identify planets suitable for further study with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode ..read more

Our guest is Dr. Geoff Wheat, professor of geological oceanography at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks! Dr. Wheat studies processes that influence the cycles of elements in the oceans, following the transport of materials through the oceanic crust in a variety of settings, including hydrothermal systems. Geoff has also participated in 79 ocean expeditions, including 49 submersible/ROV based endeavors. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/episodes/52 ..read more

Our guest is Prof. Abel Méndez, a planetary astrobiologist and Director of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo! His research focuses on the habitability of Earth, the Solar System, and extrasolar planets. Prof. Méndez is best known for developing the Earth Similarity Index, the Visible Paleo-Earth Project, and maintaining the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, a database of potentially habitable worlds. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astro ..read more

Our guest is Dr. Alfonso Davila, an astrobiologist at NASA Ames Research Center! His research focuses on the biological and biosignature potential of terrestrial environments considered to be analogous to extraterrestrial environments, and using that knowledge to develop strategies to search for evidence of life beyond Earth. His current research involves instrument testing in the Atacama desert and Antarctica to inform drilling techniques for the icy regions of Mars. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiol ..read more

Our guest is Dr. Heather Graham, organic geochemist and research associate from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Graham's research focuses on the scientific development of tools and techniques that can help us identify “agnostic biosignatures” – evidence of living systems that may not share common biochemistry with life on Earth. Dr. Graham is also involved in studying the asteroid samples returned by the Hayabusa 2 mission. In addition to her work as an astrobiologist, she also co-wrote and directed an experimental rock opera about "Hidden Figures" Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, an ..read more

Please join us for a special panel episode all about the OSIRIS-REx mission, which just left asteroid Bennu with asteroidal material on its way back to Earth! This episode's guests are all collaborators on the OSIRIS-REx mission: Drs. Eve Berger, Jason Dworkin, and Scott Sandford. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/episodes/48 ..read more

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Jen Blank, an astrobiologist at the NASA Ames Research Center and a Research Scientist at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. Jen has been a member of the Mars Curiosity science team and studies Mars analog environments on Earth, focusing on the potential of water-rock interactions to support microbial life. Dr. Blank is also the Principle Investigator of BRAILLE (Biologic and Resource Analog Investigations in Low Light Environments), a NASA PSTAR project to characterize life in lava tubes and use robots to look for signs of life there, on Earth, Mars ..read more

We are delighted to start afresh with our new program, “Ask an Astrobiologist”. This new format will be more interactive and allow participants to ask questions on Twitter! Use #AskAstrobio to submit your questions before the event! Questions will still be taken via SAGANet chat! We welcome to SAGANet, Dr. Charles Cockell, Director of the UK Center for Astrobiology and Professor of Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh! Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/episodes ..read more

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Cynthia Phillips, a planetary geologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory! She serves as a project staff scientist and the project science communications lead for the Europa Clipper mission, as well as the deputy project scientist for the Europa Lander mission concept. Check out our website for the full transcript of this podcast, plus the full YouTube version of this episode: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/episodes/46 ..read more