Some Fascinating Comments on Insects

nsects that live in the Himalayas at high altitudes and low temperatures to microorganisms that flourish in hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor and feed on chemical energy. We explored, via our models, whether they may survive in the Martian subsurface or in Europa’s oceans. We also investigated if marine bacteria that produce oxygen in Earth’s oceans could potentially survive on known extrasolar planets. Although comprehensive and detailed, this approach makes important simplifications. For example, it does not yet model how life may shape the planet, nor does it account for the full array of nutrients organisms may need. These simplifications are by design. In most of the environments we currently study, we know too little about the conditions to meaningfully attempt such models, except for some solar system bodies, such as Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The quantitative habitability framework allows my team to answer questions like whether astrobiologists might be interested in a subsurface location on Mars, given the available data, or whether astronomers should turn their telescopes to planet A or planet B while searching for life. Our framework is available as an open-source computer model, which astrobiologists can now readily use and further develop to help with current and future projects. If scientists do detect a potential signature of life, this approach can help assess if the environment where it is detected can actually support the type of life that leads to the signature detected. Our next steps will be to build a database of terrestrial organisms that live in extreme environments and represent the limits of life. To this data, we can also add models for hypothetical alien life. By integrating those into the quantitative habitability framework, we will be able to work out scenarios, interpret new data coming from other worlds and guide the search for signatures of life beyond Earth—in our solar system and beyond. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Daniel Apai is serving as Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at The University of Arizona. His research focuses on extrasolar planet discovery and characterization, including studies of planetary atmospheres, planet formation, and planetary habitability. Daniel is Principal Investigator of the Alien Earths team, a large interdisciplinary NASA-funded research group exploring how habitable exoplanets form. He also leads Project EDEN, a search for habitable worlds around the closest star; and the Nautilus Space Observatory concept, a project to develop a powerful new type of space telescopes to enable surveys of extrasolar planets for signatures of life. Note: we are now moderating comments. There will be a delay in posting comments and no guarantee that all submitted comments will be posted.