This event took place on 22nd January 2008 at 1:00pm (13:00 GMT)
Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
What do we mean by 'habitability' ? Habitability depends on the organisms that are considered and it is defined by the chemical and physical tolerances for a given organism. As we currently have no direct evidence for life on another planet, habitability is necessarily constrained by our knowledge of life on Earth. We use our knowledge of the extremes of life on Earth to assess extraterrestrial environments and the plausibility that they can support life. I will discuss the use and limitations of the concept of 'habitability' and provide examples of how we assess the habitability of other worlds using organisms from extreme environments on Earth. I will discuss how considerations of energy availability (redox couples), the presence of water and carbon sources have shaped our view of the habitability of other planets and will eventually be used to assess the habitability of extrasolar planets. The formulation of a definition of 'habitability' can greater assist us in defining the possibilities for life elsewhere.
What do we mean by 'habitability' ? Habitability depends on the organisms that are considered and it is defined by the chemical and physical tolerances for a given organism. As we currently have no direct evidence for life on another planet, habitability is necessarily constrained by our knowledge of life on Earth. We use our knowledge of the extremes of life on Earth to assess extraterrestrial environments and the plausibility that they can support life. I will discuss the use and limitations of the concept of 'habitability' and provide examples of how we assess the habitability of other worlds using organisms from extreme environments on Earth. I will discuss how considerations of energy availability (redox couples), the presence of water and carbon sources have shaped our view of the habitability of other planets and will eventually be used to assess the habitability of extrasolar planets. The formulation of a definition of 'habitability' can greater assist us in defining the possibilities for life elsewhere.
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