#183 Charles Lineweaver: Astrobiology, And What Is Life
Dr. Charles H. Lineweaver is the convener of the Australian National University’s Planetary Science Institute and holds a joint appointment as an associate professor in the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Research School of Earth Sciences. He was a member of the COBE satellite team that discovered the temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background. Before his appointment at ANU, he held post-doctoral positions at Strasbourg Observatory and the University of New South Wales where he taught one of the most popular general studies courses “Are We Alone?“. His research areas include cosmology, exoplanetology, and astrobiology and evolutionary biology.
In this episode, we talk about astrobiology. We go through some general topics, like complexity in the Universe; Darwinian and Lamarckian evolution; multilevel selection; looking for life on other planets, the extremophile life forms, and if we could find life that is not carbon-based, and related issues. In the end, we also discuss the scientific relevance of discovering life elsewhere, and also the new perspective it would bring to humanity.
Time Links:
Astrobiology, and common threads from Physics to Biology
Complexity in the Universe
Darwinian an Larmarckian evolution
Multilevel selection
Would it be possible to have multiplanetary selection?
Extremophiles and Goldilocks conditions
Could we discover life forms that are not carbon-based?
Could artificial systems be considered life?
Is natural selection not random?
The scientific and social importance of finding life in the Universe
Follow Dr. Lineweaver’s work!
Follow Dr. Lineweaver’s work:
Website: https://bit.ly/2WKCDfJ
Articles on Researchgate: https://bit.ly/2tJKZYE
Complexity and the Arrow of Time: https://amzn.to/2tGIupV
Relevant links:
Extremophiles: https://bit.ly/2FjOc5g
Goldilocks principle: https://bit.ly/2H94YVD