#406 Caleb Scharf: Life, on Earth and Elsewhere
RECORDED ON OCTOBER 5th 2020.
Dr. Caleb Scharf is the director of the multidisciplinary Columbia Astrobiology Center at Columbia University. He works in the fields of exoplanetary science and astrobiology, and writes extensively about science for a popular audience. One ultimate goal of his research is to find planets that could harbor recognizable life, and to detect the presence of that life—an effort that falls under the banner of astrobiology.
In this episode, we talk about astrobiology and exoplanetary science. We start with a bit of the history behind astrobiology. We go through topics like what is a habitable zone; several hypotheses as to how life might have originated on Earth; places in our solar system and on exoplanets that could harbor life, with focus on Europa, Enceladus, and Mars, and how we can detect it. We talk specifically about the recent finding of phosphine on Venus. We finish with a discussion on the search for intelligent life.
Time Links:
A bit of history about astrobiology
What is a habitable zone?
The possible origins of life on Earth
Other places in the solar system that could harbor life, and the recent finding of phosphine on Venus
Biomarkers
Potential life on Europa, Enceladus, and Mars
Exoplanets that could have life, and the search for intelligent life
Follow Dr. Scharf’s work!
Follow Dr. Scharf’s work:
University page: https://bit.ly/3lf8LnP
Website: https://bit.ly/3itzs6p
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/2SuvHTK
Amazon page: https://amzn.to/33wWfdv
Twitter handle: @caleb_scharf