THE ANATOMICAL RECORD 268:169 –170 (2002)

Astrobiology: An Introduction
BARUCH S. BLUMBERG*
NASA Astrobiology Institute, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

Astrobiology is concerned with life as a planetary phe- processes that are carried out at high temperatures and
nomenon, that is, how biology interacts with objects in extremes of pH, salinity, etc.
space. It is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, Astrobiology also encourages the study of microor-
and future of life on Earth and in the universe, and ganisms (bacteria, archae, viruses, etc.) that are not
addresses some fundamental questions: How did life orig- within the scope of medical microbiology. Microbiology
inate? Are we alone in the universe? What is the future of started as a study of the pathological agents of humans
life in space? Implied in these mission statements and and other species, and thus precluded most of the or-
questions are even more questions: What is life? How is it ganisms that are of interest to astrobiologists. How-
defined and characterized? Allied with this is the defini- ever, it is also important to consider the possibility that
tion of death. When does life cease? How can its effects be these organisms have a role in animal and other dis-
detected and measured in fossil remains, or by the effects eases.
that life has on its environment, which remain after the Since the microorganisms studied by astrobiologists
death or disappearance of the living material itself? are thought to be similar to the earliest life forms, the
Life may have originated on Earth. It may have origi- sequencing of their genomes (currently in progress) will
nated elsewhere in the cosmos in a form that is recogniz- add a great temporal depth to the study of microbial and
ably similar to life on Earth. Another possibility is that viral evolution. This may help in understanding future
organic molecules with a potential for life (prebiotic chem- evolutionary directions associated with environmental
icals) may have come here from space and then developed change. It is also interesting to consider the possibility
into the complex information- and replication-capable (albeit remote) that the ancient predecessors of genomes
molecules that characterize life. Or, life that is totally on Earth came from an extraterrestrial source and expe-
different from ours may have formed elsewhere. If so, it rienced very low gravity in transit. There may be residual
will be necessary, if and when it is found, to formulate a genes that retain some of the functions of their traveling
general biology that goes beyond our current understand- predecessors, but have other functions in contemporary
ing of the capabilities of life forms. species. This is an interesting hypothesis to consider
Cells are a characteristic form for most types of living when evaluating gene functions in space experiments
matter. Knowledge of the origin, evolution, and charac- with the “classical” organisms that have already been
teristics of cells is a major focus of astrobiology. Organic fully sequenced (i.e., C. elegans).
chemicals that are capable of forming cell-like structures Astrobiology is a fascinating field that has attracted
have been identified in space and in astromaterials that government funding and the attention of a large number
have come to Earth from extraterrestrial sources. Obser- of outstanding scientists. The NASA Astrobiology Insti-
vational, experimental, and theoretical approaches to the tute (NAI) was established to encourage academic scien-
study of cell and membrane formation are featured in this tists working in this field. The funds provided are for
volume. investigator-initiated, basic, interdisciplinary science
To study the origins of life, astrobiologists seek out that fits within the NASA mission. There are more than
regions of contemporary Earth that are similar to what is 700 scientists in the NAI, including 15 members of the
inferred to have existed when life first began. Sites on U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Similar organizations
Mars where life may have existed in the past, or where it have been formed in other countries, partly in response to
still exists and flourishes, may also be similar to these the establishment of the NAI, and the NAI has associate
contemporary Earth analogues. Environmental condi- and affiliate relationships with several of them (including
tions on early Earth was violent. There were frequent
meteorite and cometary impacts, huge volcanic eruptions,
and extreme temperature variations. Thus, early forms of *Correspondence to: Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg, NASA Astro-
life may have sought protected locations. These are usu- biology Institute, MS 240-1, Ames Research Center, Moffett
ally in what we currently consider extreme environments: Field, CA 94035. Fax: (650) 604-4251.
geothermal sites under or above ground, deep under the E-mail: bblumberg@mail.arc.nasa.gov
sea, in high and low saline and pH, in the ice, or in arid Received 5 July 2002; Accepted 25 July 2002
locations. The organisms in these extreme environments DOI 10.1002/ar.10150
require robust proteins and enzymes to endure. These Published online 00 Month 2002 in Wiley InterScience
may suit the requirements of chemical and industrial (www.interscience.wiley.com).

© 2002 WILEY-LISS, INC.

Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and the degree. (The degrees are usually awarded in established
European Astrobiology Network). There is a flourishing fields such as biology, astronomy, geology, and oceanog-
scientific exchange between these organizations, a mani- raphy, with a specialization in astrobiology.) This special
festation of the international character of space science in astrobiology issue of The Anatomical Record focuses on
general and of astrobiology in particular. Two new jour- this intriguing field, which combines many basic and ap-
nals of astrobiology have started publication in the past 2 plied scientific disciplines, and looks to the future when
years. About 150 colleges and universities offer courses in the space program will allow us to probe even further and
astrobiology at the undergraduate level, and several ma- more frequently into the vast spaces of our solar system
jor institutions offer graduate courses leading to a Ph.D. and beyond.