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Astrobiologist
Searches for life beyond Earth — studying extreme environments on our planet as analogs for other worlds.
Did you know?
Microbes live in a lake half a mile under Antarctic ice and in the Mariana Trench, so astrobiologists study extreme places to learn where alien life might survive.
How subjects help
- Biology: Study microbes living in boiling springs or under ice to see where life can survive.
- Chemistry: Look for chemical signs of life, such as certain gases, in the air of other planets.
- Physics: Work out whether a planet sits at the right distance from its star to have liquid water.
- Geology: Study rocks tested by Mars rovers for clues that water once flowed there.
A famous name
Carl Sagan: Astronomer who studied whether life could exist on other worlds and helped design the Pioneer and Voyager messages.
Try it yourself: Design a base on Mars
- List what people need to stay alive: air, water, food, warmth, and protection from radiation.
- Mars has thin air you can't breathe, freezing nights and dust storms. Decide how your base solves each problem.
- Draw your base and label where each need is met.
- What happens if one part breaks? Add a backup.
Space engineers design around every need, then plan backups, because help is months away.
Also try: Invent a way to sort leaves.
Known for it in
USA, UK, Germany, Japan, Australia