astrobiologiaan

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. It integrates astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and planetary science to understand whether life exists beyond Earth and how it might be detected or preserved. The field examines the conditions that make planets and moons habitable, the possible biochemistries of life, and the processes that could lead from simple molecules to living systems.

Historically, ideas about life beyond Earth have deep roots, but modern astrobiology emerged in the mid-20th century with the concept of exobiology and the exploration of other worlds. Milestones include laboratory simulations of prebiotic chemistry, studies of extremophiles on Earth, and space missions that search for biosignatures or habitable environments. The discovery of thousands of exoplanets and findings about icy bodies in the outer solar system have broadened the scope and ambition of the field.

Research in astrobiology covers several core areas: planetary habitability and climate, the origin and evolution of life (abiogenesis), detection methods for biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres or surfaces, and the study of life’s potential resilience in extremes and on other worlds. It also informs planetary protection, the ethics of exploration, and the interpretation of observational data in the search for life beyond Earth.

In Finnish, astrobiologiaan is the illative form meaning “to astrobiology.” See also astrobiology.