Astrobiology

Astrobiology, also known as exobiology, is an interdisciplinary scientific field concerned with the origins, early evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. It is a fusion of astronomy, biology, chemistry, and planetary science, seeking to understand whether life exists beyond Earth and, if so, what it might look like. The term "astrobiology" is derived from the Greek words astron (star) and bios (life), while "exobiology" comes from the Latin ex (outside) and Greek bios (life). In Hebrew, astrobiology is called אסטרוביולוגיה, and in French, it is referred to as astrobiologie. Key areas of study within astrobiology include the search for habitable environments, the study of extremophiles (organisms that thrive in extreme conditions), and the analysis of planetary atmospheres and surfaces for signs of life, such as biosignatures. The field also explores the potential for life to exist in the subsurface oceans of icy moons like Europa and Enceladus, as well as in the atmospheres of gas giants. Astrobiology is closely tied to the ongoing search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the study of the habitability of exoplanets.