Exploring abiotic, prebiotic, and biotic constraints on planetary habitability by reimaging planetary conditions in laboratory experiments

Planetary habitability includes a broad range of processes, from the reduction of CO₂ to form simple organic compounds, to the expansive environmental parameters that can support life on this planet and beyond. As our understanding of Hadean environments has evolved, so have the scenarios for potential prebiotic pathways. Similarly, the discovery of microbes in extreme ecosystems changed the fundamental way we explore microbial diversity. The common thread that binds these diverse research avenues together is the suite of planetary conditions that constrain these processes. In general, our understanding of planetary habitability relies heavily on our ability to faithfully replicate planetary conditions in laboratory experiments. Here, Dr. Rogers will present new approaches to coupling planetary conditions to habitability experiments, and give examples of how more accurate replication of geologic environments can recast our reference frame for habitability. Within the context of the limits of life, Rogers will discuss new techniques that target the largely ignored piezophilic microbiome. Further, Dr. Rogers is excited to introduce the Earth First Origins project, which explores prebiotic chemistry through the lens of Hadean environments, as well as NASA’s broader initiative to reimagine origins of life research within the Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environments Consortium.