Extreme Environments

In recent decades, life and physical scientists have built and harnessed new tools and concepts that allow us to robustly address seminal scientific questions about the origins of life on Earth, including how the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere co-evolved. The answers to these questions have implications for our exploration of the potential for life on other planets.

From our cutting-edge investigations of deep sea vents and hot springs to our lab-based recreations of the dynamic processes occurring in exoplanet interiors—and from our pioneering observations of distant worlds to our partnerships with NASA on missions to Mercury and Mars—Carnegie researchers are advancing new frontiers of understanding of the conditions found in difficult-to-access realms.