Astrobiology: meaning, definitions and examples
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astrobiology
[ æstrəʊbaɪˈɒlədʒi ]
scientific study
Astrobiology is a branch of biology that explores the origin, evolution, and possibility of life in the universe. It combines elements of astronomy, biology, and geology to understand the potential for life beyond Earth and the conditions that support its existence. Astrobiologists study extreme environments on Earth to gain insights into where life might be found on other planets and moons.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- Astrobiology examines extreme conditions on Earth.
- Researchers in astrobiology focus on life beyond our planet.
- Astrobiology may reveal life in other solar systems.
Translations
Translations of the word "astrobiology" in other languages:
🇵🇹 astrobiologia
🇮🇳 अंतरिक्ष जीवविज्ञान
🇩🇪 Astrobiologie
🇮🇩 astrobiologi
🇺🇦 астробіологія
🇵🇱 astrobiologia
🇯🇵 アストロバイオロジー
🇫🇷 astrobiologie
🇪🇸 astrobiología
🇹🇷 astrobioloji
🇰🇷 우주 생물학
🇸🇦 علم الأحياء الفلكي
🇨🇿 astrobiologie
🇸🇰 astrobiológia
🇨🇳 天体生物学
🇸🇮 astrobiologija
🇮🇸 stjarnfræðileg líffræði
🇰🇿 астробиология
🇬🇪 ასტრობლომია
🇦🇿 astrobiologiya
🇲🇽 astrobiología
Etymology
The term 'astrobiology' has its roots in two main fields: 'astronomy' which is derived from the Greek words 'astron' meaning 'star' and 'nomos' meaning 'law', and 'biology', which originates from the Greek 'bios' meaning 'life'. The concept of studying life in the context of space and celestial bodies began gaining traction in the late 20th century, particularly with the advancements in space exploration and the discovery of extremophiles—organisms that can survive in extreme environments on Earth. The term itself became more widely used in the 1990s with the rise of interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life, fueled by missions to Mars and the exploration of icy moons in our solar system like Europa. Today, astrobiology is a multidisciplinary field that seeks to understand the fundamental conditions that allow life to exist and how similar conditions might occur elsewhere in the universe.