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Exobiology: meaning, definitions and examples

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exobiology

 

[ ɛksoʊbaɪˈɒlədʒi ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

scientific field

Exobiology, also known as astrobiology, is the study of the origin, evolution, and potential for life beyond Earth. It combines aspects of biology, chemistry, and astronomy to understand how life might arise in different environments. Researchers explore extreme environments on Earth to gain insights into how life could exist on other planets or moons. This field is particularly relevant to the search for extraterrestrial life and is often associated with missions to Mars and the exploration of icy bodies in our solar system. By examining the potential biosignatures of exoplanets, exobiology aims to establish criteria for detecting life beyond our planet.

Synonyms

astrobiology, biochemistry of extraterrestrial life

Examples of usage

  • Exobiology helps us understand the potential for life on Mars.
  • NASA invests in exobiology to prepare for future missions.
  • Students are increasingly interested in exobiology as a career.
  • The conference focused on advancements in exobiology research.

Translations

Translations of the word "exobiology" in other languages:

🇵🇹 exobiologia

🇮🇳 एक्सोबायोलॉजी

🇩🇪 Exobiologie

🇮🇩 exobiologi

🇺🇦 екзобіологія

🇵🇱 ekso-biologia

🇯🇵 エクソバイオロジー

🇫🇷 exobiologie

🇪🇸 exobiología

🇹🇷 ekzobiyoloji

🇰🇷 외계 생물학

🇸🇦 علم الأحياء الخارجي

🇨🇿 exobiologie

🇸🇰 exobiológia

🇨🇳 外星生物学

🇸🇮 ekzobiologija

🇮🇸 exóbíólogía

🇰🇿 экзобиология

🇬🇪 ექსობიოლოგია

🇦🇿 ekzobiologiya

🇲🇽 exobiología

Etymology

The term 'exobiology' was first used in the early 1960s, coinciding with the growing interest in the possibility of life beyond Earth prompted by advancements in space exploration. It is derived from the prefix 'exo-', meaning 'outside' or 'beyond,' and 'biology,' the science of life. The field has its roots in earlier scientific inquiries about life in extreme environments on Earth, which offered clues about how life could survive in harsh extraterrestrial conditions. Over the decades, exobiology evolved alongside technological advances and discoveries in planetary science, particularly in relation to Mars and icy moons such as Europa. The establishment of organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency further propelled exobiology's prominence as they initiated missions to investigate the potential for life beyond our planet, making it an interdisciplinary field that bridges biology, astronomy, and planetary science.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,821, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.