The search for life beyond Earth is a key driver of modern astronomy and planetary science. The US is building multiple major telescopes and planetary probes to advance this search.
However, the signs of life—called biosignatures—that scientists may find will likely be difficult to interpret. Figuring out where exactly to look also remains challenging.
I am an astrophysicist and astrobiologist with more than 20 years of experience studying extrasolar planets, which are planets beyond our solar system.
My colleagues and I have developed a new approach that will identify the most interesting planets or moons to search for life and help interpret potential biosignatures. We do this by modeling how different organisms may fare in different environments, informed by studies of limits of life on Earth.
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