[meteorite-list] NASA Sets News Conference on Astrobiology Discovery (Was: Ice Meteorites From Jesus)

[Meteorites USA]

VERY Curious... From NASA no less..

QUOTE: "...WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST 
on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact 
the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life..."

This is the list of people at the press conference.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Participants are:

-     Mary Voytek, director, Astrobiology Program, NASA Headquarters, 
Washington
Dr. Mary A. Voytek, a microbiologist with the U.S. Geological Survey - 
She studies environmental controls on microbial transformations of 
nutrients, xenobiotics, and metals in freshwater and marine systems. 
http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/directory/profile/4886/mary/voytek/

-     Felisa Wolfe-Simon, NASA astrobiology research fellow, U.S. 
Geological Survey, Menlo Park, Calif.
...a background in molecular biology, biochemistry, and phytoplankton 
physiology to uncover the sequence of events that shaped the evolution 
of the modern oceans phytoplankton and life itself. http://www.ironlisa.com/

-     Pamela Conrad, astrobiologist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, 
Greenbelt, Md.
Pamela Conrad, an astrobiologist with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
has traveled to the ends of the Earth to study life. Her main work is on 
planetary habitability assessment. It focuses on the development of 
approaches and measurements for assessment of habitability on planetary 
surface environments and the development of non-invasive optical methods 
for the in situ "triaging" of potential rock sample targets, including 
induced native fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy at various excitation 
wavelengths. She is interested in the short-range remote sensing of 
chemical biosignitures and the stability and environment distribution of 
chemical biosignitures. https://amase.gl.ciw.edu/members/pconrad

-     Steven Benner, distinguished fellow, Foundation for Applied 
Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, Fla.
Molecular biologist http://www.ffame.org/people/sbenner.html
     * Chemical genetics
     * Synthetic biology
     * Paleogenetics
     * Planetary biology
     * Systems biology
     * The connection of natural history to the physical sciences

-     James Elser, professor, Arizona State University, Tempe
Dr. Elser's research involves the integrative field of biological 
stoichiometry, the study of balance of energy and multiple chemical 
elements in living systems. While this work is primarily ecological in 
focus and includes studies of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems 
and biota, http://sols.asu.edu/people/faculty/jelser.php
----------------------------------------------------

Lots of study in the marine systems area...

Is anyone else excited? ;)

Regards,
Eric



On 11/29/2010 2:56 PM, Patrick Wiggins wrote:
> Not sure what this is all about but it seems appropriate to post considering the "ET" talk here today.
>
> patrick
>
> NASA Sets News Conference on Astrobiology Discovery
> http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/nov/HQ_M10-167_Astrobiology.html
>
>
>