Astrobiology (IAU Commission)

Definition

The activities of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are mostly carried out within Commissions, grouped in turn into Divisions. The scope of the IAU Astrobiology Commission, within Division F (Planetary Systems and Astrobiology), is the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. In this context, astrobiology encompasses the search for extant life, evidence of past life, or evidence of prebiotic chemistry on solar system bodies, including Mars, Europa, Titan, and Enceladus; the search for planets around other stars and potential spectroscopic evidence for habitability and biological activity; the origin of the biogenic chemical elements and the study of biologically relevant molecules in the interstellar medium and in primitive solar system objects such as comets, undifferentiated asteroids, and some meteorites; the search for intelligent signals of extraterrestrial origin (SETI); and the study of the origin, early evolution, and...