We are very excited to welcome Prof Jane Greaves from Cardiff University as the next speaker in the Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability seminar series. Prof Greaves will be giving a talk titled "Planets, Exoplanets, & Life" on Friday 16th June 2023.

Abstract:
So what was all that furore about phosphine? I will report on new observations of phosphine in Venus' clouds, and place these in the context of possible sources, such as active volcanoes or even extant life. New techniques are being developed for agnostic biosignatures, and new models are emerging for biosignature gases in different planetary environments. I will discuss the crossover of these advances for exoplanetary science and some of the lessons learned from solar system life searches. Finally, I will introduce some ongoing observing campaigns that can help to assess habitability of rocky exoplanets.

James Blake, a postgraduate student in the Warwick Astronomy & Astrophysics Group, gives an overview of his summer project researching the topic of panspermia and applying the theory to the exciting TRAPPIST-1 planetary system.

Dimitri Veras leads an interdisciplinary team of astronomers and biologists in a study exploring the dynamical and biological constraints of interplanetary panspermia. This is the theory that life can hop from planet to planet via some mechanism, most likely aboard asteroids or comets.

This work was published in Astrobiology, Volume 18, Number 9

Open access link: arXiv

CEH members involved: Dimitri Veras (lead), David Armstrong, James Blake, Jose Gutiérrez-Marcos & Hendrik Schäefer

CEH member James Blake won the award for Best Poster at the 2018 Posters in Parliament competition, hosted by the University of Sheffield. Over 50 students were selected from institutions across the UK and tasked with presenting undergraduate research. James' research on lithopanspermia, the theory that life can hop from place to place throughout the Universe aboard asteroids and comets, managed to capture the judges' imagination.

Poster available here

The CEH is pleased to announce the launch of its "Concepts of Habitability" competition, exploring concepts of habitability both on Earth and other worlds.

We invite submissions from all students, both postgraduate and undergraduate, in any medium. Entries must fit within an A1 display area, and judging will take place in the Teaching Grid on Thursday 23rd June, 5pm to 6pm. The winning entry will be awarded prize money (in Amazon vouchers) of £100, with extra prizes in additional subcategories.

More information is available at the competition webpage.