09/04/2024
By Lynne Schaufenbil

Please Join the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology for the virtual seminar, "The Origin of Life on Earth and Other Habitable Worlds" by Assistant Prof. Ben Pearce, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Laboratory for Origins and Astrobiology Research (LOAR), Purdue University on Thursday, September 12 at 11 a.m..

Abstract: One of the deepest questions intelligent beings can ponder is, where did we come from? Evolution by natural selection explains how simple cellular life progressed into the diverse set of species we observe on Earth today, but it is still unclear how non-living, organic molecules converted into to something that can reproduce and evolve. In this talk, I explore some of the theoretical and experimental studies I've done to move us closer to answering this question. I'll also share some recent experimental work related to prebiotic chemistry on Saturn's moon Titan.

Bio: Ben K. D. Pearce, Ph.D., studies the origin of life on Earth and prebiotic chemistry on Titan. To tackle this, he uses a combination of laboratory experimentation and atmospheric modeling to recreate the conditions that led to the formation of the building blocks of life. He has just started his lab at Purdue in 2024 called the Laboratory for Origins and Astrobiology Research, which will make use of Miller-Urey type experiments and GC-Orbitrap MS analysis to solve questions related to the emergence of life.

Please contact Lynne_Schaufenbil@uml.edu for the Zoom link if you are interested in attending.