3rd Workshop of the Italian Astrobiology Society http://www.astrobiologia.it/
When Darwin meets Copernicus
th th 26 -28 May 2010 Duino Castle, Duino-Aurisina, Trieste, Italy http://castellodiduino.it/
Distant view of the Duino Castle during a thunderstorm. The picture is evocative of the Miller experiment. Copyright: Marco Fulle
Organized by Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste - INAF http://adlibitum.oats.inaf.it/astrobiots10/ Announcement
The third workshop of the Italian Astrobiology Society will take place in the Duino Castle, near Trieste, on the 26, 27 and 28 May 2010. The workshop will provide an excellent opportunity for scientists sharing a common interest in astrobiology to convene in a friendly, cross-cultural environment at the border between Life, Space and Earth Sciences.
General background
Since the publication of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” biology has advanced with giant steps that have led to the discovery of the DNA structure and the decoding of the human genome. In spite of these achievements, our perception of life sciences is basically pre- Copernican: biology is still Earth-centric four centuries after our planet was displaced from the centre of the astronomical universe.
The need to put biology into a more universal perspective is felt as a priority by a growing number of scientists: we may say that times are becoming ripe for Darwin and Copernicus to meet. The discovery of planetary systems around stars other than the Sun is contributing to this change of perspective.
Extrasolar terrestrial planets with climate conditions favourable to the existence of life are starting to become detectable. The possibility that some of these planets may indeed host life is giving fresh motivation to the classic fields of astrobiological research: the study of the origin of life, the search for life in the Solar System and the search for intelligent signals from space. Studies of planetary geology and climatology are also gathering momentum due to their importance in assessing the habitability of exoplanets.
The workshop will bring together the national communities of biologists, astronomers and geologists working in the above mentioned fields, with the aim of reducing their cultural distances and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. International participation is most welcome. Astrobiology at Trieste
Trieste has a tradition in astrobiological meetings: a series of seven Conferences on the Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life took place at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) during the years 1992-2003. The last one was attended by Stanley Miller and was a tribute to the 50th anniversary of his experiment.
In addition to the ICTP, the Trieste area hosts other scientific and technological institutions famous at the national and international level, with a natural potential for the development of astrobiological research. Exploring this potential is a specific aim of the workshop.
Main topics
Astronomical sources of prebiotic material: interstellar dust, meteorites, comets. Origin and evolution of terrestrial life. Extreme habitats. Biosignatures and life in the Solar System. Planetary geology and climatology. Extrasolar planets: habitability and biosignatures. Galactic habitability.
Scientific Organizing Committee
J.R. Brucato (INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico Arcetri), J. Chela-Flores (ICTP, Trieste), M. Fulle (INAF-OATs, Trieste), E. Gallori (Università di Firenze), R. Saladino (Università della Tuscia, Viterbo), G. Vladilo (INAF-OATs, Trieste)
Local Organizing Committee
M. Fulle (INAF-OATs), M. Maris (INAF-OATs), P. Monaco (Università di Trieste), F. Pagan (SISSA), G. Vladilo (INAF-OATs)
Important deadlines
Registration and abstract submission: 31 March 2010
Registration fee: 26 May 2010
The registration fee is 150 €. The fee covers the attendance to the scientific sessions, the abstract booklet, the coffee breaks, and the social dinner. University and PhD students without financial support can choose between a reduced fee of 75 € with dinner and a fee of 35 € without dinner. The fee payment is on-site, in cash at the workshop opening.