Astrobiology: The Search for the Past and Future of Life in the Universe

Presentation: “Astrobiology: The Search for the Past and Future of Life in the Universe” by Dr. Jian Gong, University of Wyoming

March 3rd (Tuesday), 6 p.m., Social half-hour; please join us from 5:30-6:00 to enjoy free soft drinks and appetizers before our talk begins!

Live at the Teton County Library & Via Zoom (online)

RAFFLE AT 6PM!

Raffle rules:

  • Must be present to win. 
  • Drawing will be at 6:00 pm in the library auditorium.
  • Members receive one free ticket. One ticket per Membership.
  • Members may purchase additional tickets for $5 each.
  • You can buy/renew you 2026 Membership that night via cash, check, or Venmo (no IOU’s).
  • Membership costs $20 individual, $35 family, and $50 for a sustaining membership.
  • GJH board members are not eligible to participate.

Presentation: “Astrobiology: The Search for the Past and Future of Life in the Universe” by Dr. Jian Gong, University of Wyoming

Astrobiology is often described as the search for life beyond Earth, but at its heart it asks a deeper question: What is life, how did it arise, and where is it going? From the earliest traces preserved in Earth’s ancient rocks to robotic explorers on Mars and planets orbiting distant stars, we are discovering that life emerged early and in close partnership with planetary processes. The search therefore focuses not only on organisms, but on biosignatures—patterns in chemistry and environment that reveal life as a planetary phenomenon. At its core, life is a complex adaptive system: it senses, responds, evolves, and reshapes its surroundings. In this sense, astrobiology is not just about finding life elsewhere—it is about understanding how the universe becomes alive, and how it may remain so.

 

 

AI Generated Art

Topic: “Astrobiology: The Search for the Past and Future of Life in the Universe”

Time: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, 06:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4555651818?pwd=U09ObDNZOEIyZmRtMEtsdUowQnJqdz09
Meeting ID: 455 565 1818
Passcode: 576063