Are We Alone in the Universe?
From Mars and Icy Moons to Complex Life Beyond Earth
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Europe/Berlin
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Overview
⏱️ Schedule: Doors 18:30 → Talk 19:00 → Q&A → Mingle
🌐 Language: English
What if Earth isn't particularly special when it comes to life?
We know that life on our planet can survive in astonishing conditions: from extreme heat and cold to environments once thought completely uninhabitable. And if life is this resilient here, what might be happening on Mars, beneath the frozen surfaces of distant moons, or on the countless planets orbiting other stars?
In this talk, astrobiologist Prof. Dirk Schulze-Makuch takes us on a journey through some of the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth, from Mars and the icy moons of the outer Solar System to the strange world of Titan.
But we'll go further than microbes. Drawing on what evolution has taught us here on Earth, we'll explore whether complex life might be a natural consequence of a planet remaining habitable for long enough — and eventually arrive at the biggest question of all: if intelligent life exists elsewhere in the Universe, why haven't we encountered it yet?
What we'll cover:
• Could life exist — or even thrive — on Mars today?
• What makes the icy moons of the outer Solar System, including Titan, such intriguing places to search for life?
• What can the evolution of life on Earth tell us about the possibility of complex life elsewhere?
• How common might habitable planets actually be in the Universe?
• The Fermi Paradox: if intelligent life is out there, why haven't we heard from anyone?
Speaker
Prof. Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Professor of Planetary Habitability and Astrobiology, Technical University Berlin
Prof. Dirk Schulze-Makuch is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist whose research explores one of humanity's oldest questions: where, and in what forms, might life exist beyond Earth?
He leads the Astrobiology Research Group at Technical University Berlin and is also an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University, an Associate Member of SETI, and a Visiting Professor at Jagiellonian University.
He has published more than 200 scientific papers and eight books on planetary habitability and astrobiology, including Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints and The Cosmic Zoo: Complex Life on Many Worlds. Since 2016, he has served as President of the German Astrobiology Society, and his research has been featured by outlets including BBC, CNN, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, New Scientist, and Science.