Archive of Lynn Harper's chat

[ Carlos - 18 - 10:46:42 ]
Hi

[ lefteris/rhodoshighschool - 19 - 10:47:53 ]
hi i'm ready

[ Sarah/Greenmeadow - 20 - 10:52:44 ]
I liked your poingant example!

[ LynnHarper - 23 - 10:58:21 ]
RE: [Dan] I have a question about the Spring Equinox.
Hi folks! Welcome to the Astrobiology Chat. We're ready to begin

[ LynnHarper - 24 - 10:59:01 ]
Hi Dan -- The Spring Equinox is tomorrow. What's your question?

[ LynnHarper - 26 - 11:00:02 ]
RE: [hilary] I study theoretical physics and cosmology. I am interested in discussing some of the implications of recent discoveries in astronomy.
Hi Hilary -- What would you be interested in talking about? This is one of my favorite areas too. L

[ LynnHarper - 27 - 11:02:37 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] How do you figure out what to study?
Hi Sarah -- Thank you for your kind words. Figuring out what to study is not easy! We have the whole universe in front of us and limited time and money. So, we usually choose our study areas based on a hypothesis or concept that we can test within the next 10 to 20 years. Also, the hypothesis selected is frequently in the "breakthrough" category. That is, we can expect a significant change in our understanding of the living universe when we get the answer.

[ LynnHarper - 28 - 11:03:26 ]
RE: [TheAstrobiologyWeb] Well done!
Hi Keith -- Thanks, it was fun but challenging. L

[ LynnHarper - 30 - 11:05:01 ]
RE: [Eric] I would like to know how much energy is left in the sun for it to support life on Earth and beyond.
Hi Eric -- I can't give you an exact timeframe, but some of my colleagues speculate the sun still has between 5 and 10 billion years of life left. At the end of our stars life, all the matter produced by the sun and contained in the planets will be propelled into space to start the process anew.

[ LynnHarper - 31 - 11:10:36 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] How did you get interested in Astrobiology?
Sarah -- I'm a Telstar kid. My dad and I used to go outside and search for Telstar and for Sputnik. This was the first time that we humans sent our tools beyond Earth and it was wonderful to see what we had become. I lived in a country area where there were few lights, so I could see the stars and the Milky Way. My dad and I would talk about this and about the potential for life elsewhere, what the future of intelligent life might be here on Earth, and what was out there in that sparkling forever. Then I found out that there are about 1000 solar type stars within 100 light years of earth and I was never the same. I just have to know what's there. I just never realized it would be so beautiful. L

[ LynnHarper - 38 - 11:16:23 ]
RE: [Arvin] hi?
Hi Arvin. Want to chat? Lynn

[ Arvin - 40 - 11:19:08 ]
sure lynn, sorry for the waiting

[ LynnHarper - 42 - 11:21:06 ]
RE: [Esther/Wachusett] Can you say something about your own research?
Hi Ester -- I am the Lead for Astrobiology Advanced Missions and Technologies at the Ames Research Center. My job is to work with the scientists to understand what are the most important questions in astrobiology and what tools they need and what space missions they need to answer these questions. Then my job is to make sure that they have these resources by working with scientists, technologists, and mission developers. A couple of examples right now, we're working on how to find life below the ice on Europa (if its there), how to get to the Mars hydrosphere (if its there), and most immediately, how to find other worlds in the life zones around other stars. We're also working on using the Space Station to study artificial ecosystems and perhaps to learn some new things about ecosystems in general. One other very interesting project is trying to learn whether life from Earth can evolve beyond Earth. These are only a few of the many great projects in Astrobiology. I feel as if I have the greatest job in NASA -- well maybe except for the astronauts. L

[ Sarah/Greenmeadow - 43 - 11:21:34 ]
Thanks for you answers!

[ Bill/NASAChatHost - 44 - 11:21:55 ]
RE: [Arvin] I just want to know what this place is
This the Learning Technologies Channel chat room with Lynn Harper. You are connected to Quest an online rescource for learning about NASA

[ Esther/Wachusett - 45 - 11:22:51 ]
Did you want to be an astronaut?

[ LynnHarper - 46 - 11:25:31 ]
Hi Esther -- Yes, at one time I did want to become an astronaut. And, if we ever get space tourism, I'm going! But, I started learning just how much fun it was to stay on earth and work on a lot of different space projects, so I have no regrets. I have a private goal to leave Earth, just once, and look at the world from space and the stars beyond the atmosphere. That goal may be nearer than we think.

[ Esther/Wachusett - 47 - 11:26:04 ]
What science classes are most important for your field of study?

[ LynnHarper - 49 - 11:29:35 ]
Esther -- This is a great question! The answer is all of them. Be interested in everything. Astrobiology is a forum for lifelong learning. Start on it and you'll never stop and never get bored. I have a bachelor's degree in biology, but almost enough credits to be a chem major. I have a master's degree in cell and molecular biology, but I also took a lot of physics, engineering, computer, and math courses. I love geology and my dad and I are rock collectors. I'm an amateur astronmer. Recently, I've started studying anthropology, sociology, political science, everything about the evolution and effect of intelligence. Tomorrow? Who knows, but its an exciting universe out there and I intend to keep learning till I die. I have never understood how people could ever be bored. L

[ LynnHarper - 51 - 11:32:56 ]
RE: [Esther/Wachusett] Do you think we will find life in our galaxy?
Esther -- Yes, I think we will find life in our galaxy. I even think we'll find it in my lifetime. But, as you probably know, my opinion is not all that valuable on this subject. That's because we don't have to guess any more. We know have the tools to know for certain. So, let's find out together, shall we? L

[ LynnHarper - 53 - 11:36:39 ]
RE: [Esther/Wachusett] I was very inspired by your presentation! Thank you.
Esther -- I'm pretty inspired by your questions. Thank you for your interest. And stay tuned, there's some mind boggling discoveries around the corner. You might want to explore the living universe at NASA. Go to the NASA Photo Gallery at http://www.nasa.gov and go the photo gallery or multimedia section. Enjoy. The pictures I showed just scratched the surface. L

[ LynnHarper - 54 - 11:38:16 ]
RE: [Andy/EdgarMS] Do you use the Hubble?
Hi Andy and Hi Edgar. I do not use the Hubble as a researcher. But I do use its results to understand astrobiology. In fact, the Hubble is one of the great tools for exploring the living universe as well as the non-living universe. I check out the Hubble web page every day to see what new fantastic discovery they've made. And, I'm never disappointed. L

[ LynnHarper - 57 - 11:42:01 ]
RE: [Andy/EdgarMS] WHat's the url?
Andy and Edgar -- The Hubble Space Telescope image archive -- and new images are at URL http://www.stsci.edu and also NASA's Photo gallery http://www.nasa.gov/hqpao/library.html For you and everyone else, if you haven't seen these archives, you haven't seen the sky. L

[ LynnHarper - 59 - 11:46:34 ]
RE: [Andy/EdgarMS] Do you think manned flight in space will further your studies?
Dear Andy and Edgar -- I think manned space flight will definately further our studies of astrobiology. In fact, its one of the key questions in astrobiology that we may be able to answer in our lifetime. Are we planetbound? Can we, if we choose or if we must, establish an evolutionary destiny beyond Earth. Only the manned space program will allow us to answer this important -- perhaps vitally important -- question about humanity. What is our territorial range? All the continents of earth? Beneath the sea? Out to the moon? Mars? Beyond? These questions require manned space flight, the Shuttle, the Mir, the Space Station, and human exploration of the planets to understand. And, until we do know the answers to these questions, we won't fully understand ourselves or the life around us. What is our evolutionary future -- and where? Stay tuned for the study of life in space on the Space Station. Some of the answers will be there. L

[ LynnHarper - 61 - 11:51:35 ]
RE: [Kyle/DeweyHS] Do you like Sci Fi?
Hi Kyle. Hi Dewey. I LOVE Science Fiction. Some of the greatest concepts in astrobiology were the subject of science fiction long before they hit the science mainstream. As an example, the great science fiction and science fact writer Ben Bova wrote about water ice at the south pole of the moon. His book "Moonrise" came out two weeks before the spacecraft Clementine hinted at water on the moon, and years before the Lunar Prospector confirmed it. Great science fiction is great science speculation. Almost all of my colleagues have been inspired by the questions the science fiction writers have posed. Many have been inspired by the scenarios presented. Also, one of the greatest astrobiology concepts -- the evolution of intelligence -- is embedded in this quote from Star Trek "The glory of creation is in our infinite diversity, and the way our differences merge to create meaning and beauty." L

[ Andy/EdgarMS - 64 - 11:56:26 ]
Thanks forthe urls

[ Kyle/DeweyHS - 65 - 11:57:25 ]
Bye, see you next time!

[ LynnHarper - 66 - 11:59:46 ]
RE: [Andy/EdgarMS] What are the study's of life on the Space Station about?
Andy and Edgar -- Think of it this way -- the Space Station allows us to study evolution in a marvelous new way. It's like being there when the first sea creature crawled out onto the land -- except this time we'll have all the modern biological instrumentation to chart just how evolution happens and to document our adaptation and evolution in this new terrain. "Think of it as evoluion in action." There will be many studies of life on Space Station. A whole set of studies using plants, animals, microbes, and humans will be focused on understanding how gravity shaped life on earth and how life adapts to different gravity environments -- a critical question if you're interested in traveling beyond earth and setting up outposts on other worlds. But its also a basic question about life. Gravity shaped us -- that's known. But how? and how intertwined is gravity and life? Also, we're just beginning to consider studying new issues in evolution on the Space Station. What is the potential for the evolution of terrestrial life beyond Earth? With new molecular biology tools -- which are awesome! -- we can study this question at the DNA level. This wasn't possible even 5 years ago. Not only is there the chance to understand future evolutionary trajectories for Earth's life, but also to learn something very important about evolution itself. You see, as life adapts to the space environment, we'll be seeing "evolution in action" (a phrase that I love from science fiction writers Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle). L

[ LynnHarper - 67 - 12:01:39 ]
RE: [Kyle/DeweyHS] What is your favorite author?
Kyle and Dewey - My favorite science fiction writers are Ben Bova, Robert Heinlein, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, Robert Forward, James P. Hogan, Connie Willis, Spider Robinson, and a host of others. These authors will get you started. L

[ Bill/NASAChatHost - 68 - 12:03:41 ]
We have to go now but will have more chats next month. You can find out about these by pointing your browser to http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/schedule.html