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Future of the Search for Life: Workshop Report

Neveu, Marc orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6220-2869, Quinn, Richard, Barge, Laura M. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-2187-540X, Craft, Kathleen L., German, Christopher R. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3417-6413, Getty, Stephanie, Glein, Christopher, Parra, Macarena, Burton, Aaron S., Cary, Francesca orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9217-0960, Corpolongo, Andrea orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-8623-358X, Fifer, Lucas orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-0373-9110, Gangidine, Andrew, Gentry, Diana, Georgiou, Christos D. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9707-0109, Haddadin, Zaid, Herbold, Craig, Inaba, Aila, Jordan, Seán F. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-8403-1100, Kalucha, Hemani, Klier, Pavel, Knicely, Kas, Li, An Y., McNally, Patrick, Millan, Maëva, Naz, Neveda orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3515-2958, Raj, Chinmayee Govinda, Schroedl, Peter, Timm, Jennifer and Yang, Ziming (2024) Future of the Search for Life: Workshop Report. Astrobiology, 24 (1). pp. 114-129. ISSN 1531-1074

Abstract
The 2-week, virtual Future of the Search for Life science and engineering workshop brought together more than 100 scientists, engineers, and technologists in March and April 2022 to provide their expert opinion on the interconnections between life-detection science and technology. Participants identified the advances in measurement and sampling technologies they believed to be necessary to perform in situ searches for life elsewhere in our Solar System, 20 years or more in the future. Among suggested measurements for these searches, those pertaining to three potential indicators of life termed “dynamic disequilibrium,” “catalysis,” and “informational polymers” were identified as particularly promising avenues for further exploration. For these three indicators, small breakout groups of participants identified measurement needs and knowledge gaps, along with corresponding constraints on sample handling (acquisition and processing) approaches for a variety of environments on Enceladus, Europa, Mars, and Titan. Despite the diversity of these environments, sample processing approaches all tend to be more complex than those that have been implemented on missions or envisioned for mission concepts to date. The approaches considered by workshop breakout groups progress from nondestructive to destructive measurement techniques, and most involve the need for fluid (especially liquid) sample processing. Sample processing needs were identified as technology gaps. These gaps include technology and associated sampling strategies that allow the preservation of the thermal, mechanical, and chemical integrity of the samples upon acquisition; and to optimize the sample information obtained by operating suites of instruments on common samples. Crucially, the interplay between science-driven life-detection strategies and their technological implementation highlights the need for an unprecedented level of payload integration and extensive collaboration between scientists and engineers, starting from concept formulation through mission deployment of life-detection instruments and sample processing systems.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Subjects:Physical Sciences > Analytical chemistry
Physical Sciences > Chemistry
Physical Sciences > Physics
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Chemical Sciences
Publisher:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers
Official URL:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38227837/
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:32572
Deposited On:05 May 2026 14:51 by Sean Jordan . Last Modified 05 May 2026 14:51
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