Astrobiology

Japanese activities of astrobiology: Earth-Life Science Institute & Japan AstroBiology Center

by Shigeru Ida (Earth-Life Science Institute, Japan)

Europe/Stockholm
DeGeer (DeGeer-salen)

DeGeer

DeGeer-salen

Geovetenskapens hus, Svante Arrhenius väg 14
Description
In Japan, Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) [http://www.elsi.jp/en/] started in 2012 and Japan AstrobBiology Center (J-ABC) [http://abc-nins.jp/index_en.html] started in 2015. Both institutions are in Tokyo. I will explain the activities of ELSI and J-ABC (I am a vice director of ELSI and a board member of J-ABC). ELSI already has ~80 international researchers in astronomy, planetary science, geodynamics, geochemistry, geology, biochemistry and biology and they have offices at the same building and communicate with one another through common seminars, everyday coffee time and Friday drinking. The science goals of ELSI are the origin of the Earth and origins of life, both through theoretical studies and experiments. I'm attacking the origin of the Earth through planet formation theory, and also interested in simulation of prebiotic chemical evolution. J-ABC is targeted at future observations of atmosphere and biosignature on exoplanets.