“The odds that we find something on Mars or Europa are high,” said Jack Pallotto, senior in LAS and president of the Astrobiology Club. “But whether I’ll be there? That’s a different question.”
Here on Earth, the University’s Astrobiology Club explores, experiments and discusses life beyond our planet through social meetings here on the University’s campus. This student-led organization welcomes people regardless of their scientific background. All majors are invited to join the club and learn more about both astronomy and biology.
Astrobio Club hosts meetings that combine educational and social themes, including game nights, study sessions, movie showings and scientific events. Although it is a rather small club on campus, it is dedicated to forming an informed community.
Earlier this semester, it hosted a terrarium event where members could create their own mini ecosystem confined to a small glass container, observing the outcome and growth of microorganisms.
“I’ve had the idea to do a terrarium project where everyone makes their own terrarium for two years now, but now we finally got to do it this year,” Pallotto said.
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One may think stereotypical imagery, such as flying saucers and big-headed green creatures, when it comes to astrobiology. In reality, it is far more formal and less fictional.
“They probably think alien life is, you know, little green men or gray aliens and stuff, but in reality, it’s probably going to be closer to like a little microbe that you can barely see without a microscope,” said Corbin Hawkins, junior in Engineering and vice president of the Astrobio Club.
This common misconception of alien life is part of the club’s identity, and a stereotype the club leans away from. They are more interested in real depictions of “alien life” such as microorganisms like bacteria or fungi that thrive in space. Astrobio keeps the focus on the real-life subject matter, but occasionally detours into the role alien life plays in pop culture.
“This is something I would harp on constantly, but there are very few depictions of aliens that have any kind of bearing in reality,” said Alex Headley, graduate student studying biochemistry and member of the club. “They mix different Earth species together, or they’re ‘humans but green.’”
A term like “astrobiology” carries some degree of frivolity, but Astrobio sets itself apart by taking its subject matter seriously, without losing sight of what the field means to people.
With collective interest so strong on the University campus, it’s no surprise that there’s a draw to Astrobio’s premise and activities.
“There’s a degree to which it’s sort of the ‘alien club,’ but we try to take ourselves a little more seriously,” Headley said. “We’re not doing ‘X-Files.’”
Astrobiology is a serious passion for many of its members, and the club tasks itself with encouraging that kind of interest. Whether that’s hosting guest lecturers for seminars on distant planet formation or playing games about alien evolution, Astrobio is where students come for nuanced discussions of life beyond Earth.
The club hosts meetings regarding microorganisms being researched by huge corporations like NASA, other planets in our solar system or updates concerning interstellar radio signals. With topics as specific and complex as these, the club is also rounded out with broader discussions of astrobiology and its place in our lives.
“Another thing that we’re starting to incorporate more into our club is trying to learn about how humans need to adapt to living in space for long periods of time,” Hawkins said. “Even if it’s not big alien monsters, there are still things to worry about in the field of space travel.”
Adherence to a scientific standard is a core tenet of the Astrobio Club, and it informs much of its activity and outlook as a group. For a collective interest as particular as this, the club is responsible for treating it seriously, yet keeping it accessible for those who want to learn more.
“We want to make it as approachable as possible, so everybody’s able to put in their two cents,” Pallotto said.
