Physics Program Presents

Orange is the New Green: The Colors of Life as a Tool to Search for Life in the Cosmos
 

Biopigments are colorful molecules found in all branches of life and are responsible for coloring Earth's landscapes. These molecules provide organisms with various benefits, such as protection against radiation, temperature changes, lack of resources, and dryness - conditions that are common on Earth and beyond. If life exists elsewhere, it will need to find analogous mechanisms to cope with these conditions. Biopigments have unique reflectance spectral features and are potential pervasive signatures of life. The potential colors of extraterrestrial surfaces can be studied using future large space-based telescopes such as the Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) and the Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx). To aid in the search for life on terrestrial planets, we are developing a comprehensive spectra catalog of the colors of life linked to specific ecosystems – since different biopigments (with different spectral features) will be part of the response against different environmental conditions. This free spectra library covers the visible to near-infrared and provides a guide for the search for surface life on planets like ours or other habitable planets that may be colder, drier, or just different than Earth.
 

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For more information, call 845-758-6822, or e-mail [email protected].

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT/GMT-4

Location: Hegeman 107

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