Broadening the Search for Life Beyond Earth: Alternative Biochemistries, Mineral Signatures, and Technosignatures
To the point
Cole Mathis says we should start searching for life beyond Earth even if indicators aren’t perfect; Amirali Aghazadeh argues for looking for patterns from metabolism and evolution rather than Earth biology; Chris Impey links life signs to mineral diversity and the complexity of evolving systems; Macy Huston and Jason Wright consider technosignatures such as radio emissions or large satellite networks; and a final emphasis is on rigorously ruling out non-biological explanations before declaring a discovery, all illustrated by Project Hail Mary’s imagined diverse life forms.