Would we even recognize alien life? NASA astrobiologist explains
July 15, 2025
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2:54Now PlayingWould we even recognize alien life? NASA astrobiologist explains
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as posted by the channelThis interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @TempletonFoundation.
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Watch Kaçar’s next interview ► The ocean is evolving, and it’s not based on the ‘survival of the fittest’
What’s the best way to understand ancient life on Earth? Replicate the conditions it survived in.
NASA astrobiologist Betül Kaçar is recreating conditions from 3 billion years ago to study how microbes have evolved throughout history. By studying the way life once endured a frozen, unstable planet, Kaçar and her team are hoping to find clues for how we might face environmental challenges today and prepare for what’s coming next.
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About Betül Kaçar:
Dr. Betül Kaçar is a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and NASA-funded research leader exploring life’s early evolution. Her team has developed methods to uncover ancient biological innovations. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Emory and trained at Harvard in Evolutionary Biology.
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About The Well
Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
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