Looking for Signatures of Life on Mars

Contemporary Science Issues and Innovations
March 17, 2015 Belmont Media Center, Belmont MA

Roger Summons, PhD, Professor of Geobiology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Fellow of the Royal Society. The Summons Lab at MIT

Even with the most advanced equipment and technical sophistication, the search for ancient biomarkers on Mars is truly challenging. Professor Summons describes how he and other scientists on the NASA Mars team search for and analyze possible bio-signatures on Mars. We learn also how his discoveries of extremely ancient bio-signatures on Earth are applied to the Mars investigation. Dr. Summons is distinguished for his technical analysis of sediments of the Precambrian age and modern microbes, and this expertise is crucial for the identification of organic remains in the Martian geology.

Dr. Summons has received many awards for his work. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the American Academy of Microbiology, and the Australian Academy of Science.

Great information about biomarkers on the Summons Lab website

Astrobiology Magazine interviews Roger Summons: Curious about Life

Video: The Mars Lab Talks to Roger Summons