Life Detection Knowledge Base (LDKB) is an online, community owned resource to provide knowledge and support discourse about the detection of signs of life.
life detection
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
NASA Spinoff: Astrobiology-Funded Research Enables Better Disease Detection
At first glance, the search for life beyond Earth might not seem related to human illness. But to biochemist Steven Benner, the connection is clear.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Status Report
Life Detection On Icy Moons Using Flow Cytometry And Exogenous Fluorescent Stains
Flow cytometry is a potential technology for in situ life detection on icy moons (such as Enceladus and Europa) and on the polar ice caps of Mars.
![Types of biosignatures categorized by scale, showing that different instruments and different types of analyses are required to analyze the entire range of potential biosignatures. Reprinted with permission from [4] under a Creative Commons License.](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/space.0040.fig_.001.jpg?resize=1200%2C723&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, SETI & Technosignatures, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Applying Novel Techniques From Physical And Biological Sciences To Life Detection
One of the primary goals of the space exploration community is to unambiguously detect past or present life outside of Earth. As such, a number of so-called life detection technologies, […]
Posted inPress Release
Tricorder Tech: Confidence of Life Detection: The Problem of Unconceived Alternatives
Potential biosignatures that offer the promise of extraterrestrial life (past or present) are to be expected in the coming years and decades, whether from within our own solar system, from […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Miniaturized Lab-on-a-chip For Real-time Chemical Analysis Of Liquids
In analytical chemistry, it is often necessary to accurately monitor the concentration change of certain substances in liquids on a time scale of seconds. Especially in the pharmaceutical industry, such […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Assessing Planetary Complexity and Potential Agnostic Biosignatures Using Epsilon Machines
We present a new approach to exoplanet characterisation using techniques from complexity science, with potential applications to biosignature detection.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Life Detection Technology – Development of Solid-State Nanopore
Biomarkers collected from past and present life on Earth are a central guide in the development of flight-ready technologies designed to search for life on other planets and moons. Data […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Development Of Solid-State Nanopore Technology For Life Detection
Introduction: Biomarkers for life on Earth are an important starting point to guide the search for life elsewhere. However, the search for life beyond Earth should incorporate technologies capable of […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
What Is Life – and How Do We Search for It in Other Worlds?
I need a “tricorder”—the convenient, hand-held device featured on Star Trek that can detect life forms even from orbit. Unfortunately, we don’t have a clue how a tricorder might work, since life […]