Synthetic Biology – The Primordial Scoop

But We Have More Than One Example …

Carol despairs of having truly agnostic biosignatures to detect alien life, as it is impossible to extrapolate from the one example of life that we know. But that is the gift of synthetic biology, inductive logic, and reductionism. We induce agnostic biosignatures by understanding the chemistry required for biology.

By Steven A. Benner April 21, 2022Astrobiology, Synthetic BiologyNo Comments

Life Life on Mars NASA Synthetic Biology

NASA Headquarters Misses the Ball. Polyelectrolytes as the Key to Agnostic Life Finding

Synthetic biology, 20 years ago, taught NASA how to search generally, agnostically, and universally for alien life. NASA still does not understand the opportunity

By Steven A. Benner April 16, 2022Life, Life on Mars, NASA, Synthetic BiologyNo Comments

Life on Mars Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology Suggests a Universal Sign of Life in the Chemistry of Genetic Molecules

We cannot assume that life elsewhere in the universe will resemble terrestrial life, even at the molecular level, but this presents a problem: how will we recognize the signs of alien biochemistry if we find them? Synthetic biology provides an answer. Regardless of where it lives, complex life must be able to chemically encode large, diverse bodies of information, and only molecules with certain readily observable chemical properties can do this. Look for these molecules, and you'll find life.

By Steven A. Benner February 8, 2021Life on Mars, Synthetic BiologyNo Comments

Synthetic Biology

The DNA of Alien Life

Synthetic biology can inform the search for alien life by exploring alternatives to normal terrestrial biochemistry. Here's how...

By Steven A. Benner January 24, 2021Synthetic Biology1 Comment