Ask an Astrobiologist Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Host: Dr. Graham Lao, aka the cosmobiology.
• Sponsored by NASA astrobiology program and Sagen net.org.
• Shoutout to PC3 user on X, related to prebiotic chemistry in early Earth environments.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Richard Camilli

• Affiliation: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
• Background: Studied biology, transitioned to engineering, PhD from MIT (2003).
• Focus: Developing autonomous robotic systems for oceanography, space exploration, disaster response, and subsea archaeology.

Career Journey

• Early interest in paleontology, shifted to biology for undergrad.
• Transitioned from biology to engineering based on advice to pursue interests in building things.
• Developed robotic environmental sensors for characterizing life forms in the deep ocean and potential space exploration tech.

Advances in Oceanography Robotics

• Shift from controlled environment operations to dangerous, difficult areas using robotics.
• Use of autonomous systems where human presence is risky.

Research on Kalisti Limnes near Santorini

• "Kalisti Limnes" translates to "most beautiful lakes" in ancient Greek.
• Discovered in 2012, have opal-like iridescent sheen.
• Initial interest due to seismic activity on Santorini, a volcanic island.

Challenges in Autonomous Robotics

• Perception: enabling robots to perceive environments and operate autonomously.
• Energy Efficiency: Gliders designed for long-term, low-power operations similar to a cell phone power draw.

Impact on Climate Understanding

• Discovery of high CO2 concentration settling in ocean floors can inform carbon capture strategies.
• Connection to volcanic activity and prebiotic Earth conditions.

Exploration of Extraterrestrial Oceans

• Potential to deploy tech developed on Earth for exploring Europa and Enceladus.
• Addressing challenges like thick ice crust, communication, and autonomy for distant missions.

Future of Ocean Exploration

• Emphasis on event response technology for quick deployment during phenomena like hurricanes.
• Development of robotic systems for better Earth observation and ecosystem understanding.

Human-Robot Interaction

• Increasing focus on shared autonomy and collaborative autonomy for space and underwater exploration.
• Enhancing robots' cognitive abilities to interact and understand human intent and vice versa.

Legacy and Future Directions

• Aim to advance understanding by developing technology to observe previously unseen phenomena.
• Recognizes the robust adaptability and uniqueness of life on Earth.

Conclusion

• Encouragement to follow one's curiosity in scientific pursuits.
• Interest in archaeology and cognitive science as potential areas for further exploration.