Dr. Robert Hazen (Carnegie) - "Big-Data Astrobiology: Exploring the co-evolution of the geosphere and biosphere"

Date: 

Wednesday, November 15, 2017, 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Location: 

Haller Hall, Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street
Abstract: 
 

"Large and growing deep-time data resources in mineralogy, geochemistry, paleobiology, petrology, tectonics, and proteomics facilitate statistical exploration and visual representation of large-scale patterns in planetary evolution. Of special note are recent applications of network analysis: visually striking interactive paleobiology networks of coexisting animals reveal mass extinction events; dynamic 3D-mineral networks display dramatic clustering and embed compositional vectors and timelines; intricate networks that compare thousands of protein structures reflect Earth's redox evolution and suggest the coevolution of geochemistry and biochemistry. "Big-data" astrobiology is thus lead to a deeper understanding of the origins and evolution of our home and ourselves."

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