Field Studies of Planetary Microbiology and Life in the Universe
Field-based exploration of microbial biosignatures and planetary life origins via simulated lander missions, utilizing remote sensing, spectroscopy, and metagenomics at extreme environment sites.
Summary
What you’ll be able to do
Define basic categories and modes of biosignature production and preservation.
Describe the environmental and ecological attributes that enable biosignature preservation.
Articulate how different microenvironments can be present in an extreme environment (i.e., a salt flat), and how different instruments are required to explore these microenvironments at different scales of observation.
Explain the basic chemical drivers of life that exist in different microenvironments.
Hypothesize planetary and stellar conditions likely to lead to the long-term persistence of life on a planet.
Operate each of the main instruments that compose the payload package of the simulated spacecraft, organized in order of scale: Drone/imaging data (km-m); Outcrop scale detection/field microscope and hand lens (m-dm); Molecular characterization/spectrophotometer (mm-nm); Atomic characterization/XRD (nm-fm).
Formulate an original hypothesis to guide future research based on a synthesis of findings from the field experience with current understandings of the origins, evolution and molecular underpinnings of life and corresponding planetary scale changes.
Source: UW Guide
Grade history
↗No recorded grade history.
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Prerequisites
Course mapMICROBIO 520 or graduate/professional standing
- MICROBIO 520 · prior_or_concurrent
- graduate/professional standing
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Prerequisite text tree
- Any of
- MICROBIO 520 · prior_or_concurrent
- graduate/professional standing
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
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Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
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Student experience
the class
Explores the origins, early evolution, and most common traces left by our planet's form of microbial life. Discovery and interpretation of microbial biosignatures in the context of a simulated surface lander mission through travel to field sites. Introduction to microbial biosignatures as inferred through satellite and drone imagery interpretation, portable XRF elemental analysis, UV-VIS-IR spectrophotometry, body and trace fossil analysis and interpretation, and metagenome sequencing. Explore evidence and methods of detection of life on other planets.
difficulty & workload
No workload feedback recorded.
Topics
- Origins and early evolution of microbial life
- Environmental and ecological factors enabling biosignature preservation
- Planetary and stellar conditions for long-term life persistence
- Methods for detecting life on other planets
Skills
- Interpretation of microbial biosignatures using satellite/drone imagery, portable XRF, UV-VIS-IR spectrophotometry, fossil analysis, and metagenome sequencing.
- Operation of scientific instruments including drones, field microscopes, spectrophotometers, and XRD for multiscale observation.
- Formulation of original hypotheses synthesizing field findings with theoretical understandings of life's origins and evolution.
Grades
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Catalog & offerings
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Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
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Full model traces
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Model & dataset provenance
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"requirements_status": "needs_review",
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"observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
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