At UC Santa Cruz, astrobiologists explore one of humanity’s most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? By studying how life forms, identifying the signatures of living worlds, and observing our cosmic neighborhood, researchers bring an interdisciplinary, 21st-century approach to this ancient inquiry.
The UC Santa Cruz Astrobiology Initiative seeks to find evidence of life beyond Earth while deepening our understanding of the processes that give rise to complexity and consciousness in the universe. Researchers examine the limits of planetary habitability, the sustainability of life on Earth, and the conditions that transform planets into living worlds. They develop instruments to detect signs of life, train the next generation of scientists and humanists through inclusive practices, and build ethical frameworks for planetary stewardship and exploration.
Astrobiology—the study of the origin, evolution, and prevalence of life in the universe—asks fundamental questions: Is life an inevitable outcome of cosmic evolution? How does a planet become a living world? Are we unique, or is life common throughout the galaxy? The UCSC Astrobiology Initiative brings together experts across astronomy, biology, planetary science, philosophy, and the arts to pursue these questions.
Following groundbreaking discoveries from NASA’s Kepler Mission, led by UC Santa Cruz Professor Natalie Batalha, Congress made the search for life beyond Earth a national objective in 2017. Since then, UCSC researchers have remained at the forefront of the field, contributing major discoveries in exoplanet and planetary science. Upcoming missions to Mars, Europa, and Titan promise to reveal new clues about life’s origins and environments beyond Earth.
Launched in 2019, the UC Santa Cruz Astrobiology Initiative unites scientists, communicators, and artists in a shared mission: to explore the origins of life, understand our place in the cosmos, and inspire a new era of curiosity and responsibility as we look to the stars.