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Carl B. Pilcher
Senior Scientist for Astrobiology
Science Mission Directorate
NASA Headquarters
"Biosignatures:" Features
features Ambiguous created
created features ONLY by
ONLY by life nonbiological
processes
Astrobiology Unites Disciplines
to Study Life in the Universe
Biosignatures:
Attributes of
Living Systems
We can
continue on to
talk some
science if there
is time
Investigating Morphological and Isotopic
Biosignatures of Terrestrial Iron Bacteria
-A Potential Mars Analog
“Honeycomb”
Honeycomb” structure that
separates surface-
surface-parallel stories.
top view
Microlaminar “scaffolding”
scaffolding” constructed
from Fe-
Fe-mineralized Leptothrix “sticks”
sticks”
and held together by EPS.
top view
Depth Below
Surface of 20 µm
Petrographic
Thin Section Optical Photomicrographs
of In-focus Planes at
Varying Focal Depths
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope
Spheroidal Unicell (acritarch)
Chichkan Fm., ~650 Ma, Kazakhstan
North Pole Equator South Pole
Standard
2-D
Optical
Images
10 µm
CLSM
3-D
Image
Precambrian Filament (cyanobacterium)
Bitter Springs Fm., ~850 Ma, Australia
10 µm
Photomontage
10 µm
Interpretive Drawing
Interpretive Drawing
10 µm
Photomontage
3-D Chemical (Raman) Image
(10 photos) Cell Lumina
Interpretive Drawing 10 µm