Analyzing Biosignatures in Hydrothermal Systems
Lab Simulations of Hydrothermal Vents
Analysis of Planetary Analog Samples
Studying Planetary Geochemistry with Simulated Materials
Welcome to the Origins and Habitability Laboratory!
Research Directions
We are astrobiologists who study the origin of life and how life can exist on other worlds. Our group consists of geologists, biologists, chemists, engineers, and others. We work on a variety of projects to understand how geological conditions impact life in planetary environments such as early Earth, Mars, icy moons of the outer planets, and exoplanets.
Contact us to learn more about student, postdoc, collaboration, and visitor opportunities!
Recent Lab News
Origin of the electron
transport chain
Laurie Barge and Jessica Weber, along with members of the JPL led “Becoming Biotic” Ideas Lab for the Origins of Life team, authored a new paper in PNAS about the origins of the electron transport chain, a necessary system in biology that may have been present at the origin of life. (Figure from Goldman et al. 2023, PNAS)
Nitrogen Redox Chemistry Study
A new study was published in Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta about reduction of nitrate and nitrite by Mars analog iron minerals, and the formation of the amino acid glycine. Various OHL members participated in this study including Laurie Barge, postdoc Jessica Weber, and grad students Eduardo Martinez and Erika Flores.
Great Minds in STEM Conference
OHL grad student Dennise Valadez attended the Great Minds in STEM conference (GMiS 2022) in October 2022. The purpose of this conference was to inspire and motivate underserved students to pursue careers in STEM. Dennise helped support the event on behalf of JPL along with NASA KSC, she was a judge for the student poster session, and she helped run NASA's career booth during the career fair.
New Origin of Life Grant Funded
OHL PI Laurie Barge was recently awarded a new NASA Exobiology grant to study prebiotic chemistry in ancient hydrothermal chimneys. We will be studying carbon and mineral reactions in a hydrothermal reactor simulating vents on early Earth and ocean worlds. (Image credit: Tully Mahr & Bonnie Teece)
Origin of Life in Shallow Hydrothermal Vents
A new paper was published in November 2022 in Nature Geoscience by Laurie Barge and colleague Roy Price, about shallow-sea hydrothermal vents as potential sites for the origin of life on the early Earth. The Strytan Hydrothermal Field in Iceland is a modern analog to these types of vents.
Pathways in STEM outreach
Laurie Barge, Bonnie Teece, Jessica Weber, and Matt Luna participated in the NSF-funded Pathways in STEM geo/bio module at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, teaching a module about science communication to cohorts of community college students.