Xenobiology, as a research area, investigates biological systems that differ fundamentally from known terrestrial life in their molecular composition, information carriers, or biochemical logic, aiming to define and experimentally explore alternative forms of life. It encompasses the design and study of organisms with expanded genetic alphabets, noncanonical nucleic acids or amino acids, alternative metabolic pathways, and orthogonal biological networks that do not cross-talk with natural biosystems. Xenobiology research informs the theoretical limits of life, biosafety through genetic firewalls, and the development of novel biotechnological platforms with tailored properties, while providing conceptual and experimental frameworks relevant to astrobiology and the characterization of life’s possible chemistries.
Alicja Ostrowska's doctoral thesis "Life and AI at NASA" examines how artificial intelligence is transforming the way science is conducted within some of the world's most ambitious space projects. The study investigates how ...
Astrobiology
Jan 21, 2026
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Humans have always been fascinated with space. We frequently question whether we are alone in the universe. If not, what does intelligent life look like? And how would aliens communicate?
Astronomy
Jan 9, 2026
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In a breakthrough that defies nature, Northwestern University and Stanford University synthetic biologists have created a new artificial metabolism that transforms waste carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful biological building ...
Biotechnology
Dec 22, 2025
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When NASA scientists opened the sample return canister from the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample mission in late 2023, they found something astonishing.
Astrobiology
Dec 15, 2025
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Leading synthetic biologists have shared hard-won lessons from their decade-long quest to build the world's first synthetic eukaryotic genome in a Nature Biotechnology paper. Their insights could accelerate development of ...
Biotechnology
Dec 11, 2025
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Researchers from ETH Zurich have succeeded in introducing large quantities of unnatural amino acids into bacteria, enabling the creation of innovative and highly efficient designer proteins. These can be used as more efficient ...
Biotechnology
Dec 10, 2025
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What are the physics of life? That is more than just a philosophical question—it has practical implications for our search for life elsewhere in the galaxy. We know what Earth life looks like, on a number of levels, but ...
Astrobiology
Nov 26, 2025
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According to popular media, the search for alien life involves advanced technology, space exploration and sometimes even government conspiracies and secret programs. But according to University of Victoria (UVic) astronomer ...
Astrobiology
Nov 24, 2025
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Could scientists find life in the clouds of exoplanet atmospheres? This is what a manuscripton the arXiv preprint server hopes to address as a team of researchers investigate how the biosignatures of microbes could be identified ...
Astrobiology
Oct 28, 2025
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In a new report, scholars from the Hoover Institution propose measures to secure biology now and in perpetuity.
Biotechnology
Oct 10, 2025
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