While hunting for life in the fragile biomes of the Andes, Nathalie Cabrol has braved earthquakes, set a diving record and gathered data on the threats faced by mountain ecosystems in the face of climate change.
But Cabrol’s eyes are always fixed on Mars, which may have once had a climate similar to Earth’s mountain deserts. As a science team member for NASA, Cabrol helps design interplanetary experiments for the Martian Spirit rover, and researches new technologies for future missions to Mars and beyond.
“Like the organisms she seeks, Cabrol is an extremophile—drawn to extreme environments and the lessons these landscapes offer about the persistence of life.” — UCSC Science Communication Program
The TED community has been very busy over the past few weeks. Below, some newsy highlights. A major upgrade for prosthetics. After nearly a decade in development, Dean Kamen’s prosthetic arm is finally nearing its commercial launch two years after its approval by the FDA. Developed for wounded soldiers at the behest of the United […]
Continue readingNathalie Cabrol looks for life on Mars by studying extreme places on Earth, where the atmosphere is thin, ultraviolet radiation is high and the temperature is varied. See photos from her expeditions.
Continue reading“When our ancestors looked up at the night sky, they saw tools for navigation. They saw myths, and they saw the heavens,” says June Cohen, the host of Session 4 of TED2015. “But technology has given us so many new clues. … Space exploration has never been as fascinating and relevant as it is today.” Here’s […]
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