Edmond Grin

Who I Am and What I Do

I am a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, which is the Center of Excellence for the search for the origin of Life on Earth and other planets. The goal of my research is to reconstruct the past water activity on Mars through the analysis of images of landscapes that have been modified by ancient streams. I compare the martian dry valleys with the valleys and lakes we see on Earth to understand how these valleys and lakes were formed and how they have evolved through time. The dry landscape of Mars is to day similar to what could has been the surface of Earth when we believe that the first organisms have funded the chain of life in environment of liquid water. To give a few light on our way to search the origin of life in primitive environment on Earth and may be on Mars, we are exploring one of the best environmental analog on Earth to Mars : that are is the goal of the Licancabur expeditions. The Licancabur environment. Why? The most high lakes on Earth are today under extreme environmental conditions that could be similar to early Earth and present Mars when life may have start. Licancabur's environment provides us an unique experimental site to study the effects of UV radiation on primitive microorganisms and what is the survival strategy developed by the microorganisms. More than 12 experimental gazer stations for living organisms have been installed on the shallow water on the shorelines lakes and are now operating during these last two years. Each station includes an UV filtering gazer chamber and an UV transmitting gazer chamber in order to compare their respectives biomas. The result of the harvest of biomas where of high interest and promising. The experiment will be extended for a third year. The UV radiation is measured by an autonomous network of dosimeters and also the physics of the water during the experiment

A Few Words for Our Kids

My mother has taught me that studying was the best natural food for life We can master our imagination and dreams to make them become reality. The secret to progress is the curiosity that leads us to test what we believe is the reality of the world. The privilege of a scientist is to doubt. This is why we are seekers of nature'secrets on Earth and beyond. Kids of all ages ask questions even if they have no answer now.