By: Adhityo WIcaksono

INTRODUCTION TO
XENOBIOLOGY
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WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LEARN TODAY
The Definition: Difference from Space Biology, Astrobiology, and Xenobiology
Barriers of Our Knowledge
Carbon Chauvinism
Anthropocentric
Alien Life Forms: Biomechanics to The State of Arts
Shadow Biosphere Hypothesis
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THE DEFINITION: SPACE BIOLOGY,
ASTROBIOLOGY, AND XENOBIOLOGY
Space Biology is a part of biological sciences which involves of study and observation by
taking a living organism into a space environment (either directly exposed, inside a space
station, or simulated ground-based experiment)
Astrobiology is a study to find a possibility of life existence beyond the earth including the
research of searching it (such as Search for Extra Terrestrial Inteligent, or SETI project)
and all of this research procedures are using of perception of Life as we know it
Xenobiology is a speculative study of an alien life form, done by using the state of art and
science of comparing the existing life on earth on the view of creatures anatomy,
physiology, and further on the aspect of evolution
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Aster: star
Bios: life
Xeno: strange
Logos: logic
THE DIFFERENCES BY THE LEARNING
METHODOLOGY
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Direct Exposition To Space
Environment
Experiment on Space Module
Ground-Based Experiment
On the lab
Aerial or sub orbit tests
SPACE BIOLOGY
(Clment & Slenzka, 2006)
Minicentrifuge to observe the rootings of
Lentil seeds in microgravity (S/MM-05
SpaceHab Mission). Image courtesy of:
Brinckmann, (2007)
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Study on Building Block of Life
Study on Planetary Environment
Aspect
Search For Exoplanet
The Origin of Life (on Earth)
SETI Project
Drakes Equation
Fermis paradox & Rare Earth
Hypothesis
ASTROBIOLOGY
Artists rendition of Kepler-22b, the
proposed Earth-like exoplanet
(Benett & Shostak, 2006)
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Study on Extremophilles
Study of the process of evolution and
natural selection
The Existing Alien Life: Shadow
Biosphere Hypothesis
Speculative Science of:
Alternative Biochemistry
Effect of Environmental Condition
on Living Organism
Evolution of Alien Life
XENOBIOLOGY
Sound-feeding creature, harvesting
energy by using the vibration on its thin
membrane. Image courtesy of Andrew
Hou (http://njoo.deviantart.com)
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THE BARRIERS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE
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Most of our experiments to find life look for "life as we know it" (an exception is
SETI, which is only looking for signals). Everyone recognizes that this is
probably too narrow-minded, but it's hard to think of good experiments for finding
microbes that are NOT like the ones we know on Earth. Many people have
thought about this, and several types of experiment have been proposed, but it's
still a difficult problem.
-Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer of SETI Institute-
CARBON CHAUVINISM
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Carbon chauvinism is a assumption that biochemistry base of the predicted life forms of
extraterrestrial life must be consisted of carbon
Opposite to this assumption, scientists have the proposed theory of alternative
biochemistry of life that might be possible to the not -yet-found alien life
"Life exists in the universe only because the carbon atom possesses certain exceptional
properties."
James Jeans, The Mysterious Universe
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Proposed Biochemistry of Life
This table is courtesy of Thomas Duffy (http://thomastapir.deviantart.com)
PS: More from this table can be explained on the next lecture
ANTHROPOCENTRISM
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This idealism considers that the only superior and sapience being is only human
This thought has impact on many prediction of intelligent alien life as depicted on
humanoid form which described as:
Bipedal
Bilateral symmetry
Human-like organs
etc
Anthropocentric (adj): Considering human beings as the most significant entity of the
universe (definition from Merriam-Webster dictionary)
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Human brain
Insect brain
Dolphin brain
Octopus brain
REDEFINING LIFE
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Characteristic of life
Metabolism
Nutrition absorption
Reproduction
Adaptation to environment
Type
Cellular life (normal life like on Earth)
Non cellular life (virus, crystal (?))
SHADOW BIOSPHERE HYPOTHESIS
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Hypothesize the existence of microbial
biosphere here on Earth with a totally
different biochemical and molecular
processes than the known life on Earth
(Cleland & Copley, 2005)
Until now, the scientists had found an
extremophile called GFAJ-1 which
reported to use arsenic on their
nucleotide (even later this statement is
still a controversy)
SHADOW BIOSPHERE HYPOTHESIS
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GFAJ-1
EXPLAINING: EXTREMOPHILLES
Extreme Temperature Membrane cell adaptation and enzyme adaptation (in low
temperature)
Extreme pH Condition Membrane cell ion channel adaptation and pH buffer
accumulation
Extreme Low Hydration Osmoprotectant chemical accumulation (i.e: Trehalose)
Extreme Pressure Membrane cell adaptation
Extreme Radiation Exposure Rapid DNA repairing
Extreme Scarcity of Nutrients and Chemical Extreme Vacuole and physiology
adaptation
SO THE MAIN CONCERN OF XENOBIOLOGY IS:
TO DECRYPT OR SPECULATE LIFE ON THE
UNIVERSE AS WE DONT KNOW IT
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REFERENCES
Anonim (2012). The Transit of Synthetic Astrobiology. http://2012.igem.org/Team:Stanford-
Brown, access date January 20th 2013
Benett, J.O. and S. Shostak (2006). Life in The Universe (2
nd
Edition). New York: Pearson
Addison-Wesley. ISBN-13: 978-0805347531
Cleland, E.C. and S.D. Copley (2005). The possibility of alternative microbial life on Earth.
International Journal of Astrobiology 4 (3 & 4): 165173 (2005). DOI:
10.1017/S147355040500279X
Brinckmann, E. (2007). Biology in Space and Life on Earth: Effects of Spaceflights on
Biological Systems. Weinheinm: WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. ISBN: 978-3-527-
40668-5
Clment, G. and K. Slenzka (2006). Fundamental of Space Biology: Research on Cells,
Animals, and Plants in Space. California: Springer. ISBN-13: 978-0387-33113-3

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Downloaded Image:
GFAJ-1: http://tikalon.com/blog/2011/GFAJ_1_Halomon.jpg
Human brainhttp://www.brainhealthandpuzzles.com/images/labeled_diagram_human_brain_sagittal.jpg
Insext brain: http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/59/8642e58527ee01a17537f5174b8a4851/l.gif
Dolphin brain: http://www.starfiretor.com/TheWhaleAndDolphinPeopleProject/jpgs/DolphinBrainGraphic.jpg
Octopus brain: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6FXhb-SM0NA/TBAImVaY0uI/AAAAAAAAAEU/9NhCri-H9vw/s1600/Young+Figure+1-6.jpg