According to the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, “The Astrobiology Club is an interactive organization that shares the many applications and sides of Astrobiology and creates a space for learning. It will focus on providing resources and opportunities for people interested in pursuing an astrobiology career, create discussion sessions to exchange ideas focused on Astrobiology-related topics, and engage students through practical laboratory sessions and field trip activities. Furthermore, it is of interest to participate in outreach activities, connect students interested in Astrobiology to other relevant institutions, and encourage their participation in forums, conferences, and internships.”

To kickoff the month of April, Astrobiology club painted the famous Rock by the Red Cedar with a green alien and the phrase “astrobiology club 2026” to capture the mysteries of space. The group donned tin foil hats for fun and were each able to paint their names on the backside of the rock, the side facing the river. They did this in tandem with the Astronomy club.

Astrobiology club hosted a Vala-a-Gram sending for Valentine's Day and a guest lecture, titled "Biosignatures on Mars?" about potential life on Mars due to "Leopard spots" and "poppy seeds" being discovered on the planet. The club has a mysterious type of allure that appeals to many while still using evidence and using scientific discoveries and research to propel event ideas and lectures. 

Some featured guest speakers for an 'Astrobiology on Tap' event at the club included MSU Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology Assistant Dean Dr. Rosa Leon Zayas and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Planetary Geochemist Dr. Megan Elwood Madden for a discovery of life in the universe beyond Earth.

Geological sciences senior Alexandra Grabowski explained who tends to join the club as well as what type of audience the club has attracted.

“We have students mainly from the EES department or from the physics department. Lots of those are already engaged in astrobiology research. We get a couple of folks who are just interested in the topics, but not as many,” Grabowski said.

The club is also pretty widespread in terms of inclusivity, and covers a lot of different topics.

“Astrobiology involves everyone. We have researchers from all fields of science, and even artists; the Project Hail Mary movie didn’t (just) appear in existence. You can learn about topics you haven’t heard of or even present your own work. We are both an academic and community based club, creating many connections. We also do lots of outreach to connect to the local community. You’ll definitely meet someone cool at the Astrobiology Club,” Grabowski said.

Astrophysics freshman Evelyn Meyersieck brought out the more mysterious and whimsical elements of the club.

“I think the most significant event to me has been when we got to look at tardigrades (cuticle covered eight-legged invertebrates that can survive the toughest conditions, not just on Earth, but in space) under microscopes. It was really cool to learn about the conditions they can live in, and how experimenting with these conditions gives us clues as to what alien life could be like,” Meyersieck said.

Astrophysics senior Kiran Patel is an active member of Astrobiology club. She has learned a lot from Astrobiology club, but certain topics stand out to her.

“Some topics I’ve learned are markings and features on different planets, and what they could represent, such as presence of water – or not – and also the history of Michigan itself, and how it used to be underwater, and what had lived here during Pangea and before,” Patel said.

For further information, the Astrobiology Club can be contacted here. They are hosting a Space Movie and Study Night on April 20th.